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.
Number: +41 31 386 10 10.
For emergencies, especially during the festival, the festival helpline is at your disposal.
The helpline will be in operation from Tuesday, July 14, 11:00 a.m., to Sunday, July 19, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
If you have any general questions, please contact us at any time by email: info@gurtenfestival.ch.
Care Team
From the start of the festival (from Wed 12.00 pm – Mon 5.00 pm) you can reach the Care Team via WhatsApp via +41 31 386 10 90.
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.
Introduction Sunflower Lanyards «Hidden Disabilities Sunflower»
- From 2026, the Gurtenfestival will now offer Sunflower lanyards for people with invisible disabilities. These include, for example, autism, anxiety disorders, chronic illnesses and other impairments that are not immediately recognizable.
- Wearing a Sunflower Lanyard signals to other people that more understanding, patience, time, or simple language can be helpful when dealing with the person in question.
- Wearing them is voluntary. There is no need to give reasons or provide proof.
- The Sunflower Lanyard does not bring any additional benefits at the festival.
- The lanyards can be obtained at check-in or at the info point.
- The Gurten crews, contact points such as Care Team and Security, as well as the local emergency services are trained and sensitized accordingly.
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).
- Attention: First make sure that the desired children’s ticket category is still available before you buy your ticket.
Principle: Children’s tickets must be in the same category as the corresponding adult ticket. This means either regular-regular (incl. Early Bird) or Comfort-Comfort.
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.
If the children’s tickets are sold out, the discounted youth tickets can also be purchased for children.
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.
Cashless
The Gurten Festival is cashless On the entire festival grounds, payment is made exclusively with the cashless card. All food and drink stands, bars, partner stands and the Festival Store only accept this means of payment. Cash payment is not possible.
Exceptions and special cases
- Comfort Zone The area is completely cash-free. Cashless as well as credit and debit cards are accepted.
- Festival car park Payment with all common cards (CHF 50), but not with the cashless card.
- The personal cashless card is included in the ticket price. You will receive it when you exchange your festival wristband. The QR code on your cashless card will take you to your account.
- Under “Activities” you can see your bookings, but no receipts can be issued.
- Credit can only be loaded in Swiss francs.
- harging is possible online at any time.
- The minimum amount per top-up is CHF 30
- You can load a maximum of CHF 500 onto the card; multiple top-ups up to this maximum amount are possible.
- Auto top-up can be activated: the card automatically loads CHF 100 if the amount falls below CHF 50.
- No PIN code is required. For the payment process, only the cashless card with enough credit is required.
- Payment is contactless: hold the card to the device – done.
- You can add a tip to every payment.
Using cashless without a smartphone
If you don’t have a smartphone or internet:
- Have your card loaded by a friend. One account can manage multiple cards.
- Credit refund will be automatically made to the last payment account used. · If you have any questions, the Cashless Help Desk can help.
Bug fixes Payment process fails – this is how you proceed
1. Repeat the process and hold the card to the device long enough.
2. Check your account balance online (or via QR code on your cashless card).
3. If necessary, go to the Cashless Help Desk at the main entrance.
Problems with the Cashless Account
If you can’t find your account or log in, there’s often a typo in your email address.
Contact
By e-mail: cashless@gurtenfestival.ch
During the festival: Help Desk Cashless at the main entrance
- The remaining balance will be transferred back to the last payment account used within 7 days after the end of the festival. In the case of credit or PostFinance cards, the refund can only appear on the monthly statement.
- By the end of July at the latest, every chargeback should be visible.
- It is not possible to transfer it to other people’s cards. The remaining credit will be automatically refunded to you after the festival.
- In case of problems: cashless@gurtenfestival.ch.
- The card from the previous year is invalid.
- You will receive a new card when you exchange your wristband.
- You can dispose of your card in the plastic collection after the festival.
- If you’ve already created an account in 2025, you’ll still be able to use it.
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.
Attention: First make sure that the desired children’s ticket category is still available before you buy your ticket.
Principle: Children’s tickets must be in the same category as the corresponding adult ticket. This means either regular-regular (incl. Early Bird) or Comfort-Comfort.
Teenagers aged 13–15 can purchase discounted tickets in the ticket shop.
Youth tickets are not linked to any other ticket.
If the children’s tickets are sold out, the discounted youth tickets can also be purchased for children.
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.
Area
Wednesday
Opening of the grounds: 2.00 p.m. | Concert start: 3.00 p.m.
Wristband exchange: 11.00 a.m. to 01.30 a.m.
Wristband exchange Waldbühne: 2.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Thursday / Friday / Saturday
Opening of the grounds: 12.00 noon | Concert start: 2.00 p.m.
Wristband exchange: 11.00 a.m. to 02.00 a.m.
Wristband exchange Waldbühne: 12.00 to 21.00
Festival end:
Sunday, 19 July, 05.00 a.m. | Site closing: Sunday, July 19, 06:00 a.m.
