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Access and logistics

Airports and rail journeys. Times run from Bern, the federal city, rather than the largest airport: it is the geographic centre of the network and the honest reference point for a country where the train, not the car, is the default.

Airports

AirportCodeCantonPassengersYearRole
ZürichZRHZürich32 600 0002025National gateway
Genève AéroportGVAGenève17 848 3702025National gateway
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-FreiburgBSLBasel-Stadt9 600 0002025Foreign, serving the region
Bern-BelpBRNBernnot recorded2025Regional
Lugano-AgnoLUGTicinonot recorded2025Regional
St. Gallen-AltenrheinACHSt. Gallennot recorded2025Regional
SionSIRValais / Wallisnot recorded2025Regional
Engadin Airport SamedanSMVGraubündennot recorded2025Business aviation
GrenchenZHISolothurnnot recorded2025Business aviation
Milano MalpensaMXPTicinonot recorded2025Foreign, serving the region
Milano BergamoBGYTicinonot recorded2025Foreign, serving the region
FriedrichshafenFDHSt. Gallennot recorded2025Foreign, serving the region

Basel is listed as a foreign airport serving the region, and that is not a quibble: EuroAirport sits physically in the French commune of Saint-Louis under a binational agreement. A transfer from it crosses a border, and a guest arriving there has not landed in Switzerland. Swiss airports handled roughly 60 000 000 passengers in total in 2025 per the federal civil aviation office; the three confirmed lines above do not sum to that figure and are not meant to.

From Bern by rail

Destination CantonJourney Service
Zürich HBZürich57 minFast intercity
Basel SBBBasel-Stadt55 minFast intercity
GenèveGenève1 h 45Fast intercity
LausanneVaud1 h 06Fast intercity
LuzernLuzern1 h 00Fast intercity
St. GallenSt. Gallen2 h 10Fast intercity
ChurGraubünden2 h 00Fast intercity
FribourgFribourg / Freiburg22 minFast intercity
NeuchâtelNeuchâtel40 minDirect train
SolothurnSolothurn35 minDirect train
AarauAargau45 minFast intercity
ZugZug1 h 20With a change
SchaffhausenSchaffhausen1 h 40With a change
Interlaken OstBern52 minDirect train
ThunBern18 minDirect train
Biel/BienneBern30 minDirect train
MontreuxVaud1 h 30With a change
VeveyVaud1 h 15With a change
SionValais / Wallis1 h 30With a change
VispValais / Wallis1 h 15Direct train
ZermattValais / Wallis2 h 15Car-free village
Saas-FeeValais / Wallis2 h 45Car-free village
VerbierValais / Wallis2 h 30With a change
Crans-MontanaValais / Wallis2 h 10With a change
LeukerbadValais / Wallis2 h 20With a change
BettmeralpValais / Wallis2 h 20Car-free village
GrindelwaldBern1 h 20With a change
WengenBern1 h 35Car-free village
MürrenBern1 h 50Car-free village
GstaadBern1 h 35With a change
AdelbodenBern1 h 25With a change
KanderstegBern1 h 00Direct train
AndermattUri2 h 20With a change
EngelbergObwalden1 h 45With a change
VitznauLuzern1 h 35With a change
BrunnenSchwyz1 h 40With a change
EinsiedelnSchwyz1 h 50With a change
Bad RagazSt. Gallen2 h 30With a change
AppenzellAppenzell Innerrhoden2 h 45With a change
St. MoritzGraubünden4 h 30With a change
Davos PlatzGraubünden3 h 30With a change
KlostersGraubünden3 h 10With a change
ArosaGraubünden2 h 45With a change
LenzerheideGraubünden2 h 35Road only
FlimsGraubünden2 h 45Road only
ValsGraubünden3 h 05Road only
ScuolGraubünden4 h 25With a change
SamnaunGraubünden4 h 10Road only
BraunwaldGlarus2 h 50Car-free village
BellinzonaTicino2 h 40With a change
LuganoTicino3 h 05With a change
LocarnoTicino3 h 15With a change
AsconaTicino3 h 25With a change
DelémontJura1 h 15Direct train
La Chaux-de-FondsNeuchâtel1 h 15With a change
Yverdon-les-BainsVaud1 h 15With a change

Six of these destinations admit no cars at all: Zermatt, Saas-Fee, Bettmeralp, Wengen, Mürren, Braunwald. Access is by mountain railway or cable car, luggage moves separately, and an airport transfer quoted door to door does not exist. Arrange it as two legs or it will be arranged for you at the last change.