Bern

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

Tourist information website .

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There are Tourist Information Centres outside the main railway station, and in the Old Tram Depot next to the Bear Pit.

By Plane

Bern-Belp Airport

( 10 km south of the city, off Hwy 8 west of River Aare ).

This airport is a small affair.

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To reach the city take Bus 334 or 160 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 Fr. 40 and takes 20 min.

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

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 .

Bern Railway Station .

In a mall surrounded by cafes and other shops. The info kiosk and main bank of ticket machines are at the back, beneath the big departures board.

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 / Road

Berne is easily reachable with the national motorway network from all directions and has several exits from motorways A1, A12 and A6.

By Bus

Eurolines , Flixbus and RegioJet connect Bern to several European cities by bus.

Twiliner buses take 12 hr 30 min from Barcelona via Girona, heading for Zurich. Their seats fold flat into a bunk: there's some disturbance from bumps in the road and noise at intermediate stops, but no worse than in a railway sleeping car, for similar comfort and half the price.

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 and timetable information for Switzerland is available on sbb.ch or can be obtained using the SBB Mobile ( iOS , Android apps) (requires a working internet connection). Alternatively, you can use a ticket vending machine. Tickets 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).

All hotel bookings in Bern include the “ Bern-Ticket ", 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. Most hotels allow to print your public transport ticket, so you don't need to install the official app on your phone (which is proprietary software, and available only for Android or iOS).

By foot

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

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 ,

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+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

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. Until 2034, the Bern train station will be the site of various construction projects to renovate and expand the facility.

S-Bahn Bern ,

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+41 31 327 27 27 .

Web site in German only.

By car or motorbike

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

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 charges Fr. 3 for the first 30 minutes. The formerly free local bike-share "Bern Rollt" has been terminated.

By taxi

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.

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.

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Berne Historical Museum ,

Helvetiaplatz 5 ,

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+41 31 350 77 11 .

Tu-Su 10:00-17:00 .

Large historic museum, combining under one roof one of the country's most important ethnographic collections together with the Bernese historical collections from prehistory to the present day.

Adult Fr. 13; Fr. 18 including Einsteinhaus .

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Bundeshaus

( Federal Palace of Switzerland; Curia Confoederationis Helveticae ),

Bundesplatz 3 .

Inaugurated in 1902, the Swiss Parliament building is a great dome separating the two chambers: the National Council and the Council of States. Free guided tour when Parliament is not in session (German Tu-Sa, English only Sa 14:00, book online). In session, there are 25 spaces in the spectators' gallery, no advance booking. For either, you need your passport.

Free .

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Zytglogge .

It has been a guard tower, and a prison for women convicted of having sex with priests, but since the 15th century, it's been a clock tower with an elaborate astronomical clock. Hourly throughout the day, it puts on a great display of early animatronics. The show starts a few minutes before the hour with a little song and some drumming by a jester on top. On the hour, bears and an old bearded king get into the act. As well as the time, the clock shows the month, day, sign of the zodiac and phase of the moon. There are guided tours inside the tower that will let you have a look at the clockwork while the show is displayed outside. It can be booked at the tourist office and is definitely worth it if you love mechanics.

Free .

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Einsteinhaus ,

Kramgasse 49 ,

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+41 31 312 00 91 ,

[email protected] .

Feb-Dec 10:00–17:00, closed Jan .

Suppose a Bern Tram passed you at the speed of light, with Einstein peering out the window. While your own watch ticked on, his would appear stationary, and the tram's mass and dimensions would distort. Most of us would just shrug at this and await the next tram. But Einstein realised that the same occurred if you were aboard the tram looking back at the tourist standing at the tram-stop. There could be no absolute reference point: all was relative. He also inferred an equivalence of acceleration and gravity, and of mass and energy, that totally rewrote the laws of what till then was a Newtonian universe. Einstein rented this flat 1903-05 with his first wife Mileva, during his years working at the Swiss patent office. (The day job helped, as many inventors were exploring telecomms, and the problem of synchronising processes many miles apart.) Their son Hans Albert was born here in 1904; their illegitimate daughter Lieserl (b. 1902) was given up for adoption and her fate is unknown. But above all Einstein's special and general theories of relativity were born in this flat, which now displays photos and original documents from his life, work, and speeches. His writing desk overlooks the bustling street: trams rumble by, and the clock-tower tick-tocks, with a Swiss regularity that we now know to be deceptive. See Golden Age of Modern Physics for context.

Adult Fr. 6, concessions Fr. 4.50 .

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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.

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Kunstmuseum

( Museum of Fine Arts ),

Hodlerstrasse 12 ,

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+41 31 328 09 44 .

Tu 10:00-21:00, W-Su 10:00-17:00, closed M .

Huge collection including Pablo Picasso, Ferdinand Hodler and Meret Oppenheim, and

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Outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and skiing (in season) are popular in and around Bern.

Bern has a selection of restaurants serving Swiss and international cuisine. Local specialities include fondue, raclette, and rösti.

Swiss wine, beer, and hot chocolate are widely available. Cafés and bars in Bern offer a range of local and international beverages.

Accommodation in Bern ranges from budget guesthouses to mid-range hotels and upscale resorts. Book in advance during peak season (July-August and December-March).

Local shops in Bern offer Swiss souvenirs, watches, chocolate, and regional products. ATMs are widely available.

• Zurich — Switzerland's largest city, with world-class museums and shopping
• Bern — The capital city with a UNESCO-listed old town
• Lucerne — Iconic chapel bridge and lake views
• Interlaken — Gateway to the Jungfrau region
• Geneva — International city on Lake Geneva