Basel to Colmar by Train
Direct TER from Basel SBB
Basel to Colmar is a short, direct hop from Switzerland into Alsace: SNCF regional TER trains run from the French-sector platforms at Basel SBB to Colmar, usually in around 40 to 50 minutes, calling at Saint-Louis and Mulhouse on the way. How often they run depends very much on the day, so it pays to check the timetable before you go.
This guide covers what is specific to starting in Basel: finding the French platforms inside Basel SBB, which tickets and passes work on a French regional train, what changes at weekends, getting to Colmar from EuroAirport, and planning a day trip or a Christmas-market visit. For Colmar itself and the trains from the north, see the Strasbourg to Colmar guide.
The short answer: Take a direct SNCF TER from Basel SBB, platforms 30 to 35, to Colmar in around 40 to 50 minutes. No seat reservation is needed, but you need a French TER ticket: the Swiss Travel Pass does not cover it. Weekday trains are frequent; at weekends there can be long gaps between direct trains.
Ready to book Basel to Colmar?
The direct trains are SNCF regional TERs, so you need a French TER ticket, which SNCF Connect sells; no seat reservation is needed. The Swiss Travel Pass does not cover this journey. Compare departures when you search: at some times, particularly at weekends, the quickest option may involve a change, and some of those use a TGV, which does need a reservation.
Finding the French Platforms at Basel SBB
Basel SBB, Switzerland · 47.548°N, 7.590°E
Trains to Colmar leave from Basel SBB, the city's main station, but not from the main Swiss platforms. They use the French sector: a group of platforms numbered in the 30s (30 to 35) in the western part of the station, also signed and listed as Basel SNCF. From the main hall it is a walk of a few minutes, so allow extra time, especially with luggage, and check the departure board for the platform on the day.
Switzerland and France are both in the Schengen area, so there is normally no passport check on the way to the French platforms, but identity checks can happen, so carry a passport or national ID card. Do not go to Basel Badischer Bahnhof: that is a separate station on the German side of the Rhine, and Colmar trains do not start there.
Basel–Colmar - At a Glance
- Direct trainSNCF TER from Basel SBB to Colmar
- Journey timeUsually around 40 to 50 minutes
- Basel platformsFrench sector, platforms 30 to 35 (check the board)
- ReservationNot needed on the TER
- Swiss Travel PassNot valid on this French train
- Not this stationBasel Badischer Bahnhof
Saint-Louis, Mulhouse and the Alsace Plain
Saint-Louis (Haut-Rhin) and Mulhouse-Ville, France
A few minutes after leaving Basel the train crosses into France and stops at Saint-Louis, the border town that is also the rail station for EuroAirport. It then runs north to Mulhouse, the largest city on the way and a junction for trains across eastern France, before heading up the flat Alsace plain, with the Vosges hills to the west, to Colmar.
Many trains continue beyond Colmar to Sélestat and Strasbourg, so check the destination on the board rather than looking for "Colmar". Some trains make more stops than others, which is why journey times range from about 40 minutes to a little over 50.
Frequency: What We Found in October 2026
Weekdays: direct trains roughly every 30 to 60 minutes through the day, in both directions.
Weekends: noticeably fewer direct trains. On the Sunday we checked there were gaps of several hours between direct departures from Basel, filled only by journeys with a change.
From 13 December 2026: a new timetable starts. Its data was incomplete when this guide was written, so check the timetable for your exact date.
Arriving in Colmar
Colmar, France · 48.073°N, 7.347°E
Colmar station is just outside the old town. It is about a 15-minute walk on the level to the historic centre and Petite Venise, or you can take a local bus from outside the station. Our Strasbourg to Colmar guide has more on the old town itself.
From Colmar Station
Tickets, Passes and Reservations
Which tickets work on a French regional train from Basel
The direct trains are SNCF regional TERs, so the normal ticket is a French TER ticket, sold by SNCF Connect. No seat reservation is needed. Swiss Travel System tickets such as the Swiss Travel Pass are valid only on the Swiss network, so they do not cover this journey into France; buy a separate French ticket.
Interrail says a pass valid in France covers travel to some stations in neighbouring countries, including Basel, so a France-valid Interrail pass can be used on the direct TER; check your pass conditions. The Triregio 24-hour ticket is a cross-border day ticket for the Basel area: it covers the TER line between Mulhouse and Basel and local transport around Basel, Saint-Louis and Lörrach, but it does not reach Colmar.
Which Ticket Covers What
From Basel Airport (EuroAirport) to Colmar
Bus 11 to Saint-Louis, then the TER
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg sits on French soil north of Basel, and has no railway station of its own. EuroAirport's own advice for Colmar is to take the Distribus bus 11 from the airport to Saint-Louis station, then a regional train. The direct TERs from Basel SBB call at Saint-Louis, so you can join them there without going into Basel first.
