Gurten: Bern's local mountain and the Gurtenbahn

The Gurten lies just south of the city, in the municipality of Köniz. It is 858 metres high. For many people in Bern it is the place for a Sunday walk, a picnic or a look over the city. On a clear day you can see the city, the Jura and the Alps from the top.

How to get up

From Bern station, take tram 9 towards Wabern to the stop “Gurtenbahn”. By S-Bahn, take the S3 or S31 to Wabern. From there it is only a few steps to the valley station. The road up the Gurten is closed to private cars. There is a car park at the valley station.

On foot, the Gurtenpark says it takes 40 to 60 minutes to walk up. If you only want to walk part of the way, take the funicular to the middle station Grünenboden.

The Gurtenbahn

The funicular has run from Wabern up the Gurten since 12 September 1899. It was renewed in early 2024. Since 16 May 2024 the fourth generation of the railway has been running.

According to the Gurtenbahn it runs every 15 minutes from 7 am. Monday to Saturday the last trip goes up at 11.30 pm and down at 11.45 pm. On Sundays and public holidays the last car goes up at 8 pm and down at 8.15 pm. When it is busy, the timetable may vary.

A single trip costs CHF 7 for adults, a return CHF 12.60. Children aged 6 to 16 and people with a Halbtax (half-fare travelcard) pay CHF 3.50 and 6.30. According to the Gurtenbahn, the GA travelcard, the Bern Ticket and Libero monthly and annual passes for zones 100/101 are also valid, but Libero day tickets are not.

What there is at the top

The facilities in the park on the summit belong to Migros. On the circular path you pass a play meadow, a children's playground, barbecue places and a lookout tower. According to BLS, the circular path is about 3.2 kilometres long and takes an hour. In summer the Gurtenfestival takes place at the top.

A tip for winter

If the city is in fog, check a webcam before you set off: sometimes it is sunny on the Gurten while Bern is grey. Barbecue places in the city are in Grillstelle Bern. Other things that cost nothing in Bern are listed in What is free in Bern. More places worth seeing are in Sights in Bern.

Sources: Gurtenbahn, history of the Gurtenbahn and getting there (gurtenpark.ch, in German); BLS, outing “Gurten wandern”; Wikipedia, articles Gurten (Berg) and Gurtenbahn. Read on 10 November 2026. Timetables and fares change; the Gurtenbahn's own page always applies.