Can I really swim in the Aare, and will my phone survive?

In summer locals float the fast-flowing Aare through the city — it's a Bern institution. Leave your phone in a waterproof dry-bag; your eSIM data will still be there when you climb out at Marzili or the Lorraine bridge.

Is one eSIM enough for Bern plus day trips to the mountains?

Yes. It's a single national Switzerland plan, so the same eSIM covers Bern and onward trips to Interlaken, Gruyères or the Emmental on one data allowance — no need for a second SIM at each stop.

Bern eSIM.

Name: Bern travel eSIM
Brand: My Holiday SIM

Explore the UNESCO Old Town's arcades, the Zytglogge clock and the loop of the River Aare.

from $2.15/day · unlimited dataAll of Switzerland →

Unlimited data5G where availableInstant QR by emailKeep your number

1 · How many days?

10 daysOther:days

2 · How much data?

3GBBest pricevalid 15 days$6.01$0.60/day

Cheapest plan covering your trip: 3GB, valid 15 days.

Travellers (one eSIM each)

1 × 3GB (valid 15 days) · 10-day trip$6.01

Good to know in Bern

Bern has no real international airport of its own, so most visitors fly into Zurich or Geneva and take a direct train — under an hour from Zurich — keeping your eSIM handy for live SBB platform changes en route.

Two simple ways to buy

Bern eSIM plans: unlimited, or by the GB.

Every Bern eSIM from My Holiday SIM is one of two straightforward types. Pick whichever fits how you travel in Bern — you can always top up or switch on your next trip.

Traveller streaming and browsing freely on an unlimited-data travel eSIM

Unlimited plans

High-speed data, nothing to count

Priced per day — the longer you stay, the better the daily rate. Ideal for streaming, hotspot and longer trips where you'd rather not watch a data meter. A fair-use policy keeps speeds fast for everyone; see each plan for the detail.

Best for streaming, video calls & hotspot
Great for longer or open-ended trips
One price per day — no GB anxiety

By-the-GB plans

3GB10GB20GB

A set bundle, brilliant value

A fixed data allowance (say 3 GB or 10 GB) valid for your travel days. The best-value pick for lighter trips built around maps, messaging and a bit of browsing. Running low? Top up in a couple of taps — nothing to reinstall.

Best value for lighter, shorter trips
Clear allowance — pay only for what you need
Top up any time from your phone

Compare plans →Not every destination has both types — the picker shows what's available where you're headed.

Plan your data

How much data do you need in Bern?

A rough, honest guide to sizing your Bern eSIM so you're not guessing. Most travellers in Bern are comfortable on 3–5 GB a week — heavy streamers just go Unlimited.

Traveller checking maps and messages on her phone using a My Holiday SIM eSIM

Not sure? Start with a 5 GB plan — you can top up in seconds if you run low.

Light

~1 GB / week

Maps, messaging & email

Google Maps, WhatsApp, email and the odd search. Plenty for a city break where you mostly need directions.

Suits 1–3 GB plans

Balanced

3–5 GB / week

Everyday holiday use

Everything above plus social scrolling, music, cloud photo backups and a little video. Where most travellers land.

Suits 5–10 GB plans

Bern eSIM: your local data guide.

Switzerland's capital hides six kilometres of covered arcades, so you'll lean on maps to find the Zytglogge's hourly show, the Bear Park along the Aare or Einstein's old apartment. A Bern eSIM keeps navigation, SBB times and restaurant bookings live from the moment you arrive, whether you're strolling the sandstone Old Town or watching locals float the turquoise river.

One eSIM for Bern and all of Switzerland. It's the national Switzerland eSIM — from $2.15/day with unlimited data, working the same in Bern as it does the moment you leave it.

Landing at Zurich Airport (ZRH) — the main international gateway, about an hour from Bern by direct train?

Install the QR at home, then switch the eSIM on as you taxi in — you're online before you reach the arrivals hall.

Bern eSIM pricingbest-value plan · per day

Days

Per day

Total

Saving

3 days1GB

$1.04

$3.12

—

5 days1GB

$0.62

$3.12

−40%

7 days1GB

$0.45

$3.12

−57%

10 days3GBPopular

$0.60

$6.01

−42%

15 days3GB

$0.40

$6.01

−62%

30 days5GB

$0.40

$12.08

−62%

Each trip length shows the best-value plan that covers it. Total always shown before you pay.

eSIM vs the old ways in Bern

eSIM

ROAMING

AIRPORT SIM

Data allowance

Unlimited

Usually capped

Rarely unlimited

Price known upfront

Prepaid

Billed after

Varies at the desk

Ready when you land

Instantly

After the queue

Keep WhatsApp number

SIM swapped

Bern eSIM from $2.15/day — the whole bill, agreed before you fly.

On the ground

Where you'll lean on data in Bern.

The Old Town arcades

Shop the Kramgasse and Marktgasse under cover, catch the Zytglogge's mechanical figures and find the Einstein House with maps in hand.

BärenPark & Rosengarten

Watch the bears along the Aare, then climb to the Rosengarten viewpoint for the classic Old Town panorama and a coffee.

The Aare riverside

Locals swim and float the fast Aare in summer; check water temperature and exit points before you join the Aareschwümme.

Bundesplatz

Time the fountains dancing in front of the Federal Palace and, in autumn, the Rendez-vous light show projected onto the façade.

The practical bit

Getting around Bern on your eSIM.

Apps you'll want online in Bern

SBB Mobile— Switzerland's rail app; buy the direct-train ticket from Zurich or Geneva airport to Bern.
Bernmobil— Bern's public-transport app for the city's trams and trolleybuses, with live departures.
FAIRTIQ— Check-in, check-out ticketing that auto-charges the right fare on Bern's trams and Swiss trains.
Twint— Switzerland's mobile-payment app, used at Bern's markets, bakeries and restaurants.

