Basel Airport: A Unique Airport In Three Countries

why is basel airport in france

EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is an international airport located entirely within France, just 4km from Basel, Switzerland. The airport is unique in that it is jointly operated by France and Switzerland and serves as an entry point to three countries: France, Switzerland, and Germany. The airport building is divided into two sections, each with its own customs and regulations, allowing travellers to enter either country directly. This unusual arrangement is a testament to international cooperation and collaboration between the two countries.

Characteristics Values
Name of Airport EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
Location French Alsace region, 4.7 km from the tripoint of France, Germany, and Switzerland
Administration Jointly administered by France and Switzerland, governed by a 1949 international convention
Headquarters Blotzheim, France
Terminal Divided into French and Swiss sections
Currency Euros or Swiss Francs
Airlines Lufthansa, Austrian, British Airways, Air France, Turkish Airlines, KLM, EasyJet, RyanAir, WizzAir, AirTransat, EnterAir, Chair Airlines
IATA Codes BSL (Basel, Swiss code), MLH (Mulhouse, French code), EAP (neutral code)
ICAO Code LFSB

shunhotel

The airport is in France but serves three countries: France, Switzerland and Germany

EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is located entirely within France, just 4.7 km (2.9 mi) west of the tripoint of France, Germany, and Switzerland. The airport is jointly administered by France and Switzerland and is governed by a 1949 international convention. It is the only airport in the world that is operated by two countries.

The airport building is divided into two distinct sections: one for Switzerland and one for France. Each section is subject to the customs, medical services, and police work laws of its respective country. For example, the Swiss section has a Swiss customs border and is connected to Basel by a 2.5-km customs-free road, allowing travellers to bypass French customs clearance. The French police are allowed to conduct random checks in the Swiss section, and vice versa.

The airport serves as a primary entry point to three cities: Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany, Mulhouse in France, and Basel in Switzerland. It is officially known as EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, reflecting its unique cross-border operations and its service to three countries. The airport has three IATA airport codes: BSL (Basel) for Switzerland, MLH (Mulhouse) for France, and EAP (EuroAirport) as a neutral code.

EuroAirport is a symbol of international cooperation and collaboration, seamlessly blending Swiss and French customs and cultures under one roof. It offers a unique travel experience, allowing passengers to choose between using Euros or Swiss Francs and providing access to a variety of facilities and services on both the French and Swiss sides.

The airport is easily accessible from Basel's central train station by bus number 50, with a travel time of approximately 15 minutes under normal traffic conditions. It is also reachable by car via the A35 motorway from Mulhouse and Basel or route 5 southbound from Freiburg.

shunhotel

It is jointly operated by France and Switzerland

The EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is jointly operated by France and Switzerland. It is located in the administrative commune of Saint-Louis, in the French Alsace region, but only about 4 km from Basel. It can be accessed quickly and easily from Basel’s central train station by bus or train.

The airport is unique in that it is one of the few airports in the world operated by two countries. The airport building is split into two separate sections: Swiss and French. The entire airport is on French soil and under French jurisdiction, but the Swiss authorities have the authority to apply Swiss laws regarding customs, medical services, and police work in the Swiss section, including the customs road connecting Basel with the airport. French police are allowed to execute random checks in the Swiss section as well.

The airport serves as a base for easyJet Switzerland and features flights to European metropolitan and leisure destinations. It is governed by a 1949 international convention and an earlier state treaty established in 1946, which grants both Switzerland and France access to the airport without any customs or other border restrictions. The airport's board has eight members each from France and Switzerland and two advisors from Germany.

The airport is located entirely within France but has distinct Swiss and French customs zones operating under a single roof. This allows travellers to use either Euros or Swiss Francs, depending on which section of the airport they are in. The Swiss section of the airport houses the headquarters of Swiss International Air Lines and Swiss Global Air Lines, and the Swiss division Swiss Aviation Software also has its head office there.

Basel airport is an excellent example of international collaboration and cooperation, seamlessly blending two countries under one roof and providing a unique airport experience for travellers and aviation enthusiasts alike.

shunhotel

The airport has distinct Swiss and French customs zones

The EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is located entirely within France, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) northwest of Basel in Switzerland. The airport is jointly administered by France and Switzerland and is governed by a 1949 international convention. The airport is operated via a state treaty established in 1946, wherein both countries are granted access to the airport without any customs or other border restrictions.

