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 March
Estimated hotel price
$368
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bern in March
Estimated hotel price
$368
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 32h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Bern to Paris takes 4h 04m and costs around $89 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Frankfurt am Main, expect to pay about $70 for a 5h 33m 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 Europcar and Alamo, among others, in Geneva.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, ALSA and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Munich, the bus ride to Bern takes 370 km and will cost you around $69. From Milan, the ticket costs about $93 for a journey of 378 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 32h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Bern to Paris takes 4h 04m and costs around $89 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Frankfurt am Main, expect to pay about $70 for a 5h 33m 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 Europcar and Alamo, among others, in Geneva.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, ALSA and BlaBlaCar Bus. From Munich, the bus ride to Bern takes 370 km and will cost you around $69. From Milan, the ticket costs about $93 for a journey of 378 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 (1,471 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,848 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,786 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,291 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,253 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,897 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,134 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,740 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,422 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,544 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,542 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (901 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,713 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,800 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,426 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,184 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,371 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,206 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,475 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (389 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 $316 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $731 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Am Pavillon Bed & Kitchen and Hotel National Bern. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Bern, with prices from $150 to $791 per night. Mattenhof-Weissenbühl is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Bern are about 21% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bern

Most booked hotels in Bern

See all
Stay Kooook Bern City - Online Check In
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$233+
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Best Western Plus Hotel Bern
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$344+
View
Bern Backpackers Hotel Glocke
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$198+
View
NH Bern The Bristol
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$335+
View

Hiring a car in Bern

Expect to pay $3.72 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 $44.57 and $59.42. 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 Economy car hire (Opel Corsa or similar) is, on average, 47% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.72 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 $44.57 and $59.42. 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 Economy car hire (Opel Corsa or similar) is, on average, 47% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Bern