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. Bern deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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When to visit Bern

Bern in January
Estimated hotel price
$376
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bern in January
Estimated hotel price
$376
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 4 miles from the city centre.

Train

SBB is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Bern to Zurich takes 1h 00m and costs around $114 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about $338 for a 7h 05m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city centre, Bern is the busiest station in Bern. Another popular train station is Bern Bümpliz Süd, located 2 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bern is to pick up a car hire from Zurich, which is about 59 miles from Bern. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Explore Vacations AG, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and STUDENT AGENCY. From Lyon, the bus ride to Bern takes 285 miles and will cost you around $100. From Munich, the ticket costs about $112 for a journey of 345 miles. The most popular bus station is Bern Car-Terminal Neufeld, located 1.1 miles from the city centre of Bern. Bern Schützenmatt P+R is also a commonly used station, and is 0.2 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Bern, you’ll arrive at Belp (BRN), which is located 4 miles from the city centre.

Train

SBB is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Bern to Zurich takes 1h 00m and costs around $114 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Rome, expect to pay about $338 for a 7h 05m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city centre, Bern is the busiest station in Bern. Another popular train station is Bern Bümpliz Süd, located 2 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bern is to pick up a car hire from Zurich, which is about 59 miles from Bern. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Explore Vacations AG, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and STUDENT AGENCY. From Lyon, the bus ride to Bern takes 285 miles and will cost you around $100. From Munich, the ticket costs about $112 for a journey of 345 miles. The most popular bus station is Bern Car-Terminal Neufeld, located 1.1 miles from the city centre of Bern. Bern Schützenmatt P+R is also a commonly used station, and is 0.2 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Bern

Airlines serving Bern

Lufthansa
Good (7,072 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,344 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,890 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,947 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,595 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,800 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,732 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,451 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (790 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,731 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,230 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,571 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,339 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,361 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,071 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (351 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,279 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,867 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,206 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (974 reviews)
Show more

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 $301 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $786 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Ibis Bern Expo and Hotel National Bern.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bern

Most booked hotels in Bern

Stay Kooook Bern City
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$321+
Best Western Plus Hotel Bern
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$359+
Swissôtel Kursaal Bern
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$348+
Novotel Bern Expo
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$342+
Ibis Budget Bern Expo
1 star
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
$244+

Hiring a car in Bern

Expect to pay $3.59 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 $43.03 and $57.37. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Class Compact SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard car hire (Volkswagen Vento or similar) is, on average, 45% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.59 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 $43.03 and $57.37. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Class Compact SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard car hire (Volkswagen Vento or similar) is, on average, 45% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Bern Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Bern city guide for the best Bern travel tips. To help you organise your Bern trip ideas, this Bern visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.