Info
Most important info
You can find your ticket(s) in your account at the Gurtenfestival Ticket Shop. The tickets were also sent to you via email with the order confirmation.
Entry Rules
Due to a decline in demand for on-site overnight accommodation, we discontinued the Sleeping Zone on the Gurten in 2022. The feedback we have received from our guests regarding this change has been positive. In line with this development, we are now adjusting the permitted quantities of beverages and the allowable luggage size on the festival grounds. Our approach is informed by the entry regulations of other festivals and large events without camping areas.
0.5 l beverage
Our guests are still welcome to bring their own beverages onto the festival grounds. Filled drinking bottles of up to 0.5 litres are permitted at the entrance. During opening hours, visitors can refill their bottles at free drinking water stations located on the festival grounds and along the paths from Wabern and Spiegel/Blinzern.
20 litres luggage size
To enable quicker and safer checks of belongings at the entrances and reduce waiting times, luggage must not exceed 20 litres in volume. This luggage size meets the needs of the majority of our visitors.
Kids & Youth Tickets
Kids born in 2014 or later, accompanied by an adult, can attend the Gurtenfestival for free (ID required). Kids tickets must now be ordered through the ticket shop (with a processing and system fee of CHF 8.00 per ticket). You will need a valid ticket to place your order—complete your purchase first, then add up to two Kids & Youth tickets.
Kids tickets can only be ordered if you have bought your ticket via the Gurtenfestival AG ticket shop (grtn26.ch/tix).
If you receive your ticket as a volunteer, please contact ticketing@gurtenfestival.ch with your ticket number (located below the QR code).
Teenagers aged 13–15 can purchase discounted tickets in the ticket shop.
Youth tickets are not linked to any other ticket. Teenagers may attend the festival without adult supervision.
Both Kids & Youth ticket categories are limited. Regular prices apply once they are sold out.
The festival wristband is attached directly to the wrist during the exchange and is non-transferable. Age verification takes place at the time of exchange, and an ID must be presented.
- Visit the festival with children during quieter times when large crowds are not expected.
- Position yourselves at concerts so that leaving the stage is possible at any time.
- We do not recommend attending the festival with children under 5 years old.
- Do not carry children on your shoulders through large crowds.
- Discuss appropriate behavior on the grounds in advance with children aged 12 and older.
- Never intentionally go into a crowd. Move in front of or after the main crowd at entrances and exits.
- Set a clear meeting point for emergencies with children (especially those aged 6–12). When exchanging wristbands, children will receive a badge with space for their name and phone number. Children who lose their parents on the grounds will be cared for at the Info Point and announced by the festival speakers from all stages.
- Children should know they can approach any Gurtenfestival staff if they feel uncertain or are in danger.
- Children should wear bright clothing so they are more visible in the crowd.
- Children may not yet have an understanding of noise levels – maintain a sufficient distance from speakers and use hearing protection (available at the festival store next to the main stage).
- To avoid waiting times at the Gurtenbahn, do not travel between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
- Parents and guardians should always prioritize the children’s needs. If it becomes too much for the children, it’s better to leave the festival grounds early.
Tickets
Please pay attention when buying tickets! The only official sales points for Gurtenfestival tickets are the Gurtenfestival Ticket Shop and our ticket distribution partner ticketmaster.ch.
Your ticket(s) were sent to you via email after purchase. You can also find them at any time in your account at the Gurtenfestival Ticket Shop.
The tickets are not personalized and therefore transferable. However, the festival wristbands are non-transferable and cannot be split.
No loose festival wristbands will be given to other people.
A maximum of eight tickets can be purchased per person per festival edition. The tickets are not personalized.
The ticket or festival wristband entitles you to free round-trip travel by bus, tram, or S-Bahn (2nd class) within the Libero Zones 100/101, as well as for the Gurtenbahn. The festival ticket acts as a travel document (within the Libero Zones 100/101) for the initial journey.
Wheelchair users receive a 20% discount on their ticket. Please register at ticketing@gurtenfestival.ch.
Wheelchair users can exchange their ticket for a festival wristband at check-in (on the left in front of the main entrance).
Kids born in 2014 or later, accompanied by an adult, can attend the Gurtenfestival for free (ID required). Kids’ tickets must now be ordered through the ticket shop (with a processing and system fee of CHF 8.00 per ticket). You will need a valid ticket to place your order—complete your purchase first, then add up to two Kids & Youth tickets.
Teenagers aged 13–15 can purchase discounted tickets in the ticket shop.
Youth tickets are not linked to any other ticket. Teenagers may attend the festival without adult supervision.
Both Kids & Youth ticket categories are limited. Regular prices apply once they are sold out.
You can find detailed information here.
The purchase of Gurtenfestival tickets for resale purposes is not permitted. Only buy tickets through the Gurtenfestival Ticket Shop or our ticket distribution partner, Ticketmaster.
You can find the Gurtenfestival AG general terms and conditions here.
Admission and Access
The Cerebral Foundation and the Gurtenfestival work together to make it as easy as possible for people with disabilities to attend the festival. This includes a wheelchair-accessible Gurtenbahn, paved walkways to the three wheelchair viewing areas and on-site assistance. There are three wheelchair-accessible restrooms nearby, which can be accessed using the Eurokey. If you do not have a Eurokey, you can order one conveniently at www.eurokey.ch.
