City tax & BaselCard
Why is the city tax so important?
Basel-Stadt charges its guests a city tax (visitors' tax). These revenues flow into the creation and mainte-nance of tourism infrastructure. With the BaselCard which is also funded by the city tax, guests have free access to public transport in Basel and the region and, since 2018, also discounted admission to attractive cultural and leisure activities as well as to the free visitor’s-WIFI.
City tax
The Canton of Basel-Stadt charges guests staying overnight a city tax of currently 4.00 francs per overnight stay. The revenues are invested in the creation and maintenance of tourism infrastructure as well as in providing services for guests. This also includes the BaselCard. (https://www.basel.com/en/BaselCard).
Since 1 September 2018, Airbnb automatically collects the city tax of four francs per person and night from each booking made in the City of Basel during the booking process and forwards it to the Office of Economy and Labour Basel-Stadt.
However, in Basel-Stadt, children under the age of twelve and guests domiciled in the Canton of Basel-Stadt are generally exempted from the city tax. In addition, persons accommodated for more than 30 days in the same Airbnb establishment will no longer be required to pay the city tax from the 31st day of stay. If you belong to one of these groups and have paid the city tax, you can apply for a refund. The refund form can be found below.
BaselCard
All guests staying overnight in Basel who pay the City Tax will receive the BaselCard from January 2018. This allows free use of trams and buses in zones 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15 of the Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (TNW) for the duration of your stay, offers discounts for attractive cultural and leisure activities. Children up to the age of 12 will receive the BaselCard free of charge. For transfers from the airport or the Basel railway stations to your accommodation, the reservation confirmation of your hotel accommodation is valid as a ticket.
Important information concerning the city tax and BaselCard (in German only)
- Information on the payment of the guest tax (“Informationen zur Entrichtung der Gasttaxe“ – in German only) (PDF, 58 KB)
- Information for private room rental (“Information für private Zimmervermietung“ – in German only) (PDF, 62 KB)
- Law on the levying of a guest tax (“Gesetz betreffend die Erhebung einer Gasttaxe” – in German only)
- Regulation on the law concerning the levying of a guest tax (“Verordnung zum Gesetz betreffend die Erhebung einer Gasttaxe (Gasttaxenverordnung)“ – in German only)
- Refund city tax Basel-Stadt (PDF, 77 KB)