Essentials
- City
- Biel/Bienne, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
- Population
- 56,000
- Internet Speed
- 100-500 Mbps (High-speed fiber widely available)
- Currency & Banking
- Swiss Franc (CHF); 1 CHF ≈ 1.13 USD, 1 USD ≈ 0.88 CHF
- Tap Water
- Excellent, safe to drink from any tap
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type J (compact 3-pin) and Type C
- SIM Card
- Swisscom, Salt, or Sunrise; Prepaid SIMs available for ~20 CHF at Bienne Station
- Banking for Expats
- PostFinance, Neon, Revolut, and UBS are widely used
- Accommodation
- Apartments via Visionapartments or local platforms like Homegate.ch
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, cards and TWINT mobile payment accepted almost everywhere
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb and local serviced apartments starting at 1,500 CHF/month
- Budget Accommodation
- Lago Lodge (Hostel) near the lake, beds from 45 CHF/night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Old Town (Altstadt) for charm, or Lakefront for views
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Nidau or Beaumont for quieter, residential vibes with fast transit
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Impact Hub Bern (nearby) or local Creactive Biel/Bienne at Place de la Gare
- Best Cafe for Work
- Café de la Poste on Rue de Nidau; very laptop-friendly with good Wi-Fi
- Networking Events
- InnoCampus Biel/Bienne hosts tech and engineering meetups
- Social Events for Expats
- Expats in Biel/Bienne Facebook group and InterNations Bern events
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber (limited availability) or Taxi Biel-Bienne (+41 32 322 41 41)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- PubliBike stations at the train station; daily passes available via app
- Best Beach Nearby
- Strandbad Biel/Bienne (Lake Biel), 5-minute walk from city center
- Top Regional Airline
- Swiss International Air Lines (operating from Zurich/Geneva)
- Top International Airline
- Lufthansa, Air France, and British Airways
- Highway Access
- A5 and A6 highways provide direct links to Bern and Neuchâtel
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Biel/Bienne Railway Station (Gare de Bienne)
- Public Transport Passes
- Libero multi-trip cards or the Half-Fare Travelcard for 185 CHF/year
- Regional Travel
- SBB Trains to Bern (25 min) or Zurich (1h 10 min)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Spitalzentrum Biel (SZB) / Centre hospitalier Bienne (CHB)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Bienne at Rue de la Gare 20; 30 CHF per drop-in
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Activ Fitness at the train station (~800 CHF/year)
- Laundry Services
- Lavoir Automatique, Rue du Canal 13
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Just-Eat.ch and UberEats
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Lake Biel Whitefish (Egli) - typically served with butter and almonds
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Tibits (inside the train station) - high-quality vegetarian buffet
- Best Dessert Spots
- Confiserie L'Amandine at Rue de Nidau 25
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Denner, Aldi, or Lidl for budget-conscious groceries
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Galaxus.ch and Digitec.ch (The Swiss Amazon substitutes)
- Grocery Delivery
- Coop.ch and Migros Online
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Old Town (Altstadt) bars like Le Singe or St-Gervais
- Local Brewery
- Lago Lodge Brewery or Seeland Bräu
- Wine Bars
- Vinothek am See (dedicated to Lake Biel wines)
- Street Food Stalls
- Weekly market at Place du Bourg for local cheese and sausages
- Popular International Cuisine
- Restaurant Maharaja for Indian; Pizzeria Fontana for Italian
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- The Cité du Temps (Omega and Swatch Museum)
- Museums & Art Venues
- NMB Neues Museum Biel at Seevorstadt 52
- Historical Sites
- The Old Town (Altstadt) with its 15th-century Gothic architecture
- Religious Sites
- Stadtkirche Biel (Gothic Reform Church)
- Annual Events
- The Biel/Bienne Chess Festival (July) and The 100km Run (June)
- Cultural Districts
- The Watch District (Omega/Rolex manufacturing headquarters)
- Theater Venues
- Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn (TOBS)
- Local Markets
- Bieler Wochenmarkt on Tuesdays and Saturdays at Place du Bourg
- Music Scene
- Le Singe for jazz and contemporary concerts
- Street Art
- Various murals near the railroad tracks and the 'Art Wall' at the lake
- Cooking Classes
- Ecole-club Migros Biel offers various culinary workshops
- Art Galleries
- Centre d'Art Pasquart (Modern Art Museum)
- Historic Buildings
- The Ring (The circular square in the old town)
- Local Heritage
- Dual-language heritage (German/French) influencing all street signs
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- St. Petersinsel (St. Peter's Island) in Lake Biel
- National Parks Nearby
- Chasseral Regional Nature Park (Grand Chasseral)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- The Lake Biel loop (approx. 43km) is perfectly flat and scenic
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Leubringen/Evard via the Magglingen Funicular for lake views
- Birdwatching Locations
- The Hagneck Delta reserve on the southern shore of the lake
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Public fire pits at Strandboden near the lakefront
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Swiss Post (Die Post) - multiple branches across the city
- Tech Repair Services
- Mobilezone Biel or local Apple authorized repairers
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables at the Esplanade or Strandboden park
- Language Classes
- Flying Teachers Biel or Migros Klubschule
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Biel City Library (Bibliothèque de la Ville) at Dufourstrasse 26
- Community Centers
- X-Project (Youth and cultural center)
- Gaming Lounges
- ManaBar Biel (Gaming bar with consoles and PCs)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Casino Barrière de Bienne
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 8,500 CHF per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 340,000 CHF)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 7,000 CHF per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 280,000 CHF)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 8,200 CHF per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 492,000 CHF)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 6,800 CHF per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 408,000 CHF)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 7,800 CHF per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 624,000 CHF)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 6,500 CHF per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 520,000 CHF)
- Corporate Tax
- Approx. 12.5% to 15% (Canton of Bern rates vary)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 35% (fully refundable for residents)
- Tax System
- Three-tiered system (Federal, Cantonal, Communal)
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- Approx. 40% (Combined total)
- VAT
- 8.1% (standard rate)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, but generally follow OECD guidelines
- Property Tax
- Yes, Canton of Bern applies a property tax of 1 to 1.5 per mille of taxable value
- Property Transaction Tax
- Transfer tax of approx. 1.8% of the purchase price
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific nomad tax; high cost of living but lower taxes than neighboring EU countries