Location

The conference will take place at PROGR.

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PROGR
Waisenhausplatz 30
3011 Berne
Switzerland

The talks will be held in the auditorium. We have access to the courtyard and the corridors for breaks.

How to get to the venue

Arrival from abroad

We encourage train travel whenever possible. Depending on your country of departure, it may be easier to find a connection to a city close to a border (e.g. Geneva, Basel, Lugano, St. Gallen) and change trains. Refer to the Swiss Federal Railways website for connections and tickets.

If your only option is air travel, the closest airports are Basel (BSL, MLH, EAP), Zürich (ZRH), and Geneva (GVA). Once in Switzerland, you can take a train to Bern. Check train schedules and buy tickets from the Swiss Federal Railways.

Arriving from Basel EuroAirport (BSL, MLH, EAP)
Description
Transit from "Basel EuroAirport" to "Basel SBB" via Bus. Then from "Basel SBB" there are direct trains to "Bern".
Duration
90 minutes
Approximate cost
CHF 30 - CHF 50
Arriving from Zürich Airport (ZRH)
Description
From "Zürich Flughafen" there are direct trains to "Bern".
Duration
70 - 80 minutes
Approximate cost
CHF 40 - CHF 60
Arriving from Geneva Airport (GVA)
Description
From "Genève-Aéroport" there are direct trains to "Bern".
Duration
120 - 130 minutes
Approximate cost
CHF 30 - CHF 60

About Switzerland

Here's some useful and less useful facts about Switzerland

Language
Official languages are German, French, Italian and Romansh. In cities most people will understand and speak English. In Bern the main language is German, but French can be used too.
Capital
Bern is officially the "federal city" of Switzerland, not its capital, because Switzerland doesn’t have a designated capital city in its constitution.
Money
We love money, we use Swiss Francs (CHF). Euro (EUR) may be accepted in some places. Cashless payment methods are widely accepted.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory. Feel free to tip (5% - 10%) if you're happy with the service though.
Transportation
We drive on the right side of the road.
Public transportation
We have one of the most efficient, extensive and probably expensive public transportation systems in the world.
Electricity
We use the Type C and Type J outlets. Voltage is 230V and the electrical frequency is 50Hz.
Emergency
Dial 112 for any kind of emergencies.
Water
Switzerland has high-quality tap water, there's no actual need to buy bottled water. You can also drink the water from all public fountains unless there is a sign not to (you won't find many of these).
Stores
Many shops in Switzerland remain closed on Sundays, except for some in railway stations and airports.
Small talk
You can always talk about the weather, food, traffic or Roger Federer.

Arrival from Switzerland

Please use public transport. The conference is 5-10 minutes on foot from the Bern train station.

We have planned the start time such that you can arrive by train from many corners of Switzerland on the same morning and be on time for the first talk.

Access for people with reduced mobility

The Auditorium can be accessed through the courtyard. On the east side of the courtyard (side Lehrerzimmer), a door signalled with PROGR OST leads to a wheelchair lift, which transports you to the mezzanine. To the right, past the main staircase, a lift brings you to the first floor. From there, the Auditorium to the left is reachable without thresholds.
Source: the venue website

Please contact us before the conference so we can also arrange appropriate room in the auditorium.

Accommodation

We have secured exclusive deals on accommodations at the ibis Styles Bern City Hotel. This means that you can enjoy the comfort and convenience of this fantastic hotel at a special rate during your conference stay.

The rates are:

  • Single Room with Breakfast for CHF 135 (~ EUR 140/~ USD 150) per night
  • Double Room with Breakfast for CHF 155 (~ EUR 160/~ USD 170) per night

(City tax of about CHF 6.00 per night not included, foreign exchange rate is subject to change)

Securing your room at the ibis Styles Bern City Hotel is easy. Simply get in touch with us at [email protected], and we will be happy to connect you with the hotel to make your reservation.

Note that the rooms are limited, we encourage you to secure your reservation at your earliest convenience.

Food, drinks and sights

The next bar is located directly in the Progr. The Turnhalle is directly below the Conference room. From 8:00 p.m. there will be music by Elis Noa. Tickets

Fresh air and good mulled wine are available at the Berner Sternenmarkt. The 80 wooden huts serve winter delicacies, hot drinks and art. From the European promenade right next to the Federal Palace there is a remarkable view over the Marzili to the Alps.

Or how about a walk through Bern's old town after an intensive day at the conference. Through the arcades (Lauben) it always goes down a little to the bear pit. On the way at the Point you can see the city stream flowing upwards :-) The bears are probably in hibernation, but fresh beer is brewed in the unique restaurant "Altes Tramdepot". The most beautiful view of the city of Bern is definitely in the Rose Garden.

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