Swimming in the Rhine 

In summer, the Kleinbasel banks of the Rhine are the place to be! You can put your clothes in a “Wickelfisch” swim bag and simply float down on the gentle current through the picturesque Old Town. 
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The Rhine bathing houses

The bathing houses directly on the banks of the Rhine are a perfect place to relax and provide great access to the water. So it’s off to one of the two Jugendstil bathing houses, bathing suit on and walk upriver. Then simply drift on the current until you are back to where you started from!

The Rheinbad Breite and St. Johann bathing houses are open from May to September, depending on the weather.

LezBroz 2019

Rheinbad Breite

Bachapp-App

BachApp: The app for everything to do with the Rhine

  • Water temperature and water level of the Rhine and other rivers in Basel
  • Map with entry and exit points, bathrooms, barbecue areas, etc.
  • Events at the Rhine
  • Interesting facts and safety information

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Good to know.

  • The easiest point of entry is at Schaffhauserrheinweg 93, just below Museum Tinguely. You can swim along the Kleinbasel side until shortly before the Dreirosenbrücke. For all points of entry and exit, see the map provided by Swiss Lifesaving Society (Schweizerische Lebensrettungs-Gesellschaft SLRG) or the BachApp app.

  • Swimming in the Rhine is free of charge. Participation in the official Rhine swim is also free.

    For a fee, you can use the showers, toilets and changing rooms at Rheinbad Breite and Rheinbad St. Johann.

  • Please swim in the Rhine only if you are a good and safe swimmer. To ensure that swimming in the Rhine is a great experience, please observe the following safety information:

    • Swim with at least one other person, never alone.
    • Inflatable flotation aids are not allowed.
    • Don’t tie the Wickelfisch (swim bag) around your body or use it as a flotation aid.
    • Avoid the bridge pillars, as dangerous eddies can form there.
    • Keep away from fishing weirs – you could risk injury!
    • Jumping off bridges is strictly prohibited.
    • Stay close to the Kleinbasel banks.
    • Swimming is not allowed in the port area or near the weirs.
    • Keep checking upriver, as ships coming from this direction are silent and difficult to manoeuvre.

    In its Guidelines for Rhine Swimmers, Swiss Lifesaving Society provides further tips for swimming safely in the Rhine.

    Inexperienced swimmers can cool off at Rheinbad St. Johann right by Johanniterbrücke. It also features a non-swimmer pool.

  • Regular inspections and numerous protection guidelines guarantee a clean bathing experience in Basel’s Rhine. Information on water quality can be obtained from the Cantonal Laboratory of Basel-Stadt.