Getting Around Mulhouse
Mulhouse is a compact city in the Grand Est region of France, close to both the Swiss and German borders. Its centre is small and easy to explore on foot, and a network of trams and buses links the centre with the suburbs and the surrounding area. This guide covers the practical options for a visitor: walking, trams and buses, the tram-train, taxis and ride-hailing, and how to reach the city from its airport.
Walking
Walking is the simplest way to get around central Mulhouse. The historic lower town, built around the Place de la Réunion, is pedestrianised, and the city centre is compact enough to cross on foot in around twenty minutes. Cafés, shops, restaurants and everyday necessities are all within easy walking distance, and tram and bus stops are close at hand, so you can combine walking with public transport without needing a car to explore the city.
Tram and Bus Network
Mulhouse's public transport is operated under the name SOLEA. The network is built around a tram system whose lines run through the city centre and out to the major suburbs, supported by a bus network covering other parts of the city and the surrounding region. The trams are generally the quicker and more frequent option; bus routes may be less frequent and have more limited operating hours, so it is worth checking times in advance if you are relying on a bus, especially in the evening.
The network is level-boarding and accessible, which makes it straightforward to use with luggage, a pushchair or a wheelchair. Ticket machines at stations accept card payments.
For sightseeing, the trams are useful for reaching Mulhouse's two best-known museums, which sit on opposite sides of the city rather than near one another. The Cité de l'Automobile is served by tram line 1 at the Musées stop, while Dornach and the Cité du Train are on line 3. Because the two museums are roughly five kilometres apart, visiting both in one day means riding back through the centre, so allow around half an hour for the transfer.
Tickets and Passes
Several ticket options are available for the SOLEA network:
- A single fare
- A carnet of ten single tickets
- A day pass
- A three-day pass
Prices for these have been quoted differently across sources, so check the current fares locally when you buy. Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines at stations, which accept card payments.
Tram-Train
Mulhouse also has a tram-train service, which extends certain journeys on tram route 3 beyond the urban network and onto the national railway line to Thann, at the foot of the Vosges. This lets you travel from the city centre to Thann without changing to a separate train.
Cycling
Mulhouse has been designated a "Cycle Territory" and has invested in cycling infrastructure, with dedicated cycling routes and a large number of bike racks across the city. It also sits at the intersection of three EuroVelo routes, making it a practical base for cycling trips in the region. The Vélocité bike-share scheme covers the flat inner city, and the network of separated lanes is growing. Do bear in mind that traffic conditions vary and that some routes outside the city centre are less developed.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt operate in Mulhouse, but their coverage is patchy, so they are not something to rely on at all hours or in all parts of the city. Conventional taxis remain an option, particularly for trips where public transport is inconvenient or has stopped running for the day.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Mulhouse is served by EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, which the city shares with Basel in Switzerland and Freiburg in Germany. The airport lies to the south of Mulhouse. When leaving the terminal, be sure to use the "Exit to France" exit in order to reach Mulhouse.
To reach the city by public transport, take bus 11 from the airport to Saint Louis railway station, then transfer to a local train to Mulhouse. Note that outside business hours this train runs only hourly, so plan your arrival with that in mind. If you would prefer not to depend on the connection, a taxi or a pre-arranged transfer is the more direct alternative.
Other airports within roughly a two-hour drive include Strasbourg Airport, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Zürich Airport, which may be worth considering depending on where you are travelling from.
Arriving by Train, Bus or Car
Mulhouse's main railway station, Gare de Mulhouse, sits on the main line from Paris to Basel and is also served by long-distance TGV services connecting Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur with Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg, as well as medium-distance TER services from Strasbourg. There are also local international services to Müllheim in Germany, with connections onward to Freiburg and Karlsruhe. Tickets for these services are sold through SNCF.
Long-distance coaches also serve the city: FlixBus and ALSA are among the major operators with a drop-off point in Mulhouse.
By car, Mulhouse lies at the crossroads of the Paris–Germany and Strasbourg–Basel motorways, so it is easy to reach by road. If you plan to drive into Switzerland or Germany, arrange the Swiss vignette and the German emissions sticker in advance. A car is generally only worth renting for excursions beyond the city, such as the Route des Vins, the villages of the Sundgau or the Vosges passes; a day rental from the station is usually cheaper than keeping a car for the whole trip.