Bern Transportation

If you would like to travel around Bern on the local transport, you can purchase a special ticket at the Tourist Information Centre for about CHF10. This would allow you to travel on any type of transport which also include special discounts to certain tourist attractions.

However, if you only intend to walk within the Town itself, then you will not need this ticket. Just purchase a map from the office for CHF1 and you will be able to explore the town on foot, which I think is more enjoyable and allow yourself time to enjoy the scenery as you go along.

The full price return ticket between Bern and Zürich costs 83 CHF. Where as the full price one way ticket is 41.5 CHF. The journey takes about 1 hour 13 mins. There are direct train connections available as well.

A few full price return journey train fares from Bern are following:

1. To Geneva: (2h 06min) 101/- CHF
2. To Schaffhausen: (2h 34min) 116/- CHF
3. To Lugano: (4h 02min) 160/- CHF
4. To Basel: (1h 06min) 67/- CHF

The best way to get to Bern is by train. The railway station (Bahnhof) has excellent connections to and from all major cities in Switzerland and is the gateway to Berner Oberland and Wallis. Parking space in Bern is scarce and expensive so it's best to leave the car behind.
Bern is a walking city. Get a map from the tourist office (located in the railway station)(ask for a walking guide map) and go for a walk. If you are not much of a walker, the trams and buses will take you everywhere - all of them start around the railway station and the tourist office can provide you with the necessary information. Renting a bicycle is a fun way to see the city but only recommendable at summertime.

It's summer! Well, not quite, but summer is coming I have been told....do your bit and keep the air in Bern from getting too mucky this summer - rent a bike.
In Bern and in Thun from the first week of May until the end of October, the BernRollt! team is again at work, making us as mobile as we want to be, with city bikes, electro bikes (great for the not so fit at heart), skate boards, kick boards, trottinets and the rather deadly mini scooters. All you have to do to get transport is:
In Bern, you will find the Bern Rollt team by the railway station on Bahnhofplatz or on the Kornhausplatz. In Thun, on the Aarefeldstrasse by the railway station. This service is now also available in Zürich (Velogate Hauptbahnhof (Gleis 18), Opernhaus, Globus, Bahnhof Enge,
Bahnhof Hardbrücke, Bahnhof Altstetten) and in Geneva (17 Place Montbrillant (derrière la gare Bains des Pâquis
Plaine de plainpalais, à côté du skatepark
Place du Rhône).

How it works:

Bring an ID/Passport, pay a Sfr.20.- deposit - there is no additional hire charge - and away you go from 07.30 in the morning until 21.30 at night. The electric bikes can only be hired for 4 hours. You have to return the bike/board on the same day as you have hired it but you can always go back the next day and perhaps try something else.

Help give Bern back some clean air!

If you are travelling from London it may be worth flying from London city airport as it is closer to central London and the flights are often cheaper than from Heathrow or Gatwick. You can get to London City Airport on the specially designated bus that leaves form Liverpool Street station or Canary Wharf.

The Bern public transport system is very good. From just about everywhere on any bus or tram to just about anywhere on any bus or tram costs CHF 1.70 (EUR 1.20). Buy your ticket before getting on the bus or tram, at the red machines beside the stop. If you are caught without a ticket, you will have to pay an immediate CHF 60 fine! There are bus & tram maps everywhere, and all lines can be boarded near the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station). Each line runs every 6 minutes at peak, every 10, 15 or 20 at other times.

If you want to go out of town, it can be helpful to hire a car, but public transport is very well.
There are excellent connections with the train to all the other Swiss cities.
In the city you feel better without car, because there are few possibilities to park the car, and the parkings are expensive.
The easiest way in the town is with buses or tramways.

There are very few parking places. Almost everywhere you will have to pay money for leaving the car.
Of course you can find parkhouses in the centre, but it could be better for your nerves if you leave your car at a parking for example if you come on the highway you take the exit 'Neufeld'. From there you will have a bus directly to the station, which is a good starting point for making a sightseeing tour.
Another possibility is to take the exit 'Wankdorf' and put your car to a huge parking there and go to the centre by tram.