Trinational Airport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
The Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg EuroAirport is the only tri-national airport in the world, built by Switzerland on French territory in the municipality of Saint-Louis made available by France according to the treaty signed by the two states on July 4, 1949.
Basel-Mulhouse International Airport is located 6 kilometers northwest of Basel, Switzerland, and 20 kilometers southeast of Mulhouse, France, on the territory of the French municipalities of Hésingue and Saint-Louis, in the department of Haut-Rhin, and is the only one of its kind in the world to be jointly operated by two countries.
Prior to the opening of the EuroAirport, Swiss flights were handled by Basel-Sternenfeld Airport in Birsfelden, while Mulhouse was served by Mulhouse-Habsheim Airport.
As the same was also very important for the southwestern German region, it was given the name Freiburg (EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg) in 1987, and representatives from southern Baden serve on the trinational board of directors and advisory board, albeit without voting rights.
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A bit of history
The forerunner of today’s international airport was the Basel-Sternenfeld Airport in Birsfelden, which opened in 1920 as a temporary airport on land owned by the canton of Basel-Landschaft and available only on a lease basis, as there were plans for a port on the Rhine and the Birsfelden power plant. The search for a suitable new site began as early as 1929, and several plans were submitted over the years, all of which were rejected.
In May 1945, talks were resumed with France that led to a basic agreement under which France would provide the land and Switzerland would build the runways and airport buildings. Without waiting for the Franco-Swiss treaty to be signed on July 4, 1949 in Bern, the authorities decided to start building the first temporary infrastructure.
The first airport infrastructure at Basel-Mulhouse was built in two months and inaugurated on May 8, 1946, after the first civilian plane landed there a few days earlier on May 2.
Since then the infrastructure has been systematically expanded and rebuilt as needed to allow unrestricted takeoff and landing of all types of aircraft.
Strategic importance
Basel-Mulhouse Airport, known under the brand name EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, is a symbol of international cooperation that became absolutely vital after World War II.
The airport is located on French territory in the border triangle, has binational status and is owned by France and Switzerland. For Switzerland it is the third largest airport (after Zurich and Geneva), in France it is one of the ten largest airports and the fifth largest regional airport.
The airport terminal consists of a Swiss and a French sector, and in order to move from one part to the other, identification is required.
Millions of passengers pass through the EuroAirport each year; scheduled flights reach about 100 airports in more than 30 different countries.
More than 25 different airlines operate scheduled flights at the EuroAirport. The market leaders are easyJet and Wizz Air, followed by Sun Express, Enter Air and Turkish Airlines. The presence of the major international airline alliances Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld, which offer connections to their hubs in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Madrid, Istanbul, Barcelona, and Vienna several times a day, gives passengers optimal access to all European intercontinental hubs.
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How to get there
Bus
The airport is served by Swiss (BVB) and French (Distribus) bus lines. These lines offer connections to Basel SBB, Basel SNCF, and Saint-Louis stations.
Long-distance buses
The Airport Bus connects the EuroAirport with the Freiburg im Breisgau central omnibus station. Since June 2016, FlixBus has been making a stop at the EuroAirport on the Zurich – Strasbourg – Frankfurt am Main route.
Streetcars
One or two Basel streetcar lines (line 3 and line 11) are planned to connect the airport to Basel via Saint-Louis by 2030. For now, Line 3 stops at Saint-Louis station, from where the shuttle bus serves the airport.
Railroad
Currently, the only rail services are to the Basel SBB and Saint-Louis stations, which connect the airport by shuttle bus.A rail link is planned to connect the airport to the Strasbourg-Basel line.
By car
The A35 highway, which connects Strasbourg to Basel, has exit 36 that gives direct access to the airport.
Travel times to and from the airport
F – Saint-Louis: 5 minutes
F – Mulhouse: 30 minutes
F – Colmar: 50 minutes
F – Belfort: 60 minutes
F – Montbéliard: 75 minutes
F – Strasbourg: 75 minutes
CH – Basel: 5 minutes
CH – Zurich: 55 minutes
CH – Bern: 60 minutes
CH – Lucerne: 60 minutes
D – Freiburg im Breisgau: 50 minutes
Cab
Cabs are available in both the French and Swiss sectors.Approximate prices from the city center to EuroAirport:
MULHOUSE: 50 euros (day) – 60 euros (night)
FREIBURG: 125 euros (day) – 160 euros (night)
BASEL: 50 CHF
FRIBOURG : 340 CHF
Parking at the airport
Parking lots are available in both the French and a Swiss sector.
Car rental
Several car rental companies are available on both the Swiss and French sides.
Future projects
EuroAirport will continue to develop its services. In the passenger sector, the prospects are the extension of connections with Eastern Europe, the optimization of the offer in the area of classic business destinations and vacation flights, and the expansion of the offer of other airlines.
As for cargo transport, the old cargo hall is being renovated for the needs of express transport, and express activities are being consolidated at one site.
The direct rail link is another important project for EuroAirport and the region. This project was officially relaunched in early 2010 by the French government. The Association pour le Raccordement Ferroviaire, EAP EXPRESS, founded in October 2010, supports this project with various measures to make it easier for passengers and employees to reach the airport.
Future plans include the construction of a 200-room hotel in the immediate vicinity of the airport terminal.