Basel to Duisburg train

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.

Duisburg is located at the junction of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers in western Germany. Duisburg's harbor is the largest inland port in the world, with 21 docks in total. The Innenhafen, or Inner Harbor, used to be the center of the city's industry but today is a center for dining and nightlife. Make a point to stroll along the marina to check out the many kinds of boats, relax in one of the green spaces, and of course, stop in one of the many restaurants for a delicious dinner.

In the Meiderich district, make sure to check out the Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord. This industrial steelworks complex had gone disused since 1985 before its reinvention into a public park. The unique complex includes trails along what used to be sewer systems, a viewing tower made from the blast furnace, and even a scuba diving center in what originally was a gasometer. Kaiserberg, on the other hand, is a more traditional park that is home to both a zoo and a botanical garden.

Hundreds of bus and train routes to Duisburg make the city extremely accessible. Train companies, including Deutsche Bahn and FlixTrain, provide rail travel, and FlixBus provides the bulk of Duisburg's bus service. This means Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, and more cities across Europe are within just a short bus or train ride from Duisburg.