If you do not yet have a ticket and would like to attend the Gurtenfestival, please email ticketing@gurtenfestival.ch. Wheelchair users receive a 20% discount on tickets.
You can easily exchange your ticket for a festival wristband at the check-in desk (Gurtenbahn mountain station).
All wheelchair-accessible taxis are permitted to drop off and pick up passengers at the Gurtenbahn valley station. Please arrive via Bondelistrasse. No permit is required for this.
If you do not use a wheelchair but have another disability, rest assured that you can also visit the festival without barriers and experience unforgettable moments at the Gurtenfestival. Please contact us if you have any questions or require assistance. We will address each enquiry individually and find a solution if possible. You can reach us at info@gurtenfestival.ch.
Comfort Zone
Various bars, lounges, and dining areas, as well as a spacious, cozy garden, invite you to linger and engage in lively conversations in a relaxed setting. There is also a covered viewing area with an unobstructed view of the main stage, as well as separate sanitary facilities and lockers.Whether it’s takeaway food, a coffee in the shade, or drinks in the sun – we’ve got you covered. The menus feature a variety of delicacies from regional sources. If you need a break, you can lean back on a comfortable cushion, grab a sofa in the upper area, or retreat to a garden table under the trees. For quicker access and departure, you can use the fast lane at the valley and mountain stations of the Gurtenbahn. If you have any questions, please contact comfort@gurtenfestival.ch.
A separate and faster entry to the Comfort Zone – the Fast Lane – is available at the valley and mountain stations of the Gurtenbahn. The ticket is valid for the first ascent on the day of your arrival – please have the ticket ready as a PDF on your phone or printed on paper.
Sustainability
Our Goal:
The ecological footprint of our visitors should be the same or even smaller during the festival than in their everyday life. Our ambition is to host a music and cultural event without consuming more resources than on a regular day – so that, from a sustainability perspective, it makes no difference whether the festival takes place or not.
We live, evaluate, and implement sustainability based on a three-pillar principle:
- Ecological sustainability
- Social sustainability
- Economic sustainability
To achieve our goal, the Gurtenfestival has been relying on various measures listed below for many years.
Waste per guest amounts to only 1 kg – including setup and takedown.
For comparison: the Swiss daily average is 1.9 kg.Waste separation stations are available throughout the site, including in the valley and along the path to the Gurten.
54% of the waste is recycled; the rest is used for energy recovery at the Bern waste-to-energy plant (with an efficiency of over 80%).
Reusable cups have been standard since 2004 – making us one of the first festivals in Europe to adopt them.
In the Comfort Zone, drinks are served in glass (bottles, glasses).
All dishware (cups, plates, cutlery, PET, aluminum) is subject to a deposit.
Plates/bowls are made from sugarcane, cutlery from starch (cPLA).
Returned dishware is thermally recycled at the Forsthaus energy center – generating electricity and heat for the city of Bern.
Free product sampling on and around the festival grounds is prohibited. Exceptions are only made if the sampling offers a direct benefit (e.g. cooling towels).
At least 50% of all meals are vegetarian.
Only regional, seasonal ingredients and Swiss meat are used.
Fish must come from local waters only; seafood is not allowed.
All vendors use the official reusable dishware system.
Alcohol-free beer and drinks are available at all bars.
Electricity and water requirements are ordered through us, managed by us, and optimized where possible.
Only local food stands from the Bern region are present on the Gurten.
The largest stand (operating at two locations) offers fully vegan cuisine – in collaboration with Outlawz Food as a pilot project for economically viable vegan festival catering.
65% of guests arrive by public transport, 30% on foot or by bike. Only 5% still use a car or motorcycle.
Free bicycle parking is available directly at the Gurten funicular station.
Travel within the Libero zones 100/101 is free with a valid ticket and wristband.
Trams, Moonliner night buses, and shuttles operate 24/7 in the city and greater Bern area.
SBB and BLS significantly expand their regular train services during peak times.
Diversity in focus: aiming for the fairest possible gender balance among booked artists on stage.
The Waldbühne (Forest Stage) is reserved for Swiss artists – to support national and regional talent.
A new podcast stage expands the festival’s cultural offerings beyond music.
90% of all purchased goods (food, drinks, etc.) come from Switzerland – mostly from the Bern region.
Procurement is based on ecological and social criteria.
Transport to and from the site is strictly limited and optimized – also due to the geographic layout of the venue.
Helpers and suppliers without cargo use public transport exclusively.
Furniture, machinery, and vehicles are mostly rented and reused rather than purchased.
Pilot project starting in 2025: all generators will run on HVO (renewable plant-based oil).
Water-saving appliances and equipment are used throughout the entire festival site.
100% of electricity comes from renewable energy sources.
An in-house smart grid combines generators and grid power to ensure optimal load distribution and reduce the number of generators needed.
Consumers such as site lighting are centrally controlled and switched on/off based on demand.
- Around CHF 30 million in direct and indirect economic value for the Bern region – for example through jobs, infrastructure, mobility, and hospitality.