City Emergency at PostParc

4a Schanzenstrasse, Bern
Opening hours:
daily 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
phone +41 31 326 20 00 (walk-ins welcome)

Medical centre at the main station

10 Parkterrasse, Bern
Opening hours:
Mon–Fri 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.,
Sat–Sun 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
phone +41 31 335 50 00 (walk-ins welcome)

There are numerous pharmacies in the city, two of which are located inside the main station. Here are the locations of all Bernese pharmacies.

Lost Property Office
Theatergässchen 2
3011 Bern

SBB Lost and Found Service
For items that were left behind or forgotten in the train or at the train station. Inside Bern’s main station.

Bernmobil Lost and Found
For items that were left behind or forgotten in the bus or streetcar. Fill out an online form or call +41 31 321 88 44.

Stores in Bern generally have the following opening hours:

Some shops may have differing opening hours. Some shops in the lower part of the Old Town, from Zytglogge (Clock Tower) downward, don’t open until 10:00 a.m. If there’s a specific shop you’d like to visit, we recommend checking the opening hours beforehand.

The following days are official public holidays in Bern:

• 1 January, New Year’s Day
• 2 January, St. Berchtold
• Good Friday
• Easter including Easter Monday
• Ascension Day
• Whit Monday
• 1 August, National Holiday
• 25 December, Christmas Day
• 26 December, St. Stephen / Boxing Day

In Bern’s main station, there are over 80 shops, open 365 days a year. On weekdays, most of them are open until 9:00 p.m., on weekends and public holidays, until 8:00 p.m.

You can exchange your currency at any bank or post office or at the SBB counters at the main station. 

You have the possibility to deposit your baggage in the lockers at Bern’s main station. Prices vary depending on how big the locker you choose is and how long you occupy it.

If your luggage is too valuable or doesn’t fit in the lockers, you can also deposit it at the SBB Travel Centre. Attention: the luggage can only be brought and picked up within the opening hours. Cost is 12 Swiss francs per day and piece.

Various restaurants, bars and hotels let you use their bathrooms for free. See where they are here (in German). There are toilets and showers at Bern’s main station that can be used for a fee.

Many hotels, restaurants and stores have free Wi-Fi. Bern’s main station also offers free internet to travellers: simply connect to the network “SBB-Free” and enjoy one hour of free surfing.

SIM cards are sold at the shops of the telecom providers, at post offices, supermarkets (Migros and Coop) and kiosks (k kiosk)

You can find them at Copy Quick inside Bern’s main station.

The voltage in Switzerland is 230V/50 Hz. Switzerland uses type C (Europlug, 2-pin) and type J (3-pin) plugs. Attention: the type F plug (“Schuko plug”), which is widely used in Europe, can not be used without an adapter.

The water from the tap is perfectly clean drinking water which complies with the purity specifications for mineral water. The same goes for the water of Bern’s fountains, unless there’s a sign that says “kein Trinkwasser” (“no drinking water”).

The minimum required age for buying wine and beer is 16, 18 for hard liquor.
There’s no national regulation regarding tobacco. In the canton of Bern, the minimum required age for purchasing tobacco is 18.