For Indians new to Basel
If you are an Indian new to Basel, the following may be of help to you:
Indian grocery stores:
1. Aggarwals in Claraplatz for vegetables, grocery and snacks (Aggarwals also has a lunch take-way for about 8 CHF - the lunch has 2 sabjis, pickle and Basmati rice)
2. The Sri Lankan store near SBB Bahnhoff(Basel Railway Station)- includes snacks, vegatables and grocery
Basel Information Center:
There is one in Barfusserplatz and one right by the SBB Bahnhoff.
Other Grocery:
1. Coop, Migros : These are located in about every locality.
Make sure you apply for their cards(Coop card & Migros Cumulus card), forms are available at the stores. For every CHF you spend, you get a point. The points accumulate much faster than you think. And you can use them to pay in store for whatever you buy.
2. Rhein Center, Marktauf, Weil am Rhein:
across the border in Germany has food supermarkets and it is cheaper to buy the same products here than in Basel.
Children classes:
Gymboree and Kindermusik offer a free trial class.
1. Gymboree near Basel Bahnhoff (gymboree.ch)
2. Kindermusik near (kindermusik.com)Driespitz
3. Basel Childcare Trust
4. http://www.mutter-vater-beratung.ch/ - mid-wife centers in Briete (check with your local Pedeatricain for the nearest) - onetime fee of CHF20 until your child is 10 years old, will check height, weight, answer any questions regarding feeding, sleeping, food products etc
KIDS stores:
1. Nuggihuus, Aeschenplatz
2. Baby Walz at
Hauptstraße 333-339
79576 Weil am Rhein, Germany
07621 42237-0
Baby Walz store in Weil Am Rhein is just across the border in Germany. There are buses from Clarapltaz. Don't forget to take your passport and resident permits. The same brand names are cheaper here than in Basel. Check out the Euro conversion rate though.
Affordable kids clothing is available at : Manor, C&A, H &M, Migros, Pfuaen, Coop City. Keep an eye on sales.
Migros and Coop also stock Diapers, baby food, bottles etc. Keep an eye on Diaper sales, when there is either a 3 for 2 option or a price discount.
English Book Stores:
Thalia in Marketplatz
Bider and Tanner, Aeschenplatz
English books, libraries:
1. Center Point ( meeting place for English speaking people and library)
2. GGG Stadtbibliothek Basel
Basel Stadt:
For permits(B & L), this is located in Schifflande.
Miscellaneous:
1. Salt is available in Coop and Migros in the condiments/spices section ( I am writing this because I have often directed a few Indians to the right sections)
2. Sugar and dry fruits are available in the Baking section
3. Cooking oils: Sesame oil is available in Co-op, Sunflower oil in both coop and Migros.
4. Basmati Rice, Indian pickles, Naan etc are available in Coop, Migros & Manor
5. Wheat flour is Ruch Meil and is available in the Baking section.
6. Diswahser : Dishwasher tablets are available at Co-op, they are the Coop brand and the cheapest, they include Salt, so just one of them is enough.
7. Garbage Disposal bags: need to be bought and these bags called bebbi saag(light blue in colour) are available in Coop(ask in the flowers, cigarettes section), in Migros in Kundendeist. They come in 3 sizes - 17, 35 and 51 litres.
8. Recycling: The apartment complex usually has recycling failities. If not, you can recycle in Migros or Coop. Check with the Stadt for the addresses of the local recycling facilities.
9. Photos (digital cameras) can be printed @ 0.5CHF per photo from the photo machines located in Manor, Pfauen, Post Office(opposite to Coop City, Marketplatz) and Migros. Ensure you have enough coins as the machines do not return change.
10. Look out for Leger products in Migros. These are the low fat, low sugar variety. In Coop, it is the Weight Watchers brand.
11. Migros has three variety of products to cater to the purses - the Budget (Migros Budget) cost less, the normal Migros(without any added name) and the Migros Classic - these are the Premium products.
Coop has a budget variety labelled as 'PREIS' that tend to be cheaper.
Shops:
Freie- Strasee(near Marketplatz)
St. Jakob Park
Claraplatz
M Park - Dreispitz
IKEA (located in Pratteln) is a good place to go to for furniture and other house-hold items. Tram number 14 takes one there. There are trains to Pratteln from the Bahnhoff as well.
All shops close on Saturday evening 6 p.m. to open only on Monday morning except for the stores in SBB Bahnhoff. The Coop and Migros and other stores like the Apotheke(pharmacy)in SBB Bahnhoff are open on Sundays.
