Bern / The verdict
Is floating the Aare in Bern worth it?
Worth it if you are a confident swimmer on a warm day: it is free, the water is clear and locals treat the river as the city's living room. Skip it if you are not a strong swimmer, because there are no lifeguards and the current is fast.
By The Real Traveler Experiences team. We earn a commission if you book through our links. It never changes a verdict.
The Bern story
Bern is the capital that forgot to act like one: a UNESCO sandstone old town wrapped around the turquoise Aare bend, six kilometres of weather-proof arcades, the Zytglogge's little mechanical show, free bear enclosures on the edge of the old town, and the Gurten hill's Alp-lined panorama. It may be Europe's most walkable capital, and in summer locals commute home by floating the river itself.
The verdict in 30 seconds
It depends
Worth it if you are a confident swimmer on a warm day: it is free, the water is clear and locals treat the river as the city's living room. Skip it if you are not a strong swimmer, because there are no lifeguards and the current is fast.
Go if
- Confident swimmers visiting Bern on a warm day in summer
- Travelers who want a free, local ritual instead of another ticketed sight
- Groups who would rather rent a raft at Uttigen and drift down to Bern with life vests
Skip if
- Anyone who is not a strong swimmer: there are no lifeguards and the current is swift
- Days when the river is running high: check the live water data before you go
- Visitors who dislike cold water, since the river is cold even on a hot day
What it costs
- Marzili river lido entry: CHF 0 (Bern states that admission to its outdoor pools, including the Marzili, is free of charge). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Marzilibahn funicular, single ride: CHF 1.50 (The short link from the river bank back up to the old town; return fare CHF 2.90). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Aare Tube rental, per person: CHF 60 (Profi tube, life vest and luggage transfer included for the Uttigen to Bern route). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Inflatable raft for 2-4 people: CHF 140 (Small raft including vests, dry bags and a route briefing at Uttigen station). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
- Guided raft ride around Bern, per person: CHF 60 (From CHF 60 with a certified local boat guide and all equipment). Official source, checked Oct 2026.
What travelers report
Based on 4 traveler reports (Jun 2025 to Aug 2025) and the official sources linked on this page. 1 was negative.
What people like
- Free: Bern's outdoor pools, including the Marzili, cost nothing, and the river itself is free to swim
- The float passes the Parliament building, with stairs down to the water beside it
- Locals use the river to commute and to socialize, so it feels lived rather than staged
- A waterproof bag carries dry clothes, so the float needs almost no gear
- The water is clear and, in one account, glacial blue
What people complain about
- No lifeguards: Bern's safety page lists weirs, bridge pillars and whirlpools as danger zones
- The current is fast, and one group found it far quicker than expected
- One poster warns that some days the current is too swift, so check current reports first
- Swimming and boating between the Eichholz and the Dalmazi bridge were banned from 22 September 2025 to the end of May 2026
How to do it right
- Wear swimwear under your clothes and pack dry clothes in a waterproof bag that floats with you
- Check the live Aare water data and the city's closure notice before you go
- Head for the bank early and leave the river by the stairs marked with red handrails
- Keep clear of weirs, bridge pillars and whirlpools, which the city lists as danger zones
- Ride the Marzilibahn back up to the old town for CHF 1.50 one way
The trap to avoid
Leaving the exit too late. Bern's safety page lists weirs, bridge pillars and whirlpools as danger zones and marks the way out with red handrails, so commit to the bank early and use the marked stairs.
What to do instead
Why this verdict
Floating the Aare is the one Bern experience that costs nothing and could not happen anywhere else. A visitor writing for an economics site describes commuters in swimsuits stepping into the river by the Parliament building with waterproof bags holding their work clothes, and calls the water clear and the current swift. A group of business-school students who floated from Thun to Bern on pool floaties describe glacial blue water, warm sunlight and alpine scenery, and also a current far faster than they expected.
The condition is a swimmer check, and it is not optional. Bern’s own safety page says there are no lifeguards, marks the way out with red handrails and lists weirs, bridge pillars and whirlpools as danger zones. A forum poster who called the float one of their most enjoyable experiences ever still tells visitors to be good swimmers and to check the day’s current reports, because some days the flow is too strong. Confident swimmers on a warm day can manage that. Weak swimmers, and anyone who cannot pull out against a current, should stay on the bank or book a raft with life vests instead.
Closures matter too. Swimming and boating between the Eichholz and the Dalmazi bridge were banned from 22 September 2025 until the end of May 2026 for flood-protection work, so check the city’s current notice before you plan around the classic stretch. The log holds only four usable traveler reports for this page, so treat the verdict as cautious and lean on the official safety guidance above everything else.
Timing and tickets
There is no ticket. Bern says its outdoor pools, including the Marzili, are free to enter, and the river itself costs nothing. Extras are optional: the Marzilibahn funicular back up to the old town is CHF 1.50 one way (marzilibahn.ch, checked 2026-10-08). If the free swim is not for you, an operator at Uttigen rents tubes with life vests for CHF 60 per person and small rafts for CHF 140, and a guided raft ride around Bern starts at CHF 60 per person (operator and city pages, checked 2026-10-08). Live river levels are on the federal hydrology site.
Book or check times
Official floating routes and safety rulesBern Aare overviewRaft and tube rental at UttigenMarzilibahn faresLive Aare water data
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Private guided Aare floatpartner site
Questions
Is floating the Aare in Bern free?
Yes. Bern says admission to its outdoor pools, including the Marzili, is free of charge, and the river swim costs nothing. You only pay for extras such as the CHF 1.50 funicular ride back up or a rented raft or tube.
Do you need to be a good swimmer to float the Aare?
Yes. Bern's safety page says there are no lifeguards and lists weirs, bridge pillars and whirlpools as danger zones, and a forum poster who loved the float says to check the day's current reports because the flow can be too swift.
Can you float the Aare right now?
Check the city's current notice first. Swimming and boating between the Eichholz and the Dalmazi bridge were banned from 22 September 2025 to the end of May 2026 for flood-protection work, and the reports in the log describe the warm season.
Is there a safer way onto the river?
Yes. An operator at Uttigen rents tubes with life vests for CHF 60 per person and small rafts for CHF 140, and a guided raft ride around Bern starts at CHF 60 per person.
Pack for it
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