Switzerland · City break

Bern City Guide

In a loop of the turquoise Aare sits a medieval old town of sandstone. Six kilometres of arcades to stroll under in any weather, Switzerland's tallest church spire and real bears by the river. No capital in Europe takes things more calmly. From the station, one ready-made day route does the planning for you.

🗺️ Open Bern interactively with map & navigation

Our walks through Bern

One route takes you through the medieval old town on foot, from the Federal Palace with its Alpine views, across the Aare and through the arcaded lanes to the Zytglogge clock tower, on to Bern Minster with Switzerland's highest church spire, down to the bears by the river and up to the Rose Garden with the finest view of the old town (9 stops, approx. 3 km). These are the highlights.

Old Town, Minster & Bears

From the Federal Palace with its Alpine view over the Aare, through the Marktgasse to the Zytglogge clock tower with its figure play, along the arcaded Kramgasse with Einstein's apartment to Bern Minster with Switzerland's tallest spire. Over the Münster platform and the Nydegg bridge to the bears on the riverbank and up to the Rose Garden with the finest view of the old town.

Federal Palace. The walk begins at the Federal Palace, seat of the Swiss parliament, where in summer 26 fountains dance from the square out front. Behind the domed building opens the Federal Terrace, with a sweeping view across the Aare to the snow-capped Bernese Alps. A grand opening.
Zytglogge. The Zytglogge is the medieval clock tower, the old town's heart and once its western gate. Four minutes before each hour, the figure play beneath the astronomical clock springs to life. A cock crows, bears circle, Chronos counts the hours, and the bell itself is struck by a separate figure up in the tower. A crowd-pleaser for 500 years.
Kramgasse. Right behind the Zytglogge begins the Kramgasse, the grandest of Bern's arcaded lanes, a good 300 metres of covered arcades, historic guild houses and splashing Renaissance fountains with painted figures. Even in the rain you stroll dry here. Six kilometres of such arcades run through the whole old town.
Einstein House. At Kramgasse 49, on the second floor, Albert Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905. And here, in his "miracle year" of 1905, developed the special theory of relativity while working at the patent office. The small, faithfully furnished apartment shows furniture, documents and photos from his Bern years.
Bern Minster. The late-Gothic Bern Minster has, at 100 metres, Switzerland's tallest church spire. Above the main portal, a magnificent Last Judgement with over 200 figures shows the parting of the blessed and the damned. Climb the 254 steps to the gallery for a grand view over the roofs, the Aare loop and the Alps. Below the Münsterplattform lies the Mattequartier on the banks of the Aare. Via the stairs or the Senkeltram lift you're down among half-timbered houses, little shops and cafés in a few minutes.
Münster Terrace. Right behind the minster lies the Münster platform, a tree-lined terrace high above the Aare. From the parapet you look steeply down to the turquoise river and the Matte quarter, with green slopes opposite. A quiet spot with chestnut trees, benches and a small lift down to the riverside district.
Nydegg Bridge. The Nydegg bridge spans the Aare at the lower end of the old town, where Bern was once founded. From the bridge you get the classic postcard view back over the tight Aare loop and the old town, tiered on its peninsula above the turquoise river. The minster tower high above.
Bear Pit (BearPark). On the far bank of the Aare lies the BearPark, where Bern keeps its heraldic animals. There have been bears in the city for over 500 years. Instead of the tight historic pit, they now live in a spacious, terraced hillside enclosure where they climb, bathe and splash in the Aare. Entry is free.
Rose Garden. To finish, the Rose Garden on the hill above the Bear Park, a manicured park with over 200 rose varieties, a pond and old trees. From the terrace opens the city's finest view, over the roses to the old town in the Aare loop with the minster tower. The restaurant up here invites a lunch break; the bus takes you back from here.

Planning your visit

One day is enough. The route from the Bundesplatz runs three kilometres past the Zytglogge through the Kramgasse to the Einstein House, on to the minster with the tallest church spire in Switzerland and across the Nydegg Bridge to the bears by the river. The rose garden with its view back over the old town rounds it off. Six kilometres of arcades keep you dry in the rain, which is practical planning. Seven evening tips are ready, and the Bernese Oberland starts an hour away by train.

Going out & nightlife

Rooftop bars

Grosse Schanze. The wide terrace above the station, with a café and bar, offers an open view over the city to the Bernese Alps. A relaxed sundowner spot in the very centre.

Nightlife quarters

Aarbergergasse. The old town's going-out strip, with bars, pubs and small clubs packed together under the arcades. The central spot for a night out in Bern, lively until late.
Lorraine & Breitenrain. North of the Aare lie the young, alternative quarters of Lorraine and Breitenrain, with hip bars, neighbourhood taverns and a laid-back vibe. Away from the touristy old town.

Food & restaurants

Altes Tramdepot. A brewpub in a former tram depot right by the Bear Park, with a terrace high above the Aare and a view of the old town, plus freshly brewed beer, rösti and hearty food in a prime spot.
Kornhauskeller. A magnificent restaurant in a Baroque vaulted cellar beneath the Kornhaus, with a painted ceiling and gallery. Refined Swiss cuisine in one of the city's finest halls.

Bars & clubs

Reitschule. The legendary alternative culture centre at the Schützenmatte behind the station, with concerts, club nights, a bar and cinema within brightly painted walls. Loud, left-field, truly Bernese.

