Elevation
Basel elevation and altitude
Basel, Switzerland is 915 feet (279 meters) above sea level. Elevation and altitude mean the same thing here: the height of the city above the sea.
What 915 feet means in Basel
Among the 689 cities on this site, Basel is higher than most. At 915 ft the thinner air is not something most people notice day to day.
Air pressure. Air pressure falls as you climb, about 1 inHg for every 1,000 ft near the ground. In Basel a barometer that is not corrected to sea level reads around 28.94 inHg on an average day, while the weather forecast still quotes a sea-level number near 29.92 inHg. See today’s live barometric pressure in Basel.
Cooking. Water boils at about 210 °F (99.1 °C) here, almost the same as at sea level. Boiling point at altitude
Where the number comes from. The elevation is for the city center point in the GeoNames gazetteer, taken from a digital elevation model. To check the exact height where you are standing, use What is my elevation? or What is my altitude?
Elevation of places near Basel
| Place | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bern, Switzerland | 1,801 | 549 | 43 mi |
| Zurich, Switzerland | 1,407 | 429 | 48 mi |
| Interlaken, Switzerland | 1,870 | 570 | 62 mi |
| Strasbourg, France | 482 | 147 | 71 mi |
| Zermatt, Switzerland | 5,276 | 1,608 | 107 mi |
| Karlsruhe, Germany | 387 | 118 | 107 mi |
| Stuttgart, Germany | 827 | 252 | 112 mi |
| Geneva, Switzerland | 1,312 | 400 | 115 mi |
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation or altitude of Basel?
Basel, Switzerland is about 915 feet (279 meters) above sea level, measured at the city center. Neighborhoods higher or lower in the city can differ by a few hundred feet.
What is the air pressure in Basel because of its elevation?
On a standard day the air pressure at 915 ft is about 28.94 inHg (980 hPa), 97% of sea-level pressure. Each breath holds about 97% as much oxygen as at sea level. Live barometric pressure in Basel.
At what temperature does water boil in Basel?
About 210 °F (99.1 °C), compared with 212 °F (100 °C) at sea level, so pasta, eggs and beans take a little longer to cook.