The airport building is divided into two distinct sections: one Swiss and one French. The Swiss authorities have the authority to apply Swiss laws regarding customs, medical services, and police work in the Swiss section, including the customs road connecting Basel with the airport. French police are allowed to execute random checks in the Swiss section. The airport has separate entrances and exits for Switzerland, France, and Germany, each marked with the country's name and flag. The Swiss section of the airport is only accessible from Switzerland, and the same is true for the French section.

The airside was rearranged to include a Schengen and non-Schengen zone after Switzerland joined the Schengen Treaty in March 2009. As a result, passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries must approach the customs office of the country for which they have received the Schengen entry visa. The Schengen area can be left from any Schengen country.

The airport is served by several major airlines, including Lufthansa, Austrian, British Airways, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and KLM. Most operators are low-cost airlines, including EasyJet, RyanAir, WizzAir, AirTransat, EnterAir, and Chair onmouseover="this.style.backgroundColor='#F5F5DC'

shunhotel

It has three IATA airport codes: BSL (Basel/Swiss), MLH (Mulhouse/French) and EAP (neutral)

The EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is unique in that it is jointly administered by France and Switzerland. The airport is entirely within France and has an exit to the country, but it also has a Swiss customs border and a customs-free road that provides access to Switzerland. The airport building is divided into two distinct sections: the French sector and the Swiss sector. The Swiss authorities have the authority to apply Swiss laws regarding customs, medical services, and police work in the Swiss section, including the customs road connecting Basel to the airport.

Due to its international status, the airport has three IATA airport codes: BSL (Basel/Swiss), MLH (Mulhouse/French), and EAP (neutral). Some booking systems display different ticket prices for flights to BSL and MLH, as one of them may be considered a domestic flight within France, which has different rules for fuel taxation. In some instances, tickets may be issued with a "flight" between BSL and MLH on the itinerary. This means that the same physical airport has three different codes, which can make searching for flights more complicated. For example, one may have to search for both BSL and MLH (EAP is often useless) to find all available flights, and sometimes even the same flight at different prices.

The headquarters of Swiss International Air Lines and Swiss Global Air Lines are located in the Swiss section of the airport, and the area can only be accessed from Switzerland. The Swiss division Swiss Aviation Software also has its head office in the Swiss section. The airport's ICAO airport code is LFSB, and its old code, LSZM, has been reassigned to the airport of Mollis.

shunhotel

The airport is located 4-8km from Basel, Switzerland

The EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is located 3.5 km (2.2 miles) to 8 km (5 miles) northwest of Basel, Switzerland. It is the only airport in the world that is jointly operated by two countries, France and Switzerland, and is the primary entry point to three cities: Freiburg, Germany; Mulhouse, France; and Basel, Switzerland. The airport is situated in the administrative commune of Saint-Louis in the French Alsace region, near the tripoint of France, Germany, and Switzerland.

The airport is unique in that it has two separate sections: a French sector and a Swiss sector. The entire airport is on French soil and under French jurisdiction, but the Swiss authorities have the authority to apply Swiss laws regarding customs, medical services, and police work in the Swiss section. The Swiss section includes a customs-free road connecting Basel with the airport, allowing travellers to bypass French customs clearance. The airport is governed by a 1949 international convention and a state treaty established in 1946, which allows both countries access to the airport without any customs or border restrictions.

The airport's IATA codes reflect its international status, with BSL (Basel) as the Swiss code, MLH (Mulhouse) as the French code, and EAP (EuroAirport) as the neutral code. Some booking systems offer different ticket prices for flights to BSL and MLH, as one may be considered a domestic flight within France with different rules on fuel taxation. The airport is served by several major airlines, including Lufthansa, Austrian, British Airways, Air France, Turkish Airlines, and KLM, as well as low-cost carriers such as EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

The EuroAirport is easily accessible from Basel's central train station by bus number 50, with the journey taking approximately 15 minutes in good traffic conditions. There are also train connections from Zurich and Geneva, with travel times of less than two hours and just over three hours, respectively. The airport provides facilities such as free Wi-Fi, children's play areas, and conference rooms, as well as services like car rentals and a hotel information desk.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is located entirely in France, 4km from Basel in Switzerland.

The airport is jointly administered by France and Switzerland and governed by a 1949 international convention. The airport building is divided into two sections: Swiss and French. The Swiss section is governed by Swiss laws and the French section is governed by French laws.

The Swiss section of the airport is connected to Switzerland by a 2.5km customs-free road. There is a Swiss customs border and passengers can bypass French customs clearance to enter Switzerland.

Written by
Reviewed by
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment