Bern Ticket

The Bern Ticket is the single best perk most visitors don't know about: if you stay overnight in a Bern hotel or accommodation, you get free public transport for the whole stay, handed to you at check-in. Bern is compact and walkable, but the ticket makes it effortless to hop between viewpoints, neighbourhoods and river spots without thinking twice—and it even covers the two funiculars. This page explains exactly what it includes, plus the regular Libero fares (in CHF) if you're not staying overnight.

The free Bern Ticket (for hotel guests)

An overnight stay in a Bern hotel or accommodation gives every guest aged 6 and over a free Bern Ticket, issued at check-in. It covers free travel on buses, trams and S-Bahn within Libero zones 100/101—which is essentially the whole city and its near surroundings—and, usefully, the Gurten and Marzili funiculars and the lift up to the Bern Minster platform. It's valid from 00:00 on the first day of your stay until 05:00 the day after you check out, so it works on both your arrival and departure days.

• Who: overnight guests aged 6+ in participating accommodation
• What it covers: bus, tram, S-Bahn in zones 100/101; Gurten & Marzili funiculars; Minster-platform lift
• Validity: 00:00 day one of stay → 05:00 day after departure
• How to get it: ask at check-in

Best strategy: walk the Old Town (the arcades are the whole point), and ride for everything farther out—the Gurten house-mountain, the Marzili lido, the Zentrum Paul Klee and outlying neighbourhoods.

If you're not an overnight guest: Libero fares

Central Bern sits in Libero zones 100/101, and one ticket covers bus, tram and S-Bahn within the zones you pay for. These are the 2026 fares (the Libero/Bernmobil tariff re-tiers each December, so it's worth confirming the day you travel):

• Single ticket (1–2 zones, 60 min): CHF 5.20 (CHF 3.00 half-fare)
• Short-hop "Kurzstrecke" (30 min): CHF 3.00
• City day pass (Tageskarte, zones 100/101, 2nd class): CHF 10.40 (CHF 6.00 half-fare and under-16s); 1st class CHF 18.00
• Children under 6: travel free nationwide

The day pass is valid until 05:00 the next morning, so if you'll take more than two rides it usually beats singles. Buy via the SBB Mobile or Libero app, at machines, or at kiosks.

A simple "Bern Ticket" day

Use the ticket to connect the parts of Bern that are slightly farther apart, while keeping the walkable Old Town core as the main experience.

• Morning: Old Town arcades walking (no transport needed).
• Late morning: ride the Gurten funicular up the house-mountain—free with the Bern Ticket.
• Afternoon: hop to the Bear Park and the Rosengarten viewpoint.
• Evening: dinner back in the centre, then a quiet cellar bar.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming day trips are included. The Bern Ticket stops at zones 100/101—trips to Thun, Interlaken or the airports need separate SBB tickets.
• Waiting too long to ask. Get the ticket at check-in—it's valid from the very first day.
• Buying singles when a day pass is cheaper. Two-plus rides? The CHF 10.40 day pass usually wins.
• Riding inside the Old Town. The arcades walk is the whole point—save the ticket for the longer hops.

Frequently asked questions

Do children get the Bern Ticket too?

Guests aged 6 and over receive one. Children under 6 travel free on public transport nationwide anyway, so the whole family is covered.

Does it cover the funiculars?

Yes—both the Gurten and Marzili funiculars, plus the lift to the Minster platform, are included. That's a real saving on the Gurten (otherwise CHF 12.60 return).

What if I'm only here for the day?

Then you'll buy regular Libero tickets—a CHF 5.20 single or a CHF 10.40 city day pass via the SBB or Libero app. Honestly, Bern's centre is so compact that many day-trippers barely need transit at all.

How do I plan the rest of my trip around it?

Pair it with the first-time guide and the neighbourhoods guide to see where the ticket saves the most effort.

Plan around it