Berne
Although Berne (German: Bern) is the seat of most of the institutions of the Swiss Confederation, The remarkable design coherence of Berne's old town has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has 6.4 km (4 miles) of arcaded walkways along streets decked out with fountains and clock-towers.
In 2018, it had a population of about 134,000 in the city, and roughly 420,000 in the urban agglomeration. It sits on a peninsula formed by the meandering turns of the river Aare.
Understand
[edit]Berne was founded in 1191 by Duke Berthold V von Zähringen and was part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was made a free imperial city by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1218 after Berthold died without an heir.
In 1353 Berne joined the Swiss Confederation. After conquering several rivals, Berne became the largest independent city-state north of the Alps. It was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was stripped of a large part of its territory. The city became the Swiss capital in 1848.
Bern was one of the eight host cities in the 2008 European Football Championships.
Bern hosted EuroGames in 2023 - the biggest annual LGBT+ sports event in Europe.
Tourist information
[edit]- Tourist information website.
- There are Tourist Information Centres outside the main railway station, and in the Old Tram Depot next to the Bear Pit.
Talk
[edit]The main language spoken in Berne is (Bernese-)Swiss-German, a Swiss dialect of the Alemannic language. Swiss-German is mostly a spoken language, but also used in text messages, etc. In official publications and announcements, Standard German is used.
English seems to be supplanting French as the favourite second language of the Bernese, even though the canton of Berne is a bilingual German and French-speaking canton. However, many people you encounter as a tourist will be able to speak both so it's certainly worth a try.
Get in
[edit]Situated in the middle of Switzerland, Berne is easy to reach from all parts of the country.
By plane
[edit]To reach the city take Bus 334 or 160[dead link] to Belp railway station (10 min). Frequent S-bahn local trains connect Belp to Bern's main station, 40 min altogether. The bus runs every 30 min between 05:10 and 23:10, with the first and last buses of the day running directly to Bern railway station. The transfer is free if you have booked accommodation in Bern, just show your confirmation letter; otherwise Fr. 7 each way.
A taxi to the city is about 40 Fr and takes 20 mins.
For a better choice of flights, fly into Geneva (GVA IATA), Zurich (ZRH IATA) or Basel (BSL IATA) then take the train to Bern.
By train
[edit]Berne is at the hub of the Swiss Federal Railway network. Express (InterCity) trains connect twice per hour to Geneva, Basel and Zurich as well as Zürich and Geneva airports. Hourly express trains connect to most other cities, including Interlaken, Brig, and Lucerne.
2 Bern Railway Station 
For timetables and connections see Swiss Federal Railway. For best travel deals see the Swiss Travel Planner - walk-up full fare tickets are expensive. And see also Switzerland#Get around#by rail.
By car
[edit]Berne is easily reachable with the national motorway network from all directions and has several exits from motorways A1, A12 and A6.
By bus
[edit]Eurolines[dead link], Flixbus and RegioJet connect Bern to several European cities by bus.
Get around
[edit]
Berne has an excellent public transportation system, with frequent local city services provided by trams, trolleybuses and buses, together with an S-Bahn rail system for longer journeys into the surrounding suburbs. Tickets are valid for all modes of transport within a given zone and time. The suburbs of Berne, Biel and Solothurn form a common public transport network named "Libero-Tarifverbund". Tickets can be purchased as single ticket, saver ticket with six rides, day pass as well as weekly, monthly or yearly passes.
Tickets can be bought at vending machines at most stops, or with a smartphone using the SBB mobile app. They are valid for all modes of public transport within the zones they encompass. A ticket valid in the central urban zones (100 and 101) for 60 minutes costs Fr. 4.60 (March 2019).
Since June 2014, all hotel accommodations in Bern include the "Bern-Ticket[dead link]", which allows the free use of public transport within the city (zones 100 and 101) for the duration of the stay, including the Gurten funicular and transfer from and to the airport.
By foot
[edit]The city centre of Berne is easily accessible by foot. The relatively small old town and the area around the main train station are best explored by walking.
By tram and bus
[edit]The bus and tram lines operated by Bernmobil are complemented with yellow Postauto bus lines connecting to the suburbs. Almost all lines are linked together at the main train station, and operate at intervals between 5 and 30 minutes.
- Bernmobil, ☏ +41 31 321 88 88. Operator of the local tram and bus services, and provides timetables and other information on its website or by telephone.
By rail
[edit]Berne's S-Bahn rail system will take you to many places in the suburbs and to nearby cities like Biel, Thun, Fribourg or Solothurn.