Site clearance daily at 6.00 a.m. All visitors must leave the premises. Overnight stays are not allowed on the premises.
- Use of the Gurtenbahn is included in the price of the festival ticket.
- Last descent from Wednesday to Saturday night at 5:30 a.m.
- After regular public transport services have ended, shuttle buses run during the night from the Gurtenbahn tram stop to Bern main station.
- You can find more information about this under Arrival.
- The main entrance is located at the Gurtenbahn mountain station.
- Once you have exchanged your ticket for a festival wristband, you can use it to pass through the entrance.
- Security personnel at the entrances are required to carry out baggage checks and check festival wristbands.
- There is also an entrance at the Waldbühne.
- The regular exchange for a festival wristband is possible here until 9.00 p.m. (then use the exchange Berg main entrance).
- Comfort Zone tickets cannot be exchanged for a festival wristband here. An alternative route leads around the site to the main entrance, where it is possible to exchange Comfort Zone tickets.
- For the return, the path from the main entrance in the direction of Wabern must be used (except for residents Spiegel/Blinzern).
There are 400 toilets and 148 urinals on the festival grounds.
The toilets are unisex. The urinals are an exception and are labeled accordingly.
All toilet facilities also have free drinking water stations.
Peeasy
Don’t feel like waiting in long lines for the toilet? The Gurtenfestival offers the ideal solution with the FINTA* urinal: with the help of a funnel, you can easily pee while standing. The Peeasy is located on the main grounds to the right of the Migros stand.
* Women, inter, non-binary, trans, and agender persons
Women’s* urinal
There are also ten women’s* urinals in the tent stage area, which are available to all women, inter, non-binary, trans, and agender persons for quick business.
The large circus tent in the center of the main stage area offers around 30 tables with 300 covered seats.
The food tent at the tent stage area also has around 96 seats available.
PET bottles, aluminum cans, cups, cutlery, and tableware subject to a deposit can be returned to the collection points in Foodstrasse and at the tent stage area.
Drink enough water: Free drinking water is available at all toilet facilities on the grounds. Party on!
The Ticketing & Cashless Help Desk is available to answer any questions or problems you may have with your Cashless card or ticket. It is located in front of the main entrance opposite the mountain station of the Gurtenbahn, outside the festival grounds.
Wed: 11.00 am – 02.00 am
Thu / Fri / Sat: 11.00 am – 02.00 am
Opening hours cashless
Wed: 14.00 – 05.00
Thu / Fri / Sat: 12.00 – 05.00
Arrival and departure
Arrival
- The ticket or festival wristband entitles you to free return travel within the Libero zones 100/101 on the days it is valid.
- Please show your ticket or festival wristband on request.
- Children born in 2014 or later travel free of charge when accompanied by an adult in possession of a valid ticket/festival wristband.
- www.libero-tarifverbund.ch
Bus
- Line 22/29 (shuttle bus from the Wabern festival car park to the Gurtenbahn)
- Line 19: Spiegel/Blinzern stop (terminus), edge K at Bern station
The second entrance at the Waldbühne can be reached by bus line 19. After that, a 35-minute walk leads to the entrance.
Tram
Line 9 in the direction of Wabern, from edge J at Bern train station or from Hirschengraben
S-Bahn (2nd class)
- Lines S3 and S31: Stop: Wabern bei Bern. Click here for the BLS timetable.
BLS special trains
- Special trains: Wednesday and Thursday.
- Two trains per evening run via Bern–Thun.
- As well as two via Bern–Biel–Solothurn.
- On Friday and Saturday, the night-time transport service is ensured via the Moonliner connections to various destinations.
Gurtenbahn
- The use of the Gurtenbahn is also included in the ticket or festival wristband.
Return journey
- Gurtenbahn: The last descent on all festival days is at 5:30 a.m.
- Shuttle buses run throughout the night from the Gurtenbahn tram stop to Bern train station and the festival car park (stopping on request).
Moonliner
- Moonliner buses will operate with an expanded service during the 2026 Gurtenfestival.
- The festival wristband is also valid as a ticket on Moonliner buses in zones 100/101. Regular fares apply to all other zones.
- You can find the exact timetables at moonliner.ch, sbb.ch , or in the öV-Plus app.
The free bicycle parking spaces are located on Kirchstrasse and at the Morillon school building.
The motorcycle parking area is also located at the Morillon school building. The parking spaces are signposted.
There is another bicycle parking area at the second entrance via Spiegel/Blinzern.
Please only park vehicles in marked spaces.
- There are enough parking spaces and stations available for PubliBikes in Wabern. The car park is located on Kirchstrasse opposite Morillon Schulhaus.
- The stations Gurten Kulm, Wabern Bahnhof, Wabern Coop, Sandrain and all stations in the Spiegel will be out of service during the festival.
- There is now a PubliBike station in Spiegel/Blinzern.
- PubliBike is Transportation Partner 2026.
Use of the Gurtenbahn is included in the price of the festival ticket.
