Getting to Bern for the football

There are no direct UK flights to Bern, so fly to Zurich (direct from Manchester and London) and take a direct SBB train to Bern Hbf in about 1h10 (Trainline). From the station, tram 9 or the S-Bahn reach Stadion Wankdorf in 5 to 10 minutes. Away fans sit in the north-west corner, sections B12 to B15 (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

There are no direct UK flights to Bern, so you fly to the nearest well-connected hub and finish by train. Zurich gives the quickest onward leg, a direct SBB train to Bern Hbf in about 1h10 (Trainline). Basel (EuroAirport) is usually the cheapest flight from both Manchester and London on easyJet, with a bus into Basel SBB then a short train on to Bern (FlightsFrom, Trainline). Geneva works from London but has the longest onward train at around 2h (Trainline). Costs are estimates and move with the fixture and how early you book.

Getting into Bern: airports and the main station

Most fans fly into Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA), both with direct SBB trains to Bern main station, Bern Hbf (Rome2Rio). Zurich Airport to Bern Hbf is a direct SBB train, roughly 1h09 to 1h17, with about 32 direct trains a day (Trainline). Geneva Airport to Bern Hbf is also direct on SBB, fastest around 2h11 and averaging about 2h29, with around 31 direct trains a day (Trainline). Basel (BSL) is a further option, with easyJet and others flying direct from the UK, though the Zurich link is faster into Bern (Skyscanner).

If you do fly into Bern Airport (Belp), take AirportBus line 334 to Belp railway station (a few francs, every 30 minutes, tickets from the driver or a machine), then the S-Bahn S3/S4/S31/S44 into Bern Hbf. The whole trip is about 30 to 40 minutes (Traveling.com).

Bern Hbf is the hub for everything. It sits at the edge of the UNESCO old town, and tram 9 and the S-Bahn to the stadium both depart from there (Football Ground Guide).

From the station out to Stadion Wankdorf

The simplest route is tram 9 from outside Bern Hbf, direction Wankdorf, to the Wankdorf stop. That takes about 10 minutes, then a short walk to the ground (Football Ground Guide). Faster still is the S-Bahn. Bern Wankdorf station is right by the stadium and only about 5 minutes from Bern Hbf on lines S1, S2, S3, S31 and S44, with a train every 5 to 10 minutes (Libero Guide). If the tram is packed, RBS line 40 also runs to Wankdorf Center (Football Ground Guide).

Parking at the ground is severely limited, so use public transport rather than driving (Football Tripper).

Inside the stadium and away allocation

Away fans are housed in the north-west corner, sections B12/B14 in the lower tier and B13/B15 in the corner above, which has a good view of the pitch (Football Ground Guide). For European fixtures the section can be extended across both tiers depending on how many away fans travel, so allocation varies by game (Football Ground Guide). Beer and food are served inside the ground, and payment is usually cashless (Football Ground Guide).

Getting around and paying for transport

Your match ticket doubles as your public transport ticket for local and city travel on matchday, so keep it handy for the tram and S-Bahn (Football Ground Guide). If you are staying overnight, your hotel gives every guest aged 6 and over a free Bern-Ticket covering trams, buses and S-Bahn in zones 100/101 for the whole stay, including arrival and departure days (Love Bern).

Without either of those, a single Bernmobil ticket is CHF 5.20 (1–2 zones, 60 minutes), a short-hop ticket is CHF 3.00, and a day pass is CHF 10.40 in zones 100/101 (Love Bern). Tram 9 runs on the Bernmobil network between Wabern and Wankdorf Bahnhof via the main station, every few minutes (Bernmobil).

Where to stay

The closest and most affordable hotel to the ground is the Ibis Bern Expo, by the stadium area (Football Tripper). Most visiting fans base themselves in or near the old town around Bern Hbf, since the station links directly to the stadium in 5 to 10 minutes and the Bern-Ticket makes all city transport free while you stay (Bern.com). Staying overnight in officially recognised Bern accommodation is what triggers the free Bern-Ticket, so book inside the city rather than out of town (Love Bern).

Where to drink

Beer in a Bern pub or restaurant runs roughly CHF 6 to CHF 9 a glass, with imported pints at the top of that range (Rappn, Expatistan).

• The Old City Irish Pub, old town: the standout for football, two floors, a range of draught beers, live sport and a good atmosphere (Old City).
• Piazza-Bar, Hirschengraben by the main station: a handy meeting point for a pre-match beer while you wait for the tram or train (Bern.com).
• Au Trappiste, old town: a craft-beer café with over 100 beers if you want variety rather than lager (Bern.com).
• Marta, Kramgasse: a relaxed old-town bar stocking British and local beers (Bern.com).
• Restaurant Eleven, by the ground: on the west side of the stadium with a terrace, plus a McDonald's and a couple of bars in the immediate area (Football Ground Guide).

Bern is relaxed and there is no fixture-specific area to avoid, but keep colours sensible around unfamiliar locals and mind your valuables on a packed tram 9 (Tour Switzerland).

Where to eat

The local dishes are rösti (grated fried potato, often topped with speck and a fried egg), fondue and raclette, and the celebratory Berner Platte, a large plate of preserved and boiled meats (Bern.com).

• Restaurant Harmonie, old town: a wood-panelled family place serving fondue and rösti to locals for over 100 years (Bern.com).
• Restaurant Della Casa, heart of the old town: a Bernese institution for traditional cooking in a historic building (Bern.com).
• Lötschberg, old town: fondues, röstis and raclettes, plus a Bernese brunch (Bern.com).
• Kornhauskeller, old town: a grand vaulted cellar for raclette, fondue and cheese Spätzli (Bern.com).
• Quick and cheap: for a fast bite near the station or ground there are the usual chains, including a McDonald's by the stadium, plus bakeries around Bern Hbf for a sausage or a sandwich before the tram (Football Ground Guide).

What to do

Bern's medieval sandstone old town sits in a loop of the River Aare and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, so a day or two around the match is well spent (Wikipedia).

• Zytglogge: the 16th-century astronomical clock tower whose figures move on the hour (Bern.com).
• Bear Park (BärenPark): Bern's namesake bears roam a riverside enclosure in the centre of the city (Bern.com).
• Rosengarten: a hillside rose garden with the best view over the old town and, on a clear day, the Bernese Alps (Bern.com).
• Einstein House, Kramgasse 49: the flat where Einstein lived while working on his 1905 papers (Bern.com).
• Federal Palace (Bundeshaus): the seat of the Swiss government, with a large square and fountains out front (Bern.com).
• The River Aare: locals swim and float the turquoise river in warmer months, and the riverside paths are a fine walk year-round (Wikipedia).
• The arcades and old town: several kilometres of covered arcades and cellar shops, near the site of the old ground that hosted the 1954 World Cup final (Wikipedia).

Common questions

How do I get from the airport to the stadium?

Fly to Zurich, take the direct SBB train to Bern Hbf in about 1h10, then tram 9 or the S-Bahn out to Wankdorf in 5 to 10 minutes (Trainline, Football Ground Guide). From Geneva the train is longer at around 2h11 direct (Trainline).

Which airport should I fly to for Young Boys?

Bern's own airport at Belp has almost no scheduled UK flights, so fly to Zurich (ZRH), the nearest well-connected hub, which is direct from Manchester and London and has a direct SBB train to Bern Hbf in about 1h10 (Traveling.com, FlightsFrom). Geneva and Basel also have UK flights but slower onward trains.

Where do away fans sit at Stadion Wankdorf?

In the north-west corner of the stadium, sections B12/B14 in the lower tier and B13/B15 in the corner above, which has a good view of the pitch (Football Ground Guide).

What is the away allocation?

It varies by fixture. The away corner can be extended across both tiers depending on how many away fans travel, so European ties with big away followings get more of the north-west corner (Football Ground Guide). The stadium holds 32,000 in total (Wikipedia).

What time should I arrive at the ground?

Give yourself 45 to 60 minutes before kick-off. The S-Bahn from Bern Hbf takes about 5 minutes and tram 9 about 10, but both fill up on matchday, so allow for queues at the turnstiles and the cashless bars inside (Libero Guide, Football Ground Guide).

Can I drink inside the stadium?

Yes. Beer and food are served inside Stadion Wankdorf, and payment is usually cashless, so have a card ready (Football Ground Guide).

How much is a beer?

A beer in a Bern pub or restaurant is roughly CHF 6 to CHF 9 a glass, with imported pints such as Guinness at the top of that range (Rappn, Expatistan). Switzerland is expensive, so this is dearer than most European away days.

Is Bern safe for away fans?

Yes. Switzerland is one of the safest countries for tourists, with very low violent crime. The main risk is pickpocketing at crowded sites, stations and on busy trams, so mind your valuables on a packed tram 9 (Tour Switzerland). Emergency numbers are 112 general, 117 police, 144 ambulance and 118 fire (City of Bern).

Which areas are good for away fans?

The old town around Bern Hbf is where most fans base themselves, with The Old City Irish Pub for football and the Piazza-Bar at Hirschengraben as a station-side meeting point (Old City, Bern.com). By the ground, Restaurant Eleven has a terrace (Football Ground Guide).

Does my match ticket cover transport?

Yes. Your match ticket doubles as your local and city travel ticket on matchday (Football Ground Guide). If you stay overnight in the city, your hotel also provides a free Bern-Ticket for zones 100/101 for the whole stay (Bern.com). A single Bernmobil ticket otherwise is CHF 5.20 (Love Bern).

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

Not far. Bern Wankdorf is about 5 minutes from Bern Hbf on the S-Bahn, and tram 9 takes about 10 minutes, so the ground is an easy hop from the old town rather than an out-of-town trek (Libero Guide, Football Ground Guide).

Where should I stay?

The Ibis Bern Expo is the closest budget option to the ground (Football Tripper). For most fans the old town around Bern Hbf is better value in practice, because the station reaches the stadium in 5 to 10 minutes and an overnight stay unlocks a free Bern-Ticket for all city transport (Love Bern).

What's the local dish to try?

Rösti, a pan of grated fried potato often topped with speck and a fried egg, is the everyday classic. For something bigger, Berner Platte is a plate of preserved and boiled meats, and fondue or raclette are the cheese staples (Bern.com).