- S-Bahn Bern, ☏ +41 31 327 27 27. Web site in German only.
By car or motorbike
[edit]Like in most Swiss cities, parking space is rare and expensive. There are several paid parking stations, including at the main train station. As the city centre is quite small and all of the major attractions are within walking distance, it's a good choice to park in a "park and ride" and take public transport to the centre of town. Using the car in the old town is very difficult and not recommended.
Motorbikers will find free dedicated parking spaces in several places around the perimeter of the old town, including near Waisenhausplatz and at the main train station.
By bike
[edit]Berne is a bike-friendly city, and most thoroughfares include dedicated bike lanes. There are a few challenging spots where bike traffic interweaves with motor traffic, but motorists are used to sharing the road with bikers and will normally pay attention. Because of the city's topography, some stamina may be required, or an electric bike.
The local branch of the Swiss-wide bike sharing Publibike[dead link] charges Fr. 3 for the first 30 minutes. The formerly free local bike-share "Bern Rollt" has been terminated.
By taxi
[edit]Several taxi companies operate in Berne, including Nova Taxi (+41 31 331 33 13), Bären Taxi (+41 31 371 11 11) and Taxi Bern (+41 31 333 88 88). Taxis can be booked by phone, or at the main train station.
See
[edit]
Berne is full of history and museums. It also has quite a bit of public art, all of which is marked on a walking map which is available from the tourist office in the train station for free.
- 1 Berne Historical Museum
- 2 Bundeshaus
- 3 Zytglogge
- 4 Einsteinhaus
- Invasion of Berne - successful!. As you explore, you may notice these small graffiti mosaics, in the style of Taito's "Space Invaders". There are some 29 in Bern, the work of an "Unidentified Free Artist". They've appeared on the walls, bridges and roofs of many cities around the world, including Basel, Geneva and Lausanne. And still they come: "Game Not Over". Consider buying a map and doing the space invader tour - though in midsummer 2018 the Invader's online shop is closed.
- 5 Kunstmuseum
- 6 Swiss Alpine Museum
- 7 Zentrum Paul Klee
Do
[edit]- 1 Gurten
- 2 Rosengarten
- Football: BSC Young Boys play soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. They play at Stadion Wankdorf (previously called Stade de Suisse, capacity 32,000) 1 km north of the city centre. In 2025 it hosts matches in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals.
- SC Bern. The SCB is Berne's ice-hockey team. The stadium is the second largest in Europe and is regularly sold out, producing an impressive atmosphere in the arena. It is also mentionable that the SC Bern boasts the highest average attendance outside the NHL. To get there, just take Tram 9 towards Guisanplatz and get off at the terminal stop.
- Swimming in the river Aare. On hot summer days, let yourself drift for a few kilometres in the river Aare. Good (and safe) stretches are between the Kornhausbridge and the public pool of the Lorraine (old-fashioned swimming pool just next to the river) and between the Eichholz and the public pool of the Marzili. Other stretches such as swimming the bend around the old town (starting at the "Englische Anlagen" to the Lorraine) or the "Bremgartenschlaufe" are only to be done by good swimmers accompanied by experienced locals. Entrance to public pools is free of charge. This makes it a good idea to choose a swim that ends at a public pool so you can have a shower afterwards.
Events
[edit]Learn
[edit]Berne is home to the prestigious University of Berne which enrolls 17,431 students (2015). In addition, the city has the University of Applied Science also known as Berner Fachhochschule. There are also many vocational schools and offices of the Goethe Institute and the Alliance-Francaise (German and French cultural institutes).
Buy
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As with most other cities in Switzerland, store opening and closing hours in Berne are strictly regulated. All stores, including grocers, close by 18:30 or 19:00 from Monday to Friday, except on Thursdays when they remain open until 21:00. Aldi supermarkets are an exception, closing at 20:00 during the week. On Saturdays everything must close by 17:00. On Sundays, all stores are closed, except for those in the main railway station, which are open 7 days a week until about 22:00, and which include Migros and Coop supermarkets.
Rathausgasse and the streets parallel to it have any number of cute shops with an amazing range of handicrafts and luxury goods. This is not the normal range of Swiss souvenir stuff, but really interesting things. There are a couple of worthy examples below, but the real pleasure is in spending a few hours (or days) exploring the arcades and vitrines.
