Travel planning

Bern is situated in the heart of Europe and at the center of Switzerland. Whether by train, car or plane, Bern is easy to reach from anywhere.

Bern Tourism

Tourist Information at the main station
Bahnhofplatz 10a
CH-3011 Bern
Tel. +41 (0)31 328 12 12
Fax +41 (0)31 328 12 77

Opening hours Tourist Information at the main station
Monday - Saturday	09h00 - 19h00
Sunday and generally feasts	09h00 - 18h00

Opening hours Call Center
Monday - Friday	08h00 - 18h00
Saturday	10h00 - 16h00
Sunday and generally feasts	10h00 - 12h00

Opening hours Tourist Information at the BearPark
01.06. - 30.09.		Monday - Sunday		09h00 - 18h00
01.03. - 31.05. / 01.10. - 31.10.		Monday - Sunday		10h00 - 16h00
01.11. - 28.02.		Friday - Sunday		11h00 - 16h00

Tourism Emmental

Bahnhofstrasse 44
3401 Burgdorf
Tel: +41 (0)34 402 42 52
www.emmental.ch

Oberaargau Tourism

Marktgasse 13
4900 Langenthal
Tel. +41 (0)62 919 19 00
www.myoberaargau.com

Tourism Region Laupen

p.A. Gemeindeverwaltung
Postfach 63
3177 Laupen
Tel.  +41 (0)31 990 60 60
www.regionlaupen.ch

Naturepark Gantrisch

Schlossgasse 13
3150 Schwarzenburg
Tel. + 41 (0)31 808 00 20
www.gantrisch.ch

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History

In 1191, the year in which the city of Bern was founded, Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen commanded nobleman Cuno von Bubenberg to build a city on a peninsula covered by an oak forest. Von Bubenberg felled the forest and used the resulting timber to erect houses. Von Bubenberg had the forest cut down and houses built from the wood. The Clock Tower formed the city gate.

The bear featured on the present city coat of arms first appeared in 1224. According to legend, the city was named after the first animal killed by the Duke while hunting during the construction of the city.

In the 13th century, Bern was expanded towards the west, and the Prison Tower formed the new main gate In the 14th century, the third and final expansion phase of the city took place up to the present main railway station. In 1353 Bern became the eighth member of the “Confederation” and was regarded in the late Middle Ages as the biggest and most powerful city-state north of the Alps.