Bern for Newcomers: The First Weeks in the Federal City
Bern Guide
Arriving in Bern, Between the Aare and the Arcades
The first few weeks
Bern is Switzerland's federal city: it is home to the Federal Council, Parliament and the federal administration, as well as the cantonal and city administrations. Around 140,000 people live in the city, and the largest group of foreign residents comes from Germany. The Old Town with its arcades, the Zytglogge clock tower and the Bundesplatz has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983; below it flows the Aare, the BärenPark lies by the Bärengraben, and the Rosengarten rises above. The official language is German, and you can get most places by tram, bus, S-Bahn or bike.
Professionally, the federal administration shapes the city; Swiss Post, SBB and BLS have their headquarters in Bern, alongside healthcare and social services and companies such as CSL Behring. The University of Bern, founded in 1834, and several departments of the Bern University of Applied Sciences attract students. We are not a Bern company but come from Berlin; the route and customs are described on the page Moving Berlin – Bern.
Request a Move to Bern
Survey, fixed price, fixed delivery day
For the journey from Berlin to Bern, we give you a fixed price after a survey: volume, floor, carrying distances and the route of around 960 km are all factored in, and your belongings are covered under the HGB. Whether it is a studio in Länggasse or a family flat in Bümpliz – call us on 01625978461 or read more about our home removal service.
Quotes available individually based on workload, scheduling and the desired scope of services.
What We Take On – and What You Handle Yourself in Bern
Transport from Berlin, paperwork on your side
We have no branch in Switzerland; instead we drive by lorry from Berlin-Moabit. We clarify access, floor and stairwell in advance – in an Old Town lane just as for a residential block in Bethlehem. For your belongings we accept liability under the German Commercial Code (HGB, § 451e: €620 per m³), and additional insurance is available. You handle registration, health insurance and the parking permit yourself; who takes care of the customs declaration is set out in the quote. Further destinations can be found under Locations.
Packing Service
Storage
Senior Move
Furniture Transport
Six Things Newcomers to Bern Should Do First
What needs doing after moving into Bern, in a sensible order – from registering with the residents' services to bulky waste. Please check deadlines and fees on the City of Bern's website before your appointment.
Register within 14 days
Choose a health insurer
Documents for the Flat
Trams, Buses and S-Bahn
Apply for a parking card
Boxes and Bulky Waste
Just One Room to Bern? Shared Load
With a shared load, your belongings share the load space with other consignments heading for Switzerland. That suits a studio in Breitenrain or a room near the university in Länggasse. You need some flexibility on the delivery day; when you enquire, we will tell you whether a trip to Bern is currently planned.
What
Newcomers to Bern Should Know
After moving into Bern, the first two weeks count: registration with the residents' services, followed by health insurance, a bank account and, if needed, the parking card. If you bring your car, you need Swiss number plates after one year at the latest. For transport from Germany, take a look at our long-distance moves; what to watch out for at the border is covered in the guide further down. You can dispose of boxes and bulky waste through the city's services.
Choosing a neighbourhood
Moving Day in the Old Town
Businesses and special cases
Frequently Asked Questions from Newcomers to Bern
Six Districts – Where Newcomers Live in Bern
Bern is divided into six districts with 32 statistical sub-districts. At the core is the Innere Stadt with the Old Town. To the north-west lies Länggasse-Felsenau, home to the university and many students; to the north follows Breitenrain-Lorraine. In the east and south-east lies Kirchenfeld-Schosshalde, and in the south and south-west Mattenhof-Weissenbühl, close to the station.
Only Bümpliz-Oberbottigen, with Bethlehem, Bümpliz, Oberbottigen and Stöckacker, lies further west. Which district suits you depends on your commute, school and budget – take a look at the surroundings before you commit.
Flat Hunting, Work and Study in Bern
We deliberately do not quote specific rents here, because they depend heavily on location, condition and size. Search the large property portals and contact letting agencies directly, keep your CV, proof of income and debt enforcement extract ready, and respond quickly to listings. Allow enough time for the search and stay flexible about the district.