- Yamatuti, Aarbergergasse 16-18, ☏ +41 31 318 26 56. M-W F 10:00–18:30, Th 10:00–21:00, Sa 10:00–17:00. Unique toys and kitsch collectables pack the walls of this cramped space.
- Krompholz Music, Effingerstrasse 51, 3008 Bern (Visit website for which tram lines to take and the stops.), ☏ +41 31 311 3489, [email protected]. M-Sa 10:00–17:00. The thing that makes this shop special is its huge collection of sheet music and English language music instruction materials. Pretty good CD section with lots of Swiss artists, both pop and folk.
There are several used bookstores that carry cheap books in German, English and French:
- Bücherbergwerk Monbijou, Monbijoustrasse 16 (on the street through which tram line 9 descends from Hirschengraben near the main station, in the basement of the building marked SWICA), ☏ +41 31 381 71 25. Tu-F 10:00–17:00 and Sa 11:00–15:00. The used bookstore of the Swiss Workers' Aid Society.
- Bücher-Brockenhaus Bern, Rathausgasse 34 (in the old city between the Zytglogge and the Rathaus), ☏ +41 31 311 44 59. Tu-F 14:00–18:30, Sa 09:00–12:00, 14:00–16:00.
Eat
[edit]| This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
| Budget | Under Fr. 25 |
| Mid-range | Fr. 25 to 50 |
| Splurge | Over Fr. 50 |
Eating in Berne (or almost anywhere in Switzerland for that matter) can be an expensive proposition for foreign tourists. Be sure to "shop around" before deciding on a restaurant as many of them cater to foreign tourists (especially those serving traditional Swiss food) and have inflated their prices accordingly. Most Bernese natives prefer Italian, Asian, or other non-local cuisine so finding a traditional Swiss restaurant with acceptable prices can often be a daunting experience. Be patient and you will persevere without breaking the bank.
Budget
[edit]City centre
[edit]- 1 Restaurant Zunft zu Webern, Gerechtigkeitsgasse 68, ☏ +41 31 311 42 58, fax: +41 31 312 20 67. M-Sa 11:00–23:00. Excellent soups, a good rendering of Swiss standards, such as cheese fondue, and a decent number of veggie choices. Many items are available in half portions. Fr. 14-24 (Oct 2021).
- 2 Coop Restaurant Bern Ryfflihof, Aarbergergasse 53. Very wide variety of dishes, a nice curry station, salad bar and lots of desserts.
- 3 Lo stuzzichino da Mohan, Rathausgasse 23. A simple Italian restaurant. The menu is mainly pasta. The food, dessert and the service are good.
- 4 Tong Fong, Brunngasse 9. It's a delicious Asian take-away restaurant.
Near the city centre
[edit]- 5 Sous le Pont, ☏ +41 31 306 69 55, [email protected]. Tu-F 11:30–14:30 and 18:00–00:00, Sa 19:00–00:00, Su 10:00–16:00. A nice restaurant in the Reitschule complex which serves excellent dishes.
Mid-range
[edit]- Beaulieu, Erlachstrasse 3, ☏ +41 31 301 24 59, fax: +41 31 305 86 55. M-Th 08:00–11:30, F 08:00–00:30, Sa 10:00–22:00. Old-fashioned restaurant serving traditional Swiss and Bernese cuisine at very affordable prices. Popular among students due to its situation close to the university; it is equally popular among the local workers. Definitely not a tourist restaurant—go here if you want to meet the Bernese among themselves.
- Old Tram Depot (Altes Tramdepot), Grosser Muristalden (across bridge at the east end of the city centre, next to bear pit), ☏ +41 31 368 14 15. 11:00-23:00. The trams used to terminate here: nowadays it's a trolleybus route. Good, hearty Swiss food. Range of dishes from budget price rösti to higher-priced meat specialities. On-site brewery with traditional beers available. Bench seating with a great atmosphere. Fr. 20-40.
- Café Fédéral, Bärenplatz 31, ☏ +41 31 311 16 24. Stylish, modern atmosphere and international cuisine. Situated in front of the Bundeshaus, its popularity among politicians during the "Session" is legendary. Specializes in entrecôtes (a kind of steak), but has other dishes, including vegetarian ones.
- Casino Restaurant, Herrengasse 25, ☏ +41 31 328 03 28, [email protected]. At the shore of Aare river, with a view over the river and mountains on the South. Dishes include excellent pasta with mushrooms, fish, and meats, served throughout the day. Fr. 25-45 a main dish.
