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 32h 25m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 02m and costs around $44 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $78 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 Mulhouse, the bus ride to Bern takes 225 km and will cost you around $25. From Stuttgart, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 314 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 25m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 02m and costs around $44 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milan, expect to pay about $78 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 Mulhouse, the bus ride to Bern takes 225 km and will cost you around $25. From Stuttgart, the ticket costs about $30 for a journey of 314 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

Airlines serving Bern

KLM
Good (1,411 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,572 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,012 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,522 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,044 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,785 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,017 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,016 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,663 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,412 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,487 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (869 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,450 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,296 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,577 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,060 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,134 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,401 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (894 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 $752 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Bern

Most booked hotels in Bern

Stay Kooook Bern City - Online Check In
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$274+
Novotel Bern Expo
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$283+
Ibis Budget Bern Expo
1 star
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$207+

Hiring a car in Bern

Expect to pay $3.68 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 $44.08 and $58.77. 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 $3.68 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 $44.08 and $58.77. 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.