Tram tickets:
1. The tram ticket machines have the English language option, so choose it to find out what is available.
2. Use the Kurstruk(not sure about the spelling) option for 4 or less stops
3. If you have Swiss Half fare tickets, then you choose the corresponding action.
4. Tram passes abt 77 CHF from Barfusserplatz, please note these are valid from the beginning of the month to end of month. So if you were to buy this on 14.May, it is valid only until 31.May.
The GIRO or pay-in slips can also be used to top-up for the next month. These are usally sent by post.
5. Multi-ticket options are cheaper than buying single tickets.
A tram ticket can be used if one is going in the same direction within half an hour. Lets say the tram is going from A to C via B. You can get alight at B, and reuse the same ticket to C if this is within half an hour.
Some useful links:
englishforum.ch
indian-moms-in-switzerland@yahoogroups.com
Babysitting24.ch for baby sitting.
map.search.ch
www.homegate.ch : for searching flats, houses etc
www.ricardo.ch : for second hand furniture
Google translate option to translate pages from German to English.
Religious:
Sai Center, Basel : Sai Bhajans every Sat from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Feldbergstrasse100, Basel.
Phone, TV, Internet:
Cablecom is a good option for TV, phone and Internet connections. Swisscom and Sunrise are the other providers.
Lebara and Lyca mobile sim cards can be easily bought at Aggarwals and at some supermarkets.
Please keep an eye on small print- charges within Switzerland and other countries can be suprisingly high.
Calling cards to India are available at the SriLankan store in Bahnhoff.
Using Skype to call mobile/landlines in India is a viable option.
Rebtel is another option.
Sunrise has a 3 number free deal - one of these can be used to call the local access number of the calling card, thus making the charges cheap.
Others:
German language classes are available at Migros.
Gyms: Health insurance which is a must for a stay in Switzerland, they sometimes reimburse part of your membership, so check them out.
Indian beauticians:
There are 2 specialists: Veena and Jahnvi. Please join the indian moms forum to get their details.
Places to visit
1. the Basel Zoo
2. Munster, the cathedral located close to Marketplatz
3. The Puppet Museum
4. Tierpark Langen Erlen
5. Botanical Gardens (near St. Jakob's stadium)
6. Solitude Park (children's playground and walk by the Rhine river)
7. two more places of interest (caves, Reiglodswil)
Indian grocery stores:
1. Aggarwals in Claraplatz for vegetables, grocery and snacks (Aggarwals also has a lunch take-way for about 8 CHF - the lunch has 2 sabjis, pickle and Basmati rice)
2. The Sri Lankan store near SBB Bahnhoff(Basel Railway Station)- includes snacks, vegatables and grocery
Basel Information Center:
There is one in Barfusserplatz and one right by the SBB Bahnhoff.
Other Grocery:
1. Coop, Migros : These are located in about every locality.
Make sure you apply for their cards(Coop card & Migros Cumulus card), forms are available at the stores. For every CHF you spend, you get a point. The points accumulate much faster than you think. And you can use them to pay in store for whatever you buy.
2. Rhein Center, Marktauf, Weil am Rhein:
across the border in Germany has food supermarkets and it is cheaper to buy the same products here than in Basel.
Children classes:
Gymboree and Kindermusik offer a free trial class.
1. Gymboree near Basel Bahnhoff (gymboree.ch)
2. Kindermusik near (kindermusik.com)Driespitz
3. Basel Childcare Trust
4. http://www.mutter-vater-beratung.ch/ - mid-wife centers in Briete (check with your local Pedeatricain for the nearest) - onetime fee of CHF20 until your child is 10 years old, will check height, weight, answer any questions regarding feeding, sleeping, food products etc
KIDS stores:
1. Nuggihuus, Aeschenplatz
2. Baby Walz at
Hauptstraße 333-339
79576 Weil am Rhein, Germany
07621 42237-0
Baby Walz store in Weil Am Rhein is just across the border in Germany. There are buses from Clarapltaz. Don't forget to take your passport and resident permits. The same brand names are cheaper here than in Basel. Check out the Euro conversion rate though.
Affordable kids clothing is available at : Manor, C&A, H &M, Migros, Pfuaen, Coop City. Keep an eye on sales.
Migros and Coop also stock Diapers, baby food, bottles etc. Keep an eye on Diaper sales, when there is either a 3 for 2 option or a price discount.
English Book Stores:
Thalia in Marketplatz
Bider and Tanner, Aeschenplatz
English books, libraries:
1. Center Point ( meeting place for English speaking people and library)
2. GGG Stadtbibliothek Basel
Basel Stadt:
For permits(B & L), this is located in Schifflande.