- Kornhaus, Kornhausplatz 18, ☏ +41 31 327 72 70, fax: +41 31 327 72 71. The room alone is worth a stop at this fabulously appointed mostly Italian restaurant. As one might guess from the name, the building was built for grain storage, but now features fresco paintings of traditional Swiss scenes, events from local history, and related characters. Fr. 26-45 for the main dish. Fr. 9-14 for appetizers..
- Schmiedstube, Schmiedenplatz 5, ☏ +41 31 311 34 61. M-Sa 08:30–23:30. German, French, Italian, English and Spanish spoken. This traditional Swiss restaurant is well known for its typical dishes, such as Röschti, Cordon Bleu, Älplermakkaronen. It's 90 m (300 ft) from the clock tower "Zytglogge".
- Schwellenmätteli, Dalmaziquai 11, ☏ +41 31 350 50 01, [email protected]. Terrace open daily 08:00–00:00. A very nice restaurant at the side of the river Aare with a nice view on the Cathedral. Fr. 20-40 for a main dish.
Splurge
[edit]- Bellevue Palace, Kochergasse 3-5, ☏ +41 31 320 45 45, fax: +41 31 47 43. Stylish hotel and restaurant; has its price. Go there when the Parliament is in session, and you may very well see the president of Switzerland having lunch.
- Restaurant Rosengarten, Alter Aargauerstalden 31b, ☏ +41 31 331 32 06. Upscale Swiss restaurant with an amazing view over the city
- Kursaal-Bern (Meridiano), Kornhausstrasse 3, ☏ +41 31 339 55 00. Tu-F 11:30–14:00, 18:00–00:00; Sa 18:00–24:00; Sunday & Monday closed. The Meridiano is renowned far beyond the borders of Bern for its welcoming hospitality. And for its innovative cuisine - prepared to perfection by Chef de Cuisine Markus Arnold and his team. The restaurant has been awarded 16 Gault-millau points and one Michelin star. Guests are offered fine views extending over Bern and the surrounding scenic countryside. Fr. 20-76.
Drink
[edit]Many Bernese will tell you that the nightlife in Berne is not exactly what you might call spectacular, but they're probably comparing it to Zurich or Paris. There are quite a few good spots to hang out.
For a drink or two, there's a wide choice of bars all over town. However, you might be disappointed with most central options as they tend to be annoyingly conventional, though there are an ample number of exceptions:
- Du Nord, Lorrainestrasse 2 (across Lorraine Bridge from the city centre), ☏ +41 31 332 23 38.
- Café Kairo, Dammweg 43, 3013 Bern. Another nice choice in the same area as Du Nord.
- Cuba, Kornhausplatz 14, ☏ +41 31 311 64 86. With Latin-influenced Cuba Bar next door.
Most of the town's cooler bars are around the main clubbing venues though. In the ancient Matte neighborhood, which is well worth a daytime visit too, you'll find nightlife options for almost every taste.
- Dampfzentrale, Marzilistrasse 47, ☏ +41 31 310 05 40. In this former electricity facility you'll find an excellent restaurant and bar, along with lots of cultural pearls. They specialize in urban, jazzy, electronic music and dance performances. Definitely a gem!
- PROGR_centre for cultural production, Waisenhausplatz 30/ Speichergasse 4, ☏ +41 31 318 82 70. Close to the Reithalle and even closer to the city centre, you will find the PROGR. More than 100 artists, dancers, actors and musicians have their studios here. Its large courtyard with the CaféBar Turnhalle is a real oasis. From September to June, they offer a cultural program with exhibitions of experimental and contemporary art, theatre, performance, lectures and regular concerts on Sunday nights (jazz-connected, world women voices).
- 1 Reitschule
- Wasserwerk Club. This is one of Berne's traditional clubbing and concert venues for urban music. It actually features two parts: Sportwerk The very welcoming, smaller "Sportwerk", which is open all week and free of charge, offers drinks, music, pool, snooker, darts, table soccer and flipper games as well as sports events on TV in a laid back, greenish atmosphere. The bigger part of the club, the actual "Wasserwerk" is open on weekends and features excellent djs and live concerts.
Sleep
[edit]| This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
| Budget | Under Fr. 150 |
| Mid-range | Fr. 150 to 300 |
| Splurge | Over Fr. 300 |
The main train station has a tourist office on the west side on the ground floor. They'll try to help you find a hotel room, if you arrive without booking. However, it is better to book ahead if you can, as Berne is a capital city; the budget hotels do tend to fill up on the weekends.
