Bern travel guide
Bern Tourism | Bern Guide
You're Going to Love Bern
With a population of 121.631, Bern is the largest city in Bern, Switzerland by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Bern has to offer.
When to visit Bern
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bern in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -4 °C, with an average temperature of -1 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 121 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Bern, with an average rainfall of 58 mm.
How to Get to Bern
Plane
When flying to Bern, you’ll arrive at Belp (BRN), which is located 6 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Bern from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 20h 40m.
Train
ÖBB is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by Trenitalia. The train journey from Bern to Zurich takes 1h 02m and costs around €63 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Florence, expect to pay about €112 for a 5h 29m trip. Located 0.6 km from the city centre, Bern is the busiest station in Bern. Another popular train station is Bern Bümpliz Süd, located 4 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Bern is to pick up a car hire from Geneva, which is about 129 km from Bern. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Europcar, among others, in Geneva.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and ALSA. From Geneva, the bus ride to Bern takes 217 km and will cost you around €12. From Lyon, the ticket costs about €38 for a journey of 433 km. The most popular bus station is Bern Car-Terminal Neufeld, located 1.8 km from the city centre of Bern. Bern Schützenmatt P+R is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Bern
Where to stay in Bern
From 5-star hotels such as the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & Spa to great affordable options like the Ibis Styles Bern City, Bern offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around €144 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €381 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Am Pavillon, Bed&Kitchen and Ibis Bern Expo.
Where to stay in popular areas of Bern
Most booked hotels in Bern
Hiring a car in Bern
Expect to pay €1.92 per litre in Bern (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €23.00 and €30.67. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Volkswagen Golf or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Opel Corsa or similar) is, on average, 30% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.