SWITZERLAND - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 537

flowers. You will be bewitched by Bern, beguiled by its bears, and satisfied with its
sights.
Arriving by Air
Switzerland's international airports, Basel, Geneva, and Zürich, connect incoming
flights with trains to Bern. Bern is only 1 hour and 26 minutes away from Zürich's
airport and 1 hour and 52 minutes from Geneva's by comfortable passenger trains
that depart daily from the airports every 30 minutes. In Zürich the rail station lies
immediately beneath the airport's terminal. In Geneva the rail station and the air-
port terminal are connected by a plaza. At the Bern-Belp Airport (9 kilometers south
of the City Centre), direct connections can be made to and from many European
cities, as well as shuttle bus service directly to Bern's railway station.
Arriving by Train
Bern's modern rail station is a small city within a city, with an impressive array
of facilities, including a spacious underground arcade that connects at its surface
entrances with the city's fabled, arcaded shopping walkways. Direct rail transport
from Bern to Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Luxembourg, Milan, Paris, Rome,
Venice, and Zürich is available.
More than 70 trains a day depart Bern for Zürich Hauptbahnhof; 34 of these con-
tinue on to the Zürich airport following the city stop. More than 40 trains a day de-
part Bern for Geneva. Upon arrival in Geneva, stay aboard, and eight minutes later
you will be at the Geneva airport.
Bern's Railway Station. Parts of Bern's rail station have been rebuilt, making it
a model of efficiency and functionalism. Trains are reached from its ground level
via ramps, thus making the use of baggage carts practical.
With your baggage stacked in one of the station's baggage carts, leave the train
platform by descending the ramp, then turn in the direction of track No. 1 and
walk to the end of the passageway, where you will emerge into the station's under-
ground arcade, with its myriad shops and services. You'll see the escalators direc-
tly ahead.
Escalators take you to the other levels of the station. Elevator service is also
available. If you have your luggage on a cart, use the elevators. At street level you
will find the train information and Bern Tourismus offices, plus additional facil-
ities such as shops and restaurants. Snack bars and fruit stands prevail on the