Professionally, the federal administration shapes the city, along with Swiss Post, SBB and BLS with their headquarters, the healthcare sector and companies such as CSL Behring; Toblerone is produced in Bern-Brünnen. The University of Bern is one of the largest universities in Switzerland. We schedule the moving date to fit the flat handover.
How Much Does a Move to Bern Cost?
The exact moving costs depend on many factors, but as a guide: one-room flats from €375, two-room flats from €579, three-room flats from €905 and four-room flats from €1,299. We calculate larger properties such as houses or villas individually. Where distance has to be taken into account, we charge long-distance moves from €3.90/km. A survey of your home before the move provides clarity.
What the price depends on
Besides the volume of your belongings, the distance between the two homes plays a major role – here we calculate €3.90/km. The floor, lift and a possible parking restriction zone also feed into the price. Additional services such as furniture assembly or a shared load round off the offer.
Services for the move to Switzerland
We offer you tailor-made solutions for every moving situation.
- House clearance (House clearance): We create space wherever it is needed.
- Home removal (Home removal): For a stress-free change of home.
- Company relocation (Company relocation): Professional for your business.
- Move with assembly (Move with assembly): A complete service including assembly.
- Furniture transport (Furniture transport): Safe and fast.
- Shared load (Shared load): The cost-effective alternative.
From Berlin to Bern – and Back
We plan moves from Berlin-Moabit (Stromstraße 21). It is around 960 km by road to Bern, about 14.5 hours by lorry including breaks. Places with their own page can be found in the locations overview, long routes under long-distance moves.
Registering in Bern: Residents' Services, eUmzugCH and Supporting Documents
Registration in Bern works differently depending on where you come from. If a Swiss citizen moves in from another Swiss municipality, the city requires notification within 14 days via the eUmzugCH portal. If the parents of minor children are unmarried, separated or divorced, a declaration of consent is required. If your previous municipality is not connected or you are moving from abroad, you register by phone or email.
For EU/EFTA nationals coming from abroad, there are web forms for employees and for students. Employees upload two supporting documents there: an employment contract or certificate of employment (no older than one month, including the percentage of employment, duration of employment and salary) and a clearly legible colour copy of their travel document. If documents are missing, the city charges an additional fee. Anyone moving from elsewhere in Switzerland uses eUmzugCH or a PDF form with a copy of their foreigner's ID card, travel document and the deregistration confirmation from their last municipality of residence.
- Third-country nationals coming from abroad send their registration and documents within 14 days and are then invited to the counter.
- You can reach the residents' services contact centre on 031 321 53 00, Monday to Friday from 8 to 11.30 and from 14 to 16.
- In principle, every person who lives or works in Switzerland must take out basic health insurance.
We summarise all the steps relating to the border in our guide to a long-distance move to Bern.
Everyday Life in Bern: Parking Card, Bulky Waste Collection and Disposal Centres
For the district parking card, your name and address must appear first in the vehicle registration document and you must be registered at the same address. According to the City of Bern it costs CHF 264.00 a year, or CHF 660.00 for weekly residents. It is valid for one year from the month of issue, but for at least three months; the card does not entitle you to a parking space. You apply for the first card online, and the city provides information on 031 321 52 17.
The city's bulky waste collection service costs a flat CHF 70.27 including VAT and covers the trip, up to five minutes of loading and disposal; each further five minutes costs CHF 54.05. You register online by 11.30 on the working day before collection. Collection days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. In the city centre, put the bulky waste out by 9 am, in the districts by 7 am. Small combustible bulky items up to 100 × 50 × 50 centimetres and 25 kilograms can be put out with a small bulky waste sticker on the household waste collection day.
You can deliver items yourself to the disposal centres at Fellerstrasse 13a and Wölflistrasse 17 (Schermen), both open Monday to Friday from 8 to 12 and 13 to 18.30, and on Saturdays from 8 to 15. If you are planning a removal van at the same time, you will find tips on the districts in our moving guide for Bern.
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