MTB region
Mountain biking in Bern
Overview
Bern for riders
Mountain biking in the canton of Bern: from Bern's local hill to the Bernese Oberland
Few Swiss cantons pack in as much riding variety as Bern. It ranges from a city-side flow trail above the federal capital to the lift-served downhill parks of the Bernese Oberland, framed by the peaks of the Jungfrau region. Legal, well-kept and easy to reach: volunteer associations such as Trailnet.ch maintain the urban trails, while the Oberland's mountain railways carry you comfortably to the start.
The centrepiece is the GurtenTrail on Bern's local mountain. The Gurten funicular lifts you up from Wabern, and 2.5 kilometres with around 40 jumps and countless berms bring you down – completely rebuilt in 2025, graded medium and fully rollable. From Bern's main station you reach the lift in about fifteen minutes. Few cities have their after-work trail this close.
The bike parks of the Bernese Oberland
High-alpine terrain is barely an hour's drive away. The Wiriehorn Bike Park in the Diemtigtal Nature Park is a downhill classic with real race pedigree – three trails from the gentle Alptrail learning path to the demanding "Der Mutz", plus a pump track, skills park and children's runs. In Kandersteg, the Sunnbüel freeride trail offers 25 jumps, twelve tables and more than a hundred banked curves for beginners and experts alike. And the Grütsch Trail is reached by cable car straight from the spectacular Lauterbrunnen valley.
When and how
The Oberland parks run with the mountain railways from late May into October, depending on the area; the GurtenTrail and other valley trails open earlier in the year. In the mountains the weather decides whether the lifts run – a look at current conditions before you travel always pays off.
The best
Highlights
Bikepark Wiriehorn
Downhill classic in the Diemtigtal Nature Park with race pedigree – three trails from learning path to “Der Mutz”, plus pump track and skills park.
Bikepark Kandersteg Sunderbühl
Sunnbül freeride trail with 25 jumps, twelve tables and over a hundred banked curves – for beginners and experts alike.
GurtenTrail MTB
Bern's city-side home trail: 2.5 km with around 40 jumps, rebuilt in 2025, reached by the Gurten funicular – 15 minutes from the main station.
Grütsch-Trail Lauterbrunnen
Trail high above the spectacular Lauterbrunnen valley, reached by cable car straight from the village – the Jungfrau region at its best.
Overview
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Trip planning
Plan your trip
Getting there
The canton is superbly connected. Reach the city of Bern and the Gurten easily by rail – from the main station take a tram or S-Bahn to Wabern for the Gurten funicular. The Bernese Oberland is served by the A6 and A8 motorways and by trains towards Spiez, Interlaken and Zweisimmen; postbuses open up valleys such as the Diemtigtal.
Best time to ride
The valley season starts in spring; the lift-served Oberland parks run, depending on the area, from late May into October. High summer and early autumn offer the most reliable conditions. In the mountains, weather can halt lift operations at short notice.
Where to stay & eat
From the city of Bern via Thun, Spiez and Interlaken to the mountain villages of the Diemtig, Kander and Lauterbrunnen valleys, there's accommodation for every budget – including bike-friendly mountain hotels and campsites right at the valley stations.
Good to know