Stage & concerts

Bühnen Bern (Stadttheater). Bühnen Bern (Konzert Theater Bern) brings opera, ballet, drama and symphony concerts under one roof. The federal capital's grand classical stage.

See all Bern stops in the app →

Practical information for Bern

Public transport

Operator. Bernmobil operates Bern's urban tram and bus network. For fare purposes the city belongs to the Libero network, which makes tickets valid across all operators within the network, including RBS, BLS and the Postauto bus lines in the surrounding area. A single ticket is therefore valid regardless of whether the journey is made by tram, bus or train, as long as it stays within the zones purchased.

Network. Trams and buses, plus a funicular to the Federal Palace.

Modes of transport. Tram · Bus

Operating hours. Bernmobil does not publish a single overall operating time for trams and buses, because it varies by line. The reliable source for the first and last journey of a given line is the timetable-by-stop lookup on bernmobil.ch, which shows the current daily departure times for every stop.

Night service. The Moonliner night network runs on the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday. The lines head out from Bern, Thun, Biel, Interlaken and Solothurn into their respective regions and are operated by the Nachtliniengesellschaft NLG, an association of ten partners since 1997. Regular public transport passes such as Halbtax, Generalabonnement, the Libero network pass or the Seven25 youth pass are accepted, as are ordinary single tickets. The exact departure times for each line are listed in the öV Plus app or on moonliner.ch.

Buying tickets. The traditional way to buy a ticket is at the ticket vending machines at the stops. Digitally, the öV Plus app sells all Libero tickets as well as nationwide single tickets and saver fares. The Libero web shop (libero-webshop.ch) and the SBB and BLS web shops also offer the same tickets for sale, which is especially useful for buying before you arrive.

App and payment. The öV Plus app lets you buy day passes and multi-ride tickets as well as passes for Libero and other networks, plus nationwide single tickets and saver fares. Payment is by credit or debit card, Twint, Reka-Card, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Swisscom Pay. The app also shows real-time timetables and reports on service disruptions. A handy feature for travel groups is the option to load a ticket directly onto a companion's SwissPass.

Which ticket. For short distances up to 1.5 km without changing, the short-distance ticket for CHF 2 am is enough (valid for 30 minutes), a block of ten costs CHF 10.80. For normal journeys within the city, the single ticket for 1 to 2 zones at CHF 3 am applies (valid for 60 minutes, transfers included). The day pass for zones 100/101 costs CHF 6 am in 2nd class or CHF 10.20 am in 1st class and is valid until 5 a.m. the following day. It therefore costs exactly the same as two single journeys at CHF 3 am each, and from the third journey of the day onward it becomes cheaper. Discounts apply with a Halbtax pass, for children under 16 and for dogs.

Fare zones. For tourist destinations within the city of Bern, zones 100/101 of the Bern day pass are enough, they cover the entire Bernmobil network.

Tip. The old town has six kilometres of arcades and stays dry in any weather.

Getting there

Main station

Location. At the western end of the old town; everything else is within walking distance.

Long-distance trains. Bern sits on several of SBB's long-distance routes. Line 1 connects Genève-Aéroport with Zurich and St. Gallen via Lausanne and Bern, line 6 runs from Basel via Bern to Thun, Spiez and Brig, and line 8 from Brig via Bern to Zurich and Romanshorn. There are also direct trains to Lucerne, Chur, Olten and Interlaken Ost. Internationally, the ICE calls at Bern several times a day. Via Basel it continues to Frankfurt, Berlin Ostbahnhof, Dortmund and Hamburg-Altona, while in the other direction ICE trains continue on to Interlaken Ost and Brig. Via the Lötschberg and Simplon routes there are also several direct trains a day to Domodossola and Milano Centrale.

Opening hours. Service runs from early morning to late night. On weekdays the first long-distance train departs at 4.04 a.m. toward Zurich Airport, with the next leaving at 4.36 a.m. for Chur. The last long-distance trains leave Bern around 11.40 p.m. for Basel, Brig and Interlaken Ost, with one more shortly after midnight to Zurich. Long-distance service pauses roughly between 1 and 4 a.m.

Airports

ZRH

Into the city. Direct trains to Bern depart from the station on the airport's lower level, current timetables and journey times are available via sbb.ch or the SBB app.

Local quirks

In summer, people swim to work. The Aare is used downstream as a means of transport. Only with local knowledge, the current is strong.
The day pass costs barely more than two single fares. The Bern day pass for zones 100/101 costs CHF 6 am, a single journey within the city CHF 3 am. Already on the second trip of the day the price is the same, and every further trip makes the day pass better value.
The short-distance fare doesn't cover the funicular. The cheap short-distance ticket for CHF 2 am applies to one-way trips up to 1.5 km, but explicitly not to the Gurten funicular, the Marzili funicular or the Matte platform lift. These require a regular zone ticket.

Good to know

Currency: CHF Fr.
Emergency number: 112
Plug type: J · C
Time zone: Europe/Zurich
Driving: right

Speed limits. built-up areas 50 km/h, outside towns 80 km/h, motorway 120 km/h

Motorways marked with blue signs have a 120 km/h limit, while expressways marked with green signs are limited to 100 km/h. Using motorways and expressways requires an annual vignette on the windscreen regardless of the distance driven, even for a single short trip.

Tipping. Service is included. Rounding up is customary, nothing more.

Tolls. Motorways require an annual vignette, digital or as a sticker. No shorter option exists.