Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport
Transport to EuroAirport (BSL, MLH, EAP) in France and Switzerland
Jan 24, 2008
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL, MLH, EAP) is physically located in France, about 4 km to the north of the Swiss city Basel. When Basel Airport was built after the Second World War, France provided the land and Switzerland the finance.
- In German, the airport name is Flughafen Basel-Mülhausen-Freiburg (BSL) and in French, Aéroport Bâle-Mulhouse-Fribourg (MLH).
Basel Airport is operated by both France and Switzerland and was actually divided into a Swiss, French, and international sectors. (Schengen and Schengen International sections have recently been added.) Crossing from the Swiss to the French sector involves immigration controls (at least until Switzerland joins the Schengen Agreement).
Search BSL and MLH to Save on Cheap Flights to Basel Airport
Basel Airport has three IATA codes: BSL, MLH, and EAP. BSL is used most often but MLH is used for French domestic flights. EAP can be used for international flights to Basel Airport but many reservations services fail to recognize EAP.
It is worth comparing flight costs to both BSL and MLH airport codes, especially for longer-distance flights with connections. Flights from Basel to for example Paris is domestic when using MLH, but international with an official connection (even though the connecting “flight” is done of foot) if BSL is the point of departure.
Using a major internet ticket reservation service for a randomly selected date showed flights from New York to BSL on Air France being €120 (US $175) more expensive than the exact same flights via Paris to MLH. However, a further €220 (US $320) saving was possible on United – Lufthansa flights via Frankfurt, which were only quoted if BSL rather than MLH was used as final destination.
Transportation to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL, MLH, EAP)
Transportation to Basel Airport is fast and easy from major nearby towns in Switzerland, France, and Germany. It is possible to reach the airport from Switzerland without passing through French immigration.
- By Car
Basel Airport is easily reached by car. It is only 5 km north of Basel, 25 km south of Mulhouse, and 70 km from Freiburg (Germany). The Swiss cities Bern, Luzern, and Zürich can be reached in around an hour while Strasbourg is 75-minute drive.
Taxis to Basel are around CHF40 (US$37), Mulhouse €35 (US$50) / €50 (US$73) at night, and Freiburg €110 (US$160).
Major car rental agencies are represented at the airport with both French and Swiss rental contracts.
- By Bus
- Basel Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) can be reached in 15 minutes on very frequent buses (up to every 7.5 minutes during peak hours). Buses operate from around 5 am to midnight. Most other cities are easiest reached by rail from Basel. (A rail link to the airport itself is around a decade away.)
- Mulhouse / Mühlhausen Gare (Station) can be reached by bus in just over half an hour. The airport buses run about every 90 minutes.
- The Distribus runs in 8 minutes a few times per hour to the Gare SNCF (station) in nearby St Louis, France, from where it is just over an hour by direct local train to Strasbourg with stops in amongst others Mulhouse (15 minutes) and Colmar (40 minutes). (High-speed TGV trains do not stop in St Louis.)
- Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) can be reached by direct bus up to 15 times per day in around an hour.
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