BUG - Backpackers Guide to budget travel in Bern, Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen, Switzerland

The canton of Bern is home to Bern, the Swiss capital, and also the beautiful Bernese Oberland region. The Bernese Oberland is the southern part of the canton and it is where you will find the Alps and the Jungfrau region with the famous Matterhorn and also the alpine towns of Interlaken and Grindelwald.

Berne (Bern)

Switzerland's small capital is one of the country's nicer cities. It has many important museums as well as a pleasant old town with a 15th century cathedral. Bern is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and this distinction has earned it status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. With 6km of arcades, the city is also home to some of Europe's longest covered shopping promenades.

Practical Information

Bern Tourismus

Hauptbahnhof, Hauptbahnhofplatz, Bern

Tel (031) 328 12 12

Website www.bernetourism.ch

Open Jan-May Mon-Sat 9am-6.30pm, Sun 10am-5pm; Jun-Sep 9am-8.30pm daily; Oct-Dec Mon-Sat 9am-6.30pm, Sun 10am-5pm

Coming & Going

Bern is most easily accessed by train with hourly departures to most destinations within Switzerland. Postbuses also depart from Hauptbahnhof.

Not many backpackers fly into Bern's small airport, which is 9km southeast of the city centre. A bus (SFR 14) runs between Hauptbahnhof and the airport.

Local Transport

Although the centre of Bern is compact enough to walk around, the city has a reliable bus and tram network run by Bernmobil (website www.bernmobil.ch/english/index.php). Tickets cost SFR 1.70 for a short hop or SFR 2.60 for a longer journey.

Accommodation

Bern Backpackers / Hotel Glocke

Rathausgasse 75, CH-3000 Berne
Tram 9 (stop: Zytglogge)
Tel (031) 311 37 71

Berne Youth Hostel

Weihergasse 4, 3005 Bern
Tel (031) 311 63 16

Hotel-Pension Marthahaus

Wyttenbachstrasse 22a, 3013 Bern
Bus 20 (stop: Gewerbeschule)
Tel (031) 332 41 35

Landhaus Backpackers Hostel

Altenbergstrasse 4-6, CH-3013 Bern
Bus 12 (stop: Bärengraben)
Tel (031) 331 41 66

Sights

Bärengraben (Bear Pits)

Bern's mascot is the bear, which the city?s founder, Duke Berchtold V von Zähringen, named the city after the first animal caught there. Bears appear on Bern's coat of arms and can also be seen at the Bear Pits.

Nydeggbrücke, Bern

Bus 12

Tel (031) 328 12 12

Admission free

Open summer 8am-5.30pm daily; winter 9am-4pm daily

Bernisches Historisches Museum (Bern Historical Museum)

This museum is home to some of the city's most important treasures.

Helvetiaplatz, Bern

Tel (031) 350 77 11

Website www.bhm.ch

Admission SFR 13, students SFR 8

Open 10am-7pm daily

Bundeshäuser (Parliament)

When parliament is in session you can watch preceedings from the public gallery. When it isn't in session you can take a free tour of this impressive building.

Bundesplatz, Bern

Tram 3, 5, 9

Tel (031) 322 85 22

Website www.parlament.ch

Admission free

Tours Mon-Fri 9am, 10am, 11am,2pm, 3pm & 4pm

Cathedral

Bern's 15th century cathedral dominates the old town with its 100 metre spire, the tallest in Switzerland.

Münstergasse, Bern

Tram 3, 5, 9

Tel (031) 312 04 62

Website www.bernermuenster.ch

Admission free

Open Jan-Easter Sun Mon-Fri 10am-noon & 2pm-4pm, Sat 10am-noon & 2pm-5pm, Sun 11.30am-2pm; Easter Mon-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11.30am-5pm; Nov-Dec Mon-Fri 10am-noon & 2pm-4pm, Sat 10am-noon & 2pm-5pm, Sun 11.30am-2pm

Einstein House

Some travellers want to visit the house Albert Einstein lived in from 1903 to 1905 and he where developed his theory of relativity.

Kramgasse 49, Bern

Tel (031) 312 00 91

Website www.bhm.ch

Admission SFR 4.50, students SFR 3

Open 22 Apr-31 Oct 10am-7pm daily; 1 Nov-15 Dec Tue-Fri 1pm-5pm

Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Art)

This art museum has a collection of Swiss and Italian paintings, however its main feature is the large Paul Klee collection.

Hodlerstraße 8-12, Bern

Tel (031) 328 09 44

Website www.kunstmuseumbern.ch

Admission SFR 7, students SFR 5

Open Tue 10am-9pm, Wed-Sun 10am-5pm

Swiss Alpine Museum

This museum has exhibits on mountaineering and it is a good introduction before visiting the Alps.

Helvetiaplatz 4, Bern

Tel (031) 350 04 40

Website www.alpinesmuseum.ch

Admission SFR 9, students SFR 6

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm

Interlaken & the Jungfrau Region

This beautiful alpine region is enormously popular with backpackers who come here to party and experience Switzerland's great outdors. Interlaken is the msot popular town in the region with good transport connections to the rest of Switzerland while Grindelwald is favoured by travellers who prefer something a little quieter.

Interlaken

Interlaken is located between two lakes - the Thunersee and Brienzee - and at the base of the magestic Jungfrau. This adventure sports centre is an excellent base for travellers who enjoy sking, paragliding, white water rafting, canyoning and bungy jumping.