Getting around Bern

Public transport

Bern's city centre is compact, and sightseeing tourists are likely to move around on foot most of the time. The public transport network in the city is excellent, however, providing convenient and frequent services.

Bernmobil (tel: +41 31 321 8844; www.bernmobil.ch) runs the city's tram, bus and trolley lines. In addition, Moonliner (tel: +41 31 321 8812; www.moonliner.ch) provides a night bus service, operating 24 lines from the station square on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

If you're staying overnight in Bern, you'll receive a Bern Ticket from your hotel. This allows free travel on public transport in zones 100/101, which covers the city centre. It also includes the Gurten funicular, Marzilibahn funicular and the lift to the Minster terrace, as well as travel to and from Bern Airport.

Taxis

Taxi companies include Bären-Taxi (tel: +41 31 371 1111; www.baerentaxi.ch) and Nova-Taxi (tel: +41 31 331 3313; www.novataxi.ch). BETAX (tel: +41 800 903 090; www.betax.ch) provides transport services for disabled people. Public taxi ranks are on Casinoplatz, Waisenhausplatz and at the railway station.

Driving

It's easy to explore Bern without a car. If you are driving however, you can check live availability of car park spaces online (www.parking-bern.ch). The website also lists current parking rates; it's cheaper to park at night and on Sundays.

Car hire

Car hire is offered by Avis (tel: +41 848 81 18 18; www.avis.ch), Europcar (tel: +41 848 8080 99; www.europcar.ch), Hertz (tel: +41 31 310 1550; www.hertz.ch) and Sixt (tel: +41 848 884 444; www.sixt.ch). The minimum age for hiring a car is 19, but this varies according to the vehicle model and car hire company and there is sometimes a surcharge for drivers under 25.

Bicycle hire

PubliBike (tel: +41 58 453 5050; www.publibike.ch/en/) is a bicycle and e-bike hire service with over 70 stations all around town, All you need to do is download the app and search for stations and available bikes. You can also hire bicycles at the railway station and at Bern-Eymatt – TCS Camping, Wohlenstrasse 62C (tel: +41 31 901 1007; www.rentabike.ch). Bikes are also available at the Ski Velo Center, Hirschengraben 7 (tel: +41 31 312 0031; www.ski-velo-center.ch).

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Featured Hotels

Nydeck

This friendly 2-star bed and breakfast hotel boasts a central yet quiet location at the heart of old Bern, near the BearPark, the river and the clock tower. The 12 simple rooms are basic but comfortable. There is also a popular café bar and summer pavement terrace.

Hotel National Bern

Hotel National Bern is a family-run hotel built in 1908 and continues to offer bags of character, from its exposed room beams to its original fin-de-siècle lift. The location’s good too, with the central train station just five minutes away. There’s a free welcome drink and 10% discount voucher for the restaurant for all weekday guests.

Hotel Continental

The Continental is an Oslo institution that has been run by the same family for four generations and is more than a century old. Situated in the heart of Oslo, next to the National Theatre, the hotel is known both for outstanding service and restaurants as well as its links with the Oslo arts scene.

Unique Hotel Innere Enge Bern

Located in a park overlooking central Bern, this luxury hotel oozes personality and style. Home to one of the country's best jazz clubs, Marians Jazzroom, it also has two excellent restaurants. All 26 rooms are individually decorated (some with a jazz theme) and each has Wi-Fi access. The hotel also has conference rooms.

Hotel Schweizerhof

Boasting more than 150 years of history – not to mention a guest book that features the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly – the high-end Hotel Schweizerhof remains one of Bern's go-to luxury properties. It benefited from a two-year renovation in 2009. As well as some great restaurants and bars, it also has a spa, cigar lounge and conference rooms.

Best Western Hotelbern

A solid bet for a mid-range stay, with an Old Town location five minutes' walk from the train station. Its impressive art nouveau exterior hides a more modern interior, and there's a good restaurant on site – the Volkshaus 1914. The property sits adjacent to the medieval Zytglogge Tower.

Introducing Bern

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