Raf

My optional itinery on BCN-BSL-WAW route includes 5h. layover in BSL.
Does anyone have some tips how to spend it (is there some interesting places near the airport ?
Thanks. Raf

alfahund

Mileage run to ZRH and back?

Dennis

Not possible since there is only one flight leaving BSL at 6 am and "returning" at 10:35 pm that is valid for status miles.

alfahund

Damn! What about FRA?

alex0683de

The airport is only a 15 minute bus ride each way from the airport - you could head into the city, poke around for a little while and then head back to catch your onward flight.

Alternatively, if you have Star Alliance status or a Priority Pass, the lounge at BSL is very, very nice and was voted Best Lounge in Europe by Priority Pass in 2005. I don't know if it's nice enough to spend 5 hours there, but as lounges go, there are worse places to be stuck.

Hennessy

Take the bus to the railway station. Then walk downtown to the cathedral, take the stairs down to the river Rhein, take there the "Fähri" a little motorless boat that crosses the river and continue your walk in Kleinbasel, i.e. the smaller part of the town. Once you are tired, take the tram (2 or 8) back to the railway station and the bus to the airport. Tram and Bus schedule: www.bvb.ch.

Depending on your interests, I can give you more hints for visits. Are you more into:
- Shopping?
- Churches?
- Museums?
- Tram/Bus trips?
- Restaurants?
- Bars?

blitz

There's also a casino near the airport. You can either take the bus for a short ride or I guess you can also walk this distance! Don't expect a Vegas casino! Slots are tight, BJ has a big house edge and no one knows how to play proper strategy! Only exception is the single zero roulette. No craps, no cocktail waitress, no comped drinks. But still a nice place to kill a couple of hours.

BTW, agree with the nice lounge! Shower facilities and good beverage selection. Not sure if food is still a big deal. Upstairs there are nice sofa chairs facing the runway.

Hennessy

I would not recommend to walk. It's at least 3km and the road is nothing fancy.

Raf

Thank you , Hennesy. I'll take a little walk around the town, have a beer ouside, maybe.
B.T.W. Lounge in Basel is really nice (remember old, good Qualiflyer times ), but there is not the best place to spend whole 5 hours...

kwpinwdc

As Hennessy says, take the #50 bus to the railway station and then walk to the park across the street and down into town. You'll see the traffic flow of people heading that direction.

For a drink with a view, take the #1 or #2 from the SBB station - 5 stops to Messeplatz and you'll see Switzerland's tallest building. There is a bar at the 31st floor with amazing vistas of 3 countries. You'll find an elevator inside the lobby of the Ramada hotel. They open at 5pm daily, so only good for an evening layover.

A great place to have a coffee or people watch is the "Unternehmen Mitte": http://www.basel.ch/en/events/indoor...ernehmen_mitte

If the weather is nice you'll find lots of great places to sit for a drink or food in Barfüsserplatz - the hub of the town.

Check out the Münster (http://www.baslermuenster.ch) and walk down from the rear of the cathedral to catch the most carbon neutral form of transport, the "Leu Fähri" to cross the river (1.60 CHF) http://www.faehri.ch/engl/leu_e.html

Bus #50 Schedule: http://www.bvb.ch/fp_l50.htm
Tram/Bus Plan: http://www.bvb.ch/bvb_liniennetz_2007.pdf

Have a great time!

Hennessy

If you go to this so called Bar Rouge, don't forget to visit the toilets and to appreciate the view while being occupied....
Concerning the tram and the 5 stops, just be careful to take the tram in the right direction, as line #1 and #2 are through trams at Bahnhof SBB.