How long to stay in Bern

Bern works as a relaxed day or overnight stop — enough to wander the arcades, see the bears, ride to the Rosengarten and, in summer, swim the Aare.

How much data for Bern

Bern is compact and walkable, so a light 1-3 GB easily covers maps, SBB times and the odd translation over a day or two; add more only if you'll stream or hotspot.

Coverage in Bern

Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt cover Bern's Old Town, station and riverside with strong 4G and 5G; signal only really dips down in the steep Aare gorge and inside the thickest sandstone cellars.

Where you're headed

Discover Bern.

Bern, Switzerland — skyline and landmarks · stay connected with a Bern eSIM from My Holiday SIM

Bern, Switzerland — streets and everyday scenes · stay connected with a Bern eSIM from My Holiday SIM

Bern, Switzerland — sights worth exploring · stay connected with a Bern eSIM from My Holiday SIM

Bern, Switzerland — a travel moment · stay connected with a Bern eSIM from My Holiday SIM

How to activate your Bern eSIM.

Full installation guide →

A traveller happily planning her next trip with a map and phone

Buy your plan

Choose your days — the QR code arrives by email in seconds.

A traveller installing her eSIM from the sofa in two minutes

Install at home

Scan the QR on Wi-Fi before you fly. About two minutes, no app needed.

Friends laughing together while packing for a holiday

Fly relaxed

Nothing counts down yet — your days start only at first connection.

A joyful family reunion at the airport arrivals hall

Switch on in Bern

Turn the line on when you land. Connected before baggage claim.

New to eSIM in Bern?

What is a Bern eSIM?

A Bern eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into your phone. Scan one QR code and a local Bern data plan installs alongside your home SIM — no plastic, no tray tool, no swap. Your number and WhatsApp stay exactly where they are.

✓ 2-minute install✓ Keep your number✓ Works on phones from 2018+

How eSIM works →Check my phone

A traveller with a backpack smiling at her phone — online abroad with My Holiday SIM

Connected · 5G

Home SIM · calls & WhatsAppHoliday eSIM · unlimited data

30-day refund promiseUnused, uninstalled eSIM? Full refund, no questions.

The price is the billPrepaid and final — roaming charges can't happen.

Days start when you landInstall early with zero pressure; counting begins at first connection.

Humans, 24/7Real people answer, before, during and after the trip.

Peace of mind

Your Bern eSIM: data-only, zero bill shock.

Your Bern eSIM handles the internet while you travel. Your home number stays exactly where it is — no surprise roaming charges in Bern, no swapping your real SIM out.

Keep your number & WhatsApp

The eSIM is data-only and runs alongside your home SIM. Your number, iMessage and WhatsApp keep working exactly as they do at home.

No roaming bills, ever

Turn data roaming OFF on your home SIM and ON for the eSIM. You pay once, up front — no overage, no metered surprises, no bill waiting when you land home.

One thing worth knowing

Because it's data-only, the eSIM can't receive bank verification (OTP) text codes — those still go to your home number. Keep it reachable on Wi-Fi calling, or use app-based codes.

Traveller relaxed and connected on her phone, no roaming bill to worry about

Why travellers choose My Holiday SIM for Bern.

Instant eSIM deliveryQR code in your inbox seconds after checkout — even at the departure gate.

No physical SIMNothing to collect, lose or poke out with a paperclip. Your home SIM stays put.

Keep your WhatsApp numberData flows through us; WhatsApp stays on your home number. Family always reaches you.

A traveller at the departure gate, eSIM ready on her phone

eSIM ready in ~2 minutes

No bill shock, everOne clear price before you fly. Roaming charges simply can't happen.

Secure paymentsCards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Klarna — encrypted end to end.

Real human supportReal people — before, during and after your trip. Live chat and email, no bots. Easy top-ups too.

Coverage in Switzerland.

5G where available, fast 4G everywhere else

Connected · 5G

Your eSIM joins Switzerland's partner networks automatically — no settings to choose, no manual network hunting. If signal drops in a remote spot, toggling Airplane Mode for a few seconds forces a fresh connection.

Swisscom
Sunrise
Salt

Popular places covered

ZurichGenevaBernLucerneInterlakenZermattLausanneLugano

Keep data roaming ON for the eSIM line only — that's the switch travel eSIMs use, and it never adds charges on our plans.

Trusted networks, honest numbers.

No invented star ratings behind your Bern eSIM — just the numbers we actually stand behind.

Friendly globe with location pins — coverage on every continent

My Holiday SIMSTAY CONNECTED. ANYWHERE.

200+

destinations — every continent covered

regions covered by a single regional eSIM

~2 min

typical install — QR to connected

Live

chat & email support

Before you fly

Bern eSIM questions, answered.

Bern's own airport has very few scheduled flights, so most travellers arrive via Zurich (ZRH) or Geneva (GVA) and take a direct train — around an hour from Zurich. Your eSIM connects the instant you land at either airport.

Your Bern eSIM glossary.

eSIMA SIM built into your phone's hardware. Plans install onto it digitally — no plastic card involved.

QR profileThe code we email you. Scanning it downloads your holiday plan onto the eSIM. One scan per device.

Data roaming (the switch)The toggle travel eSIMs use to join partner networks abroad. On our plans it never adds charges — keep it ON for the eSIM, OFF for your home SIM.

Hotspot / tetheringSharing your phone's data with laptops and tablets. Included on our plans wherever networks allow.

Top-upExtra days added to a live plan from your account. They append to the end — nothing overlaps.

First connectionThe moment your eSIM first joins a network at the destination — that's when your days start counting, not before.

Travelling wider in Switzerland?