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.

Article

When to visit Bern

Bern in February
Estimated hotel price
$369
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bern in February
Estimated hotel price
$369
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. The shortest flight to Bern from New Zealand departs from Wellington and takes around 35h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by SNCF. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 17m and costs around $43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about $102 for a 2h 53m 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 Geneva, which is about 80 miles 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 Milan, the bus ride to Bern takes 220 miles and will cost you around $42. From Munich, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 230 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. The shortest flight to Bern from New Zealand departs from Wellington and takes around 35h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by SNCF. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 17m and costs around $43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about $102 for a 2h 53m 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 Geneva, which is about 80 miles 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 Milan, the bus ride to Bern takes 220 miles and will cost you around $42. From Munich, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 230 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

ZRHZurich
GVAGeneva Geneve-Cointrin

Airlines serving Bern

KLM
Good (1,477 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,872 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,825 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,357 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,289 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,906 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,157 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,555 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,500 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (903 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,546 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,725 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,733 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,853 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,179 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,374 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (396 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,430 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,182 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,232 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 $317 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 $151 to $754 per night. Mattenhof-Weissenbühl is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Bern are about 24% 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)
$247+
View
Best Western Plus Hotel Bern
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$305+
View
Bern Backpackers Hotel Glocke
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$201+
View
NH Bern The Bristol
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$304+
View
Novotel Bern Expo
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$265+
View

Hiring a car in Bern

Expect to pay $3.95 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 $47.30 and $63.06. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Class Compact Van or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Renault Arkana or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.95 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 $47.30 and $63.06. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Class Compact Van or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Renault Arkana or similar) is, on average, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Bern