Bern apartments & rentals: how to choose
Renting a flat in Bern is genuinely straightforward — Switzerland has no national short-term rental licence, and the City of Bern has not imposed the night caps or registration numbers that Paris, Montreal or Lisbon require. The rules that do exist sit at cantonal level and land on the host rather than on you. What actually decides your stay here is the building and the hill, not the paperwork.
The rules here are light — and they land on the host
Two cantonal laws matter, and neither restricts you as a guest. The Canton of Bern’s hospitality act (Gastgewerbegesetz, GGG) expressly lists private rooms, holiday flats and holiday houses among the categories NOT subject to the act, so no operating licence is required to let one. The Tourism Development Act (Tourismusentwicklungsgesetz, TEG) then makes paid accommodation of up to three months subject to the cantonal accommodation levy — explicitly including holiday flats, holiday houses and private rooms — and places the duty to collect and remit it on the host, not the guest. In the City of Bern the municipal overnight tax funds the Bern Ticket, which is why a properly registered host can give you free city transport and an unregistered one cannot. There is no night cap and no listing-number requirement to check. Rules can change; confirm the current text before you rely on it.
Rules change — confirm the current requirements: Canton of Bern — Tourism Development Act (TEG, BSG 935.211), accommodation levy.
Who a rental suits
A rental makes most sense for families and groups, for anyone staying four nights or more, and for travellers using Bern as a rail base who want to cook after a long day out to Interlaken or Thun. For a two-night Old Town stay, a hotel is usually simpler and better located — the arcaded core is mostly hotels, and apartment supply sits in the ring outside it.
Verify before you book
- Whether the host is registered to issue the Bern Ticket. If they are not, budget CHF 10.40 per person per day for a Libero day card in zones 100/101 — it is the single biggest practical difference between listings here.
- Where the flat actually sits relative to the Aare loop. Bern is built on a terrace above the river; a listing 400 metres away on the map can mean a steep climb back up from the Matte or Marzili.
- The floor and whether there is a lift — Old Town and Lorraine buildings are frequently walk-ups, and heritage protection means that is unlikely to change.
- Whether the overnight tax is included in the quoted total or collected on arrival, so the final figure does not surprise you.
- Tram and market noise on Marktgasse, Kramgasse and Gerechtigkeitsgasse; the Saturday morning market on Bundesplatz and the Old Town lanes starts early.
- Heating and ventilation. Swiss flats are well insulated for winter but air conditioning is uncommon, and a top-floor Old Town flat in a July heatwave is a real consideration.
Where to look for rentals
Länggasse, Lorraine and Breitenrain carry most of Bern’s apartment supply — ordinary residential buildings, honest prices, and a 10–20 minute walk or one tram ride into the Old Town. Kirchenfeld has larger, quieter flats suited to families, right beside the museum cluster. Inside the Old Town itself, listings are scarce and premium-priced; the Matte has a few characterful river-level flats that trade convenience for atmosphere and a climb.
Check live rentals & availability
Browse current Bern rentals on Vrbo — and ask the host whether they issue the Bern Ticket.
Check Bern rentals on Vrbo →Some booking links are affiliate links — if you book through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which options we recommend.
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