Frankfurt am Main to Basel train

Frankfurt is Germany's financial hub, home to the European Central Bank. This riverside city offers a variety of cultural and historical attractions scattered between its financial institutions and shops.

Your first stop should be Old Town, along the river Main. Once the center of the city, the Old Town district is now the site of the Römer, or city hall, along a row of picturesque timber houses. Stop in Kleinmarkthalle, a bustling indoor market, to grab a sausage for a snack before wandering through some of Old Town's museums: Saalgasse, Dommuseum, and Museum für Moderne Kunst (Museum MMK) will get you started. Two of Frankfurt's most prominent churches, St. Bartholomew Cathedral and St. Nicholas Church, are also in the area.

Food is always delightful in Frankfurt. Several Michelin-star restaurants will entice you, including Restaurant Lafleur, Restaurant Gustav, Restaurant Villa Merton, and Carmelo Greco. If you prefer more affordable dining and lively nightlife, head to the Bahnhofsviertel neighborhood near the city's train station.

The train station in Bahnhofsviertel serves national and international rail lines for Deutsche Bahn, DB Intercity, FlixTrain, vlexx, and Railjet. You can also reach Frankfurt easily on bus carriers like FlixBus and Sindbad. Plus, flying in and out of Frankfurt is a breeze, as the airport is one of the largest in Germany and the main hub for the Lufthansa airline.

Basel is bordered by France to the west and Germany to the east, with the river Rhine running directly through the city. This culture-centric destination is known for containing Switzerland's highest concentration of museums. With over 40 museums, roughly one per square kilometer, you're guaranteed to find at least one museum that fits your interests. Of course, it's got classic art museums like the Fine Arts Museum and the Jean Tinguely Museum, but you'll write home about the niche ones like Basel Paper Mill (a museum about paper and printing) and Toys Worlds Museum.

Basel's Old Town area will give you a taste of the city's history, with its cobblestoned streets and medieval churches, as well as several beautiful fountains. In the Marktplatz, or market square, check out the bold red City Hall, as well as even more museums, these ones devoted to Basel's history.

Basel is also home to Switzerland's oldest zoo, founded in 1874. Conveniently located in the heart of Basel, the zoo lets you get up close and personal with animals from the tiniest insects to the grandest elephants. Plus, you can learn more about the zoo's conservation projects.

Basel is well-situated for easy travel to other countries due to its proximity to France and Germany, as well as its transportation options. The world's only tri-national airport, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, is only 4km from Basel. This unique airport is located on both French and Swiss territory but also serves travelers to nearby Freiburg, Germany. Basel also welcomes national and international train routes, and many European bus services stop in the city.