Budget
[edit]- Landhaus, Altenbergstrasse 4 (near the bear pit), ☏ +41 31 331 41 66, fax: +41 31 332 69 04, [email protected]. Check-out: Reception is open until 22:00. A cute, friendly, and well-kept place with a good restaurant and bar downstairs. (If they are fully booked ask to crash in the TV room, Fr. 34) Fr. 90-160.
- Berne backpackers - Hotel Glocke, Rathausgasse 75, ☏ +41 31 311 37 71, fax: +41 31 311 10 08, [email protected]. A member of the Swiss Backpackers Association in the centre of the old town this highly favored backpackers' hotel is a 10-15 min walk from the central train station they have Internet, games and laundry facilities, solid security and no more than six beds in a room. There are also kitchen facilities, a big common room with a TV, a pool table, games, movies at night, and a gift shop. Prices from Fr. 31 per person, per night.
- Youth Hostel, Weihergasse 4, ☏ +41 31 311 63 16. 187 beds in all, consisting of two, four, five and six-bed rooms and two group rooms, one with eighteen and one with 20 beds. Showers and WC on each floor, the security is lacking though, and theft is common in the dorms, given the area the hostel is in.
Mid-range
[edit]- Astoria Swiss Quality Hotel, Zieglerstrasse 66. Tastefully renovated 3*-hotel with a friendly and informal atmosphere, close to the city centre on the “Eigerplatz” (motorway exit “Berne Forsthaus”). Awarded Swiss Tourism’s Quality Award I, the hotel has 62 spacious and comfortable rooms, a restaurant with a bar, conference rooms, a w-lan and parking for cars and coaches.
- Bern Swiss Quality Hotel, Zeughausgasse 9, fax: +41 31 329 22 99, [email protected]. Charming hotel in the city centre of Bern, 600 m from the main station away and 10 km from the airport Bern Belp. Single room from Fr. 245, double room from Fr. 280.
- Kreuz, Zeughausgasse 41 (500 m from the railway station directly in the city centre), fax: +41 31 329 95 96, [email protected]. Member of Swiss Quality Hotels International. Double from Fr. 225.
- Metropole, Zeughausgasse 26 (600m from the railway station), fax: +41 31 329 94 95, [email protected]. Member of Swiss Quality Hotels International. Double from Fr. 129.
Splurge
[edit]Connect
[edit]As of Sep 2021, the city has 5G from all Swiss carriers.
The city center is mostly covered by WiFi networks that have limited speed and access as open access after obligatory registration with SMS.
Stay safe
[edit]Berne is a very safe place with nearly no violent crime. However, as it is the capital of Switzerland, it sees political demonstrations every few weeks on a variety of subjects, occasionally leading to police intervention.
LGBT+ people feel safe in the city center and around major spots in the city, though not many explicitly LGBT+ spaces are available.
The drunks and vagrants often congregate at the central railway station at night, which is a nuisance but in general not dangerous.
There has been a slight increase in violence from young people. Try to avoid groups of drunk teenagers that look suspicious and you should be fine.
While police officers in Berne will happily help you out if you are in trouble or need information, they are also known for approaching "suspicious" persons in order to check their papers. This procedure is annoying, but legal as you will probably have a hard time proving you were not acting suspicious. Carry a photocopy of your passport and your onward ticket with you, stay calm and polite and you won't have much trouble.
Cope
[edit]Embassies
[edit]
Finland, Weltpoststrasse 4, 3015 Bern, ☏ +41 31 350 41 00, fax: +41 31 350 41 07, [email protected]. M-F 09:00–12:00.
The Netherlands, Seftigenstrasse 7, ☏ +41 31 350 87 00, [email protected]. M-F 08:30-12:30, 13:30-17:00.
Romania, Kirchenfeldstrasse 78, ☏ +41 31 351 05 46, [email protected]. Also covers as the embassy of Romania for Liechtenstein.
Taiwan, Kirchenfeldstrasse 14, 3005 Bern, ☏ +41 31 382 2927, fax: +41 31 382 1523, [email protected]. M-F 08:30-12:30, 13:30-17:30.
Go next
[edit]Berne is an ideal gateway to the Bernese Highlands. You can make day trips to beautiful locations like Spiez, Thun, Interlaken, Grindelwald and all the way up the Jungfrau to Jungfraujoch. Other pleasant day trips are to Biel, Fribourg, Gstaad, Murten, Neuchatel and Solothurn.
Geneva, Basel and Zurich can easily be done as day-trips but deserve a longer stay.