There are 8 ways to get from Essen to Bern by train, bus, night train, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train
best- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Basel SBBtrain 43
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Berntrain Ic6 / ...
6h 27mCHF 106–222Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Dortmund central bus station to Bernbus N122
12h 40mCHF 35–137Train, night train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Koeln Hbftrain Re
- Take the night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Sbbnighttrain Nj
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Berntrain Ic6 / ...
10h 27mCHF 79–360Drive 642 km
- Drive from Essen to Berncar 642 km
5h 33mCHF 104–150Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane DUS - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich Flughafen to Berntrain
5h 17mCHF 105–295Train to Cologne Bonn Airport, fly to Zurich Airport, train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bftrain
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane CGN - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich Flughafen to Berntrain
5h 43mCHF 112–302Train to Frankfurt, fly to Basel, train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Basel (BSL)plane FRA - BSL
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Berntrain
5h 43mCHF 164–368Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Geneva International Airport (GVA)plane DUS - GVA
- Take the train from Genève-Aéroport to Berntrain
7h 2mCHF 115–315
Essen to Bern by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Essen to Bern is to bus which costs SFr 35 - SFr 140 and takes 12h 40m.
The fastest way to get from Essen to Bern is to fly and train which takes 5h 17m and costs SFr 100 - SFr 300.
No, there is no direct bus from Essen station to Bern. However, there are services departing from Essen central train station and arriving at Bern via Dortmund central bus station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 12h 40m.
No, there is no direct train from Essen to Bern. However, there are services departing from Essen Hbf and arriving at Bern via Basel SBB. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 6h 27m.
The distance between Essen and Bern is 675 km. The road distance is 642 km.
The best way to get from Essen to Bern without a car is to train which takes 6h 27m and costs SFr 100 - SFr 230.
It takes approximately 6h 27m to get from Essen to Bern, including transfers.
Essen to Bern bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Dortmund central bus station.
Essen to Bern train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Essen Hbf station.
The best way to get from Essen to Bern is to train which takes 6h 27m and costs SFr 100 - SFr 230. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs SFr 35 - SFr 140 and takes 12h 40m.
What companies run services between Essen, Germany and Bern, Switzerland?
You can take a train from Essen Hbf to Bern via Basel SBB in around 6h 27m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Dortmund central bus station to Bern 5 times a week. Tickets cost CHF 30–80 and the journey takes 10h 35m.
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–240
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–180
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–210
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport via Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–210
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–300
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Tuesday to Friday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–180
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–330
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 75–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 80–320
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–170
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–180
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–210
- Website
- airdolomiti.it
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 95–300
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 48m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 80–180
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 16–50
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Essen Hbf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 27–80
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +41 848 446 688
- Website
- sbb.ch
Train from Basel SBB to Bern
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 24–45
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
Train from Zürich Flughafen to Bern
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 35–65
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
Train from Genève-Aéroport to Bern
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–65
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
- Phone
- 0221 13 999 444
- Website
- nationalexpress.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 15–22
- Schedules at
- nationalexpress.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 14–21
- Schedules at
- nationalexpress.de
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Essen Hbf to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–65
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- CHF 30–45
- Comfort
- CHF 30–45
- Premium
- CHF 50–65
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Sbb
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 28m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–240
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 65–110
- 1st Class
- CHF 140–240
- Phone
- +43 51717
- Website
- nightjet.com
Night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Sbb
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 39m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 40–245
- Website
- https://www.nightjet.com/en/#/home
- Sleeper Carriage
- CHF 242–245
- Couchette Carriage
- CHF 130–150
- Seating Carriage
- CHF 40–55
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Dortmund central bus station to Bern
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 35m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–80
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Want to know more about travelling around Switzerland
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Heading to Europe? Read this before you buy a Eurail Pass
Read the travel guide
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide
5 delightfully under-the-radar French towns you need to visit
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Essen to Bern bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Bern station.
Essen to Bern train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Basel SBB station.
Yes, the driving distance between Essen to Bern is 642 km. It takes approximately 5h 33m to drive from Essen to Bern.
Book your Essen to Bern train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Essen to Bern bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 341+ hotels available in Bern.

