Miscellaneous:
1. Salt is available in Coop and Migros in the condiments/spices section ( I am writing this because I have often directed a few Indians to the right sections)
2. Sugar and dry fruits are available in the Baking section
3. Cooking oils: Sesame oil is available in Co-op, Sunflower oil in both coop and Migros.
4. Basmati Rice, Indian pickles, Naan etc are available in Coop, Migros & Manor
5. Wheat flour is Ruch Meil and is available in the Baking section.
6. Diswahser : Dishwasher tablets are available at Co-op, they are the Coop brand and the cheapest, they include Salt, so just one of them is enough.
7. Garbage Disposal bags: need to be bought and these bags called bebbi saag(light blue in colour) are available in Coop(ask in the flowers, cigarettes section), in Migros in Kundendeist. They come in 3 sizes - 17, 35 and 51 litres.
8. Recycling: The apartment complex usually has recycling failities. If not, you can recycle in Migros or Coop. Check with the Stadt for the addresses of the local recycling facilities.
9. Photos (digital cameras) can be printed @ 0.5CHF per photo from the photo machines located in Manor, Pfauen, Post Office(opposite to Coop City, Marketplatz) and Migros. Ensure you have enough coins as the machines do not return change.
10. Look out for Leger products in Migros. These are the low fat, low sugar variety. In Coop, it is the Weight Watchers brand.
11. Migros has three variety of products to cater to the purses - the Budget (Migros Budget) cost less, the normal Migros(without any added name) and the Migros Classic - these are the Premium products.
Coop has a budget variety labelled as 'PREIS' that tend to be cheaper.
Shops:
Freie- Strasee(near Marketplatz)
St. Jakob Park
Claraplatz
M Park - Dreispitz
IKEA (located in Pratteln) is a good place to go to for furniture and other house-hold items. Tram number 14 takes one there. There are trains to Pratteln from the Bahnhoff as well.
All shops close on Saturday evening 6 p.m. to open only on Monday morning except for the stores in SBB Bahnhoff. The Coop and Migros and other stores like the Apotheke(pharmacy)in SBB Bahnhoff are open on Sundays.
Tram tickets:
1. The tram ticket machines have the English language option, so choose it to find out what is available.
2. Use the Kurstruk(not sure about the spelling) option for 4 or less stops
3. If you have Swiss Half fare tickets, then you choose the corresponding action.
4. Tram passes abt 77 CHF from Barfusserplatz, please note these are valid from the beginning of the month to end of month. So if you were to buy this on 14.May, it is valid only until 31.May.
The GIRO or pay-in slips can also be used to top-up for the next month. These are usally sent by post.
5. Multi-ticket options are cheaper than buying single tickets.
A tram ticket can be used if one is going in the same direction within half an hour. Lets say the tram is going from A to C via B. You can get alight at B, and reuse the same ticket to C if this is within half an hour.
Some useful links:
englishforum.ch
indian-moms-in-switzerland@yahoogroups.com
Babysitting24.ch for baby sitting.
map.search.ch
www.homegate.ch : for searching flats, houses etc
www.ricardo.ch : for second hand furniture
Google translate option to translate pages from German to English.
Religious:
Sai Center, Basel : Sai Bhajans every Sat from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Feldbergstrasse100, Basel.
Phone, TV, Internet:
Cablecom is a good option for TV, phone and Internet connections. Swisscom and Sunrise are the other providers.
Lebara and Lyca mobile sim cards can be easily bought at Aggarwals and at some supermarkets.
Please keep an eye on small print- charges within Switzerland and other countries can be suprisingly high.
Calling cards to India are available at the SriLankan store in Bahnhoff.
Using Skype to call mobile/landlines in India is a viable option.
Rebtel is another option.
Sunrise has a 3 number free deal - one of these can be used to call the local access number of the calling card, thus making the charges cheap.
Others:
German language classes are available at Migros.
Gyms: Health insurance which is a must for a stay in Switzerland, they sometimes reimburse part of your membership, so check them out.
Indian beauticians:
There are 2 specialists: Veena and Jahnvi. Please join the indian moms forum to get their details.
Places to visit
1. the Basel Zoo
2. Munster, the cathedral located close to Marketplatz
3. The Puppet Museum
4. Tierpark Langen Erlen
5. Botanical Gardens (near St. Jakob's stadium)
6. Solitude Park (children's playground and walk by the Rhine river)
7. two more places of interest (caves, Reiglodswil)