Bern

Bern, the Swiss federal city, lies about 95 km west of Luzern and is reached in about 1 hour 10 minutes by IR train, which runs hourly for CHF 37-42 one way. FlixBus offers a cheaper alternative at CHF 12-20 with a few departures a day. The medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, laid out on a peninsula in a bend of the river Aare, and is compact enough to walk from Bern station. The main sights are the Zytglogge clock tower, the six kilometres of arcaded streets with market stalls and fountains, the Gothic cathedral (Münster) with its tower, the Rose Garden viewpoint and the Bärengraben bear park beside the river. A practical day takes the morning IR train, walks from the station to the Zytglogge and the cathedral, crosses the river to the Bear Park and the Rose Garden for the best view of the Old Town, has lunch in the Old Town, and returns mid-afternoon. Most major sights are within a 15-minute walk of the station. The best season is May to September, when the Aare and the Rose Garden are most pleasant, though the arcades make the city comfortable in rain. Lunch typically costs CHF 25-45, and total costs for train and lunch are about CHF 75-85 plus meals. Many visitors also swim or float in the Aare in summer, a local tradition that requires care because of the current. Museums cluster around the Kirchenfeld area across the Kirchenfeld Bridge.