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.
When to visit Bern
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bern in July, when the average temperature is 62.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 73.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 30.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 4.8″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Bern, with an average rainfall of 2.3″.
How to Get to Bern
Plane
When flying to Bern, you’ll arrive at Belp (BRN), which is located 4 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Bern from the United States departs from San Francisco and takes around 30h 40m.
Train
Deutsche Bahn is the most popular train carrier serving Bern, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Bern to Basel takes 1h 06m and costs around $25 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Zurich, expect to pay about $90 for a 1h 13m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city center, Bern is the busiest station in Bern. Another popular train station is Bern Bümpliz Süd, located 2 miles from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Bern is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 59 miles from Bern. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Zurich.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Bern, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Regiojet. From Lyon, the bus ride to Bern takes 290 miles and will cost you around $39. From Luxembourg, the ticket costs about $37 for a journey of 360 miles. The most popular bus station is Bern Car-Terminal Neufeld, located 1.1 miles from downtown Bern. Bern Schützenmatt P+R is also a commonly used station, and is 0.2 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Bern
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 $167 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $412 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Am Pavillon, Bed&Kitchen and Ibis Bern Expo.
Where to stay in popular areas of Bern
Most booked hotels in Bern
Renting a car in Bern
Renting a car in Bern costs $86 per day, on average, or $172 if you want to rent if for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 32% cheaper than airport locations in Bern.
Expect to pay $7.84 per gallon in Bern (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $94.03 and $125.37. The most frequently booked car type in Bern is Compact (Mitsubishi ASX or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Volvo C40 or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.