PostBus station in Bern undergoing renovation for greater accessibility

Starting this autumn, the PostBus station at Bern railway station will offer ground-level access to Postbuses for passengers with reduced mobility. The infrastructure will also be made more attractive for passengers with visual and hearing difficulties. The structural modifications represent a milestone for this important transfer hub, which is exactly 60 years old this year and used by 1.65 million passengers annually.

Initial work at the PostBus station in Bern is already underway. The main phase of construction starts on 24 June and is expected to last until 27 October 2025. The renovation is an important step towards improving the accessibility and user-friendliness of the PostBus station popularly known as the “Platte”. PostBus services will continue to run normally during the four months of construction, as the work on the six platforms will be carried out successively in nine stages.

The platforms will be raised to allow passengers to board and alight at ground level, making things a great deal easier for passengers with limited mobility and those travelling with buggies or heavy luggage. For visually impaired passengers, the tactile markings will be modified and text-to-speech buttons will be available to automatically read aloud upcoming departures and information on disruptions. Passengers with hearing impairments will benefit from new electronic display panels with information on departure times and platforms. These improvements have been made possible in part by expert advice from organizations for the disabled.

After “Zürich Flughafen, Bahnhof“, “Bern, Hauptbahnhof” with 1.65 million passengers annually is the second busiest of all 11,339 PostBus stops in Switzerland. The modifications in support of equality for people with disabilities are a priority. However, the Bern PostBus station, which opened in 1965, will see more changes in the coming years, as the future use of electric Postbuses will require a different infrastructure to the one in place today. Planning for this extensive work, which involves various partners alongside Swiss Post, is currently underway. It is being coordinated with the major “Future of Bern station” project, which is expected to last until 2029.