Basel to invest 5,9 million francs in additional public toilets

The Basel cantonal government has announced that it plans to build 12 new public toilets throughout the city. The council has asked Basel’s parliament for 5,9 million Swiss francs to cover the costs.

More public toilets coming to Basel

With a residential population of around 200.000 and almost the same number of monthly overnight visitors, there’s one thing that Basel surely needs: more toilets. The Basel Government Council announced in a press release that 12 additional public toilets are planned for the Swiss city.

The facilities will be added to locations including St. Johanns Park, Birsköpfli, Westquai, Hochstrasse and Klosterfiechten. The council is requesting 5,9 million Swiss francs from the cantonal parliament to cover the cost so it can “improve and expand public restroom services and promote cleanliness in public spaces.”

Basel expands its “Nice toilet” initiative

The government has also announced it plans to expand the “Nice toilet” (Nette Toilette) initiative in Basel, initially introduced in 2018. The initiative involves restaurants, cafes and shops allowing visitors to use their bathrooms for free. 30 additional businesses will now take part across Basel’s residential areas. 

The move to provide additional public toilets is due to increased demand in recent years, particularly in “heavily frequented locations such as parks, playgrounds, and along the Rhine”, according to the press release. It’s common in many Swiss cities for places like train stations and some tourist destinations to charge visitors to use the toilets, although many cities also offer free public bathrooms.