Berne

Berne is the 4th pitstop and midway point of my trip across Switzerland. By this time I could feel the strain of my journey. Though I spent two nights here, I stayed one full rainy day in my hotel room to recover my energy. I also took the opportunity to Skype with my family. Therefore I couldn't introduce much of Berne.

The hotel I booked was the most affordable one I could find, hence it was quite a distance away from the train station (route marked blue-black on the map). Similar to the hotels and hostels I had so far, the amenities were minimal but handicapped-friendly enough. There was still daylight after I checked into the hotel so I decided to visit the Gurten-Kulm.

By taking the number 9 tram in the reverse direction, it's a long ride to the second stop from the end. This stop is at the bottom of a mountain and visitors to the top are to take the Gurtenbahn, a special tram for climbing steep slopes. And speaking of steep slopes, I needed help just to reach the station at the bottom.

At the top which is Gurten-Kulm, there are seminar halls, a hotel, restaurants, and a playground for kids. I had a tasty pork chop with rice that was too salty for my liking. There wasn't much else to see here but the weather was wonderful and the air refreshing. I stayed till sunset, descending the mountain as the sun did the same behind it.

More pictures can be found here as well as the top part of this blog post...

After a full day of rest, I checked out early to explore the church and university campus beside the train station. The campus was exactly what I have imagined an European university would have. There was a classical atmosphere to the surroundings which I dream of studying in.

Leaving Berne meant I would be leaving the German-centric part of Switzerland and crossing to the French-centric part. Next stop: Vevey-Montreux.

Wheelchair Accessibility

• Accomodation

The room I had was so small that I barely had room to turn my wheelchair around after I entered. The bathroom was in a reinforced room like a bomb shelter. It's not one where a wheelchair could go into.

• Public Transport

Unlike Basel, tourists staying here don't get free rides on buses and trams. However, tourists should get the day tickets which will allow multiple rides within a specific time period.