Colmar as a Day Trip from Basel, and the Christmas Markets
Planning around the timetable
With a direct train of well under an hour, Colmar is one of the easiest foreign day trips from Basel. On weekdays you can be flexible, as direct trains run through the day in both directions. At weekends, plan around the timetable: check the direct trains out and, just as importantly, the last direct trains back, because there can be long gaps.
In the weeks before Christmas, Colmar's Christmas markets fill the old town and are a popular trip from Basel. The markets are about a 15-minute walk from the station. Trains can be busy on market weekends, so allow extra time, and check the official market dates and opening hours before you go.
Quick Tips
Go to the French platforms early: they are a few minutes' walk from the main hall at Basel SBB.
Check the return times: weekend gaps between direct trains can be several hours.
Buy a French ticket: the Swiss Travel Pass does not cover this train.
Hotels in Colmar
Colmar is compact, so a base in or near the old town keeps Petite Venise and the markets on foot, with the station about a 15-minute walk away.
Colmar - Petite Venise
A characterful hotel in half-timbered houses on the water in Petite Venise, for a classic Colmar stay.
Colmar - by Petite Venise
A colourful, good-value hotel on the edge of Petite Venise, a short walk from the old town.
Colmar - opposite the station
A traditional hotel facing the station, practical for early or late trains, with the old town a walk away.
Hotel links open Booking.com in a new tab.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a direct train from Basel to Colmar?
- Yes. SNCF regional TER trains run directly from Basel SBB to Colmar, usually in around 40 to 50 minutes, calling at Saint-Louis and Mulhouse on the way. Not every journey is direct: at some times of day, especially at weekends, the next option involves a change, so check the timetable for your day.
- Which station in Basel do trains to Colmar leave from?
- Basel SBB, the main station, from its French-sector platforms numbered in the 30s (30 to 35). They are in the western part of the station, a few minutes' walk from the main hall, so allow extra time and check the departure board for your platform. Basel Badischer Bahnhof is a different station, on the German side of the Rhine, and is not where the Colmar trains start.
- How often do trains run from Basel to Colmar?
- It varies a lot by day. When we checked weekdays in October 2026 there were direct trains roughly every 30 to 60 minutes through the day. Weekends had noticeably fewer, and on the Sunday we checked there were gaps of several hours between direct trains, filled only by journeys with a change. Always check the timetable for your exact date.
- Do I need to reserve a seat on the train from Basel to Colmar?
- No. The direct TER regional trains do not need a seat reservation; you just need a valid ticket. Reservations are only relevant if you choose a journey that uses a TGV for part of the way.
- Is the Swiss Travel Pass valid from Basel to Colmar?
- No. Swiss Travel System tickets such as the Swiss Travel Pass are only valid on the Swiss network, and journeys into France need a separate ticket. The train to Colmar is a French regional TER, so buy a French ticket for it.
- Can I use an Interrail pass from Basel to Colmar?
- Interrail says a pass valid in France covers travel to some stations in neighbouring countries, including Basel, and the direct TER trains do not need a reservation. Check the conditions of your specific pass before you travel.
- Does the Triregio ticket cover Basel to Colmar?
- Not all the way. The Triregio 24-hour ticket covers the TER line between Mulhouse and Basel plus local transport in the Basel, Saint-Louis and Lörrach area, but not Colmar. For Colmar, buy a normal TER ticket.
- How do I get from Basel airport (EuroAirport) to Colmar?
- EuroAirport advises taking the Distribus bus 11 from the airport to Saint-Louis station, then a regional train to Colmar. The TER from Basel SBB to Colmar calls at Saint-Louis, so you can join it there.
- Is Colmar a good day trip from Basel?
- Yes. With a direct train of well under an hour, Colmar works well as a day trip from Basel. On weekdays there are usually plenty of trains in both directions, but at weekends check the times of the last direct trains back, as there can be long gaps between them.
- Can I visit the Colmar Christmas markets by train from Basel?
- Yes. Colmar's Christmas markets are in the old town, about a 15-minute walk from the station, so the direct TER from Basel makes an easy visit. Trains can be busy on market weekends, so allow extra time and check the official dates and opening hours before you go.
Continue Your Journey
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Basel to Colmar is a short, direct way into Alsace from Switzerland: find the French platforms at Basel SBB, buy a French TER ticket, and you are in Colmar in under an hour. Check the timetable for your day, especially at weekends, and Colmar makes an easy day trip or Christmas-market visit, with Strasbourg a little further up the same line.
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