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Renting an apartment in Bern: insider advice and tips

Bern is the true capital of Switzerland. The narrow alleys of the Old Town and its arcades, together with Europe’s longest shopping mall are ideal for strolling. The River Aare shapes Bern's city life as does the Zytglogge clock tower

The city of Bern exudes charm and offers a high quality of life. Because of the city's popularity, it is difficult to rent an apartment in Bern. The number of vacant apartments is low.

The value used to indicate the number of vacant apartments, the vacancy rate, is 0.56. In the ten largest Swiss cities, this rate is low. However, the vacancy rate in Bern is still significantly higher than in Zurich or Lausanne.

Renting an apartment in a UNESCO cultural heritage site

Bern's Old Town is located on a peninsula, surrounded by the Aare. If you manage to rent an apartment in the city centre, you will be living in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Unfortunately, there are very few vacant apartments in this part of Bern. Rents are high: a 4-room apartment costs more than CHF 2,100 per month.

Apartments for rent next to farms in Bümpliz-Oberbottigen

The cheapest apartments available to rent in Bern are located in Bümpliz-Oberbottigen, which boasts a blend of urban and rural living. The high rises of Gäbelbach sit alongside the farms of Oberbottigen. A 4-room apartment costs an average of CHF 1,200 per month.

The district's main highlight is the Westside shopping and leisure centre with its shopping mall, multiplex cinema and the Bernaqua waterpark and spa.

In the other parts of Bern, the prices of rental apartments are fairly uniform, i.e. for a 4-room apartment, you will pay between CHF 1,500 and CHF 1,700 per month.

Just like everywhere else in Switzerland, you have to provide your property management company or landlord with a rental guarantee to rent an apartment in Bern. With Firstcaution, you can get a rental guarantee without a bank deposit quickly and easily.

Bern as a university city: renting a student apartment

Bern is also a big student city. A lot of students live in the Länggasse-Felsenau district, where it is even more difficult to find a vacant apartment than in the city centre. Shared apartments are therefore in high demand.

Anyone with an apartment or room here also benefits from the many bijou restaurants in the area.

Getting around by public transport in Bern

The entire city of Bern is very well served by public transport. Buses and trams run at regular intervals, also serving attractive locations such as the Rosengarten or the Centre Paul Klee.

For motorists, however, Bern is somewhat difficult to access. Street parking is expensive and many people get lost in the maze of one-way streets.

Renting an apartment in Bern with children

You have children and are not convinced that you want to live in Bern? Bern is a great city for young families thanks to the wide range of activities on offer.

Most of Dählhölzli Zoois accessible free of charge. On the banks of the Aare is a children's zoo and a large play area.

The Gurten - affectionately called “Güsche” by the locals - is a mountain located in the Swiss capital. You can either walk up the mountain or take the comfortable funicular. You will find a wide range of leisure activities in this area, including toboggan runs, the observation tower, disc golfing, barbecue areas, restaurants, and much more.

The Museum of Communication offers an interactive, educational experience for the whole family, and in particular for children. A visit to the Museum of Communication is the perfect outing for a rainy day.

How do I find an apartment to rent in Bern?

You can search for an apartment in Bern on one of the many internet portals such as Homegate, Home.ch, Immoscout, immoclick.ch, newhome.ch or flatfox.ch of course. But you can also check apartment listings in the local Bern newspapers. Many landlords still advertise in newspapers. Try word of mouth: a friend of your sister-in-law's brother may know someone who happens to have heard of an apartment for rent.

We can help you with the rental guarantee! With Firstcaution, you can obtain a rental guarantee without a bank deposit quickly and easily.

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