Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

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. Consider staying at least one whole day in Bern to see all of its attractions.

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When to visit Bern

Bern in January
Estimated hotel price
$397
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bern in January
Estimated hotel price
$397
1 night at 3-star hotel

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.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

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 New Zealand departs from Wellington and takes around 56h 05m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 27m and costs around $67 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $85 for a 3h 17m 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.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, Bus and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Friedrichshafen, the bus ride to Bern takes 225 km and will cost you around $32. From Strasbourg, the ticket costs about $46 for a journey of 354 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.

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 New Zealand departs from Wellington and takes around 56h 05m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 27m and costs around $67 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $85 for a 3h 17m 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.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, Bus and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Friedrichshafen, the bus ride to Bern takes 225 km and will cost you around $32. From Strasbourg, the ticket costs about $46 for a journey of 354 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.

Airports near Bern

ZRHZurich
GVAGeneva Geneve-Cointrin

Airlines serving Bern

KLM
Good (1,405 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,558 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,001 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,500 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,032 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,779 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,007 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,007 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,402 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,484 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (865 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,416 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,285 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,564 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,055 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,133 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,393 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (893 reviews)
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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 $324 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $749 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bern

Most booked hotels in Bern

See all
Stay Kooook Bern City
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$278+
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Novotel Bern Expo
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$285+
View
Ibis Budget Bern Expo
1 star
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$205+
View

Hiring a car in Bern

Expect to pay $3.77 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 $45.23 and $60.30. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Volkswagen Polo or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard car hire (Volkswagen Vento or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.77 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 $45.23 and $60.30. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Volkswagen Polo or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard car hire (Volkswagen Vento or similar) is, on average, 44% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Bern