How to Travel From London to Basel by Train

There is absolutely no need to fly from London to Basel, as you can easily travel from the UK to Switzerland by train.

In this short guide, I’ll show you the different train routes you can choose from when travelling between London and Basel, and explain how and where to book your tickets.

London to Basel by train

There are multiple routes you can take if you want to travel by train from London to Basel.

Which of these rail routes is best depends on a number of factors, such as price, journey time and personal preferences.

Although you currently have to change trains at least once when travelling from London to Basel, this route could become a direct one in the future, as a memorandum of understanding has been signed between Eurostar and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) to develop a direct London–Basel Eurostar service.

For now, however, these are the train connections you can choose from:

Route 1: London to Basel via Paris

This is the most straightforward route, with just one connection to make on your journey, although it does require you to change stations in Paris, which can be a minor hassle.

First, you take the Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris Gare du Nord.

You then have to cross Paris on your own by RER suburban train, bus, metro or taxi to get from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon, where you catch your next train.

This is the Paris–Basel–Zurich TGV Lyria service, which runs roughly every two hours throughout most of the day.

The journey time between Paris and Basel on this TGV high-speed train is 3 hours and 4 minutes.

Make sure you leave enough time between the arrival of your Eurostar in Paris and your onward train to Basel.

Route 2: London to Basel via Lille

Although this route requires at least two connections, it has the advantage of avoiding the cumbersome station change in Paris.

This is especially appealing for those lugging heavy luggage, travelling with children or feeling intimidated by having to navigate their way across a large city like Paris on their own.

First, you take the Eurostar from London to Lille.

At Lille Europe, you then make a convenient same-station connection onto a TGV high-speed train to Strasbourg.

Once you reach Strasbourg, you make your final connection onto a comfortable TER regional train to Basel.

Route 3: London to Basel via Brussels and Cologne

If you want to avoid French stations altogether, you can first take the Eurostar train to Brussels.

At Brussels-South station, you connect onto a German ICE high-speed train to Köln Hbf, the main railway station in Cologne, where you make your final connection onto another ICE train to Basel.

Booking tickets

You can best book your London to Basel train tickets through NS International, the international booking website of Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the Dutch national railway company, or through Omio.

Both websites allow you to book all the trains needed to travel from London to Switzerland in a single transaction.

Use the journey planners below to check prices and connections for your travel date.

However, keep in mind that some of the routes mentioned above may not appear in the search results when you enter your journey details, as they typically only show the fastest options.

In that case, you may have to book your tickets separately, for example, by first booking your London–Lille Eurostar ticket and then a separate ticket from Lille to Basel.

Remember that high-speed trains such as the Eurostar, TGV and ICE have dynamic pricing, so it’s generally best to book them as early as possible.

If you are using an Interrail Pass to travel around Europe, you can read more about how to book Interrail passholder reservations.

Book train tickets through NS International (Dutch Railways)

Book train tickets through Omio

Conclusion

Travelling by train is a great option for getting from London to Basel, with several possible routes to choose from.

The fastest route takes you by Eurostar to Paris, where you make a single connection onto a TGV Lyria high-speed train to Basel.

However, keep in mind that you arrive at a different station in Paris from the one your onward train departs from.

If having to navigate your way across Paris to change stations sounds like a hassle, another great option is to travel via Lille, where you can connect onto a TGV train to Strasbourg, followed by a regional train to Basel.

Although this means making two connections instead of one, at least you change trains at the same station in both Lille and Strasbourg.

Alternatively, you can travel via Brussels and Cologne to reach Basel.