Last descent from Wednesday to Saturday night at 5:30 a.m.
- Approach via the A6 motorway > take the Rubigen/Belp exit via Belp > head towards Wabern.
- The festival parking lot for passenger vehicles is located on the right-hand side at the first roundabout in Wabern. Parking costs CHF 50.00 per entry. Payment is cashless.
- Overnight stays in the parking lot and camping are not permitted.
- Please note: Parking spaces are limited. If the festival parking lot is full, you will need to use the parking garages or public parking lots in the city of Bern. There is no public parking in Wabern or at the Gurtenbahn.
The BERNMOBIL shuttle bus (lines 22 and 29) runs between the festival parking lot and the Gurtenbahn as follows:
- Wed/Thu: until 3:00 a.m.
- Fri/Sat: until 4:00 a.m.
Detailed timetable available at sbb.ch.
We recommend that you use public transportation or a bicycle if possible. For the sake of the neighborhood, the environment, and your nerves.
Taxis are available at two locations in Wabern, at Seftigenstrasse 225 and 226.
- There are two footpaths: the well-known one starts to the right of the Gurtenbahn and takes 20-40 minutes, depending on your walking speed.
- The alternative starts at the terminus of bus no. 19 Spiegel/Blinzern, takes approx. 35-45 minutes and is less steep.
The path via Blinzern is mainly used as an arrival route and not as a return option, except for those who have arrived by bike or live in the immediate vicinity.
Admission and Access
You can exchange your ticket for a festival wristband on the first day of its validity. Please show the QR code on your ticket (digitally or printed on A4) at an official exchange point and also have your ID/passport ready. You can exchange your ticket for a festival wristband at the following locations:
• In front of the valley station of the Gurtenbahn in Wabern
• at the entrance at the Waldbühne
• Comfort Zone tickets can only be exchanged at check-in on the left side of the main entrance.
The festival wristband is attached to the wrist directly when exchanged.
The festival bracelet must be worn tightly around the wrist.
No loose wristbands will be given to other people.
Damaged or loose wristbands will not be accepted and will not be replaced if lost.
The festival wristband is non-transferable. Anyone who abuses is liable to prosecution and will be reported.
Age verification (+16/+18) will be handled directly with the festival wristband at the time of exchange. Please have your ID/passport ready and show it.
Wheelchair users can exchange their ticket for a wristband at the check-in (left in front of the main entrance).
Opening hours wristband exchange
Wed: 11.00 a.m. – 1.30 a.m.
Thu/Fri/Sat: 11.00 a.m.–02.00 a.m.
Exchange Waldbühne
Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat2.00 pm–9.00 pm
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.
NEW Betax travels people with mobility impairments with a valid festival pass to the Gurtenbahn valley station and back free of charge during the festival in zones 100/101.
For more information or ride reservations, contact Betax directly:
Phone: 031 990 30 90
E-mail: bestellung@betax.ch
The remaining fare cannot be combined with discounts and subsidies from third parties.
Gurtä wheelchair
The Gurtä wheelchair is especially suitable for natural mountain hiking trails, cobblestones, coarse gravel and steps. Thanks to the intelligent chassis with electric drive, it offers all the features for safe progress on rough terrain. Due to the unique design and drive technology, it is possible to overcome uphill and downhill gradients forward up to 32%. The Gurtä wheelchair will be available at the wheelchair grandstand (main stage) every day of the festival from 4:00 p.m. and can be booked for a ride there. Contact a member of the wheelchair crew (pink vest) or call 077 257 79 72.
Temporary tent constructions and overnight stays on the festival grounds are not permitted. There is no camping area on or next to the festival site. Below you will find a list of accommodations in the city of Bern that offer various offers for the duration of the festival.
· It is best to reserve your tent or pitch early
· All further information can be found on the website of Camping Eichholz
· There are no parking spaces at Camping Eichholz. We recommend arriving by public transport
Upon presentation of the festival ticket (paper form or online ticket), they grant a room discount as follows:
· 1 night CHF 10.00 reduction
· From 2 nights CHF 15.00 reduction per night
The offer is subject to availability and can be booked by phone or e-mail. It cannot be combined with other discounts. No discount for bookings made via online booking platforms (Booking, HRS, Expedia, etc.) or spontaneous bookings on the same day.
· Discounted rates and courteous cancellation policy
· Umbrella or umbrella and a bottle of mineral water
· Hangover breakfast until 11.00 a.m.
· Lunch box with sandwich, mineral water, fruit and power bar
· Late check-out until 12.30 pm
This offer is only valid for direct bookings by phone or e-mail with the keyword “Gurtenfestival26”
· Discounted prices for overnight stays – CHF 169.00 for 2 people incl. breakfast
· Late check-out until 2.00 p.m.
· Breakfast until 11.00 a.m.
· You can treat yourself to a nightcap. Please note the nightcap (beer or wine) when making your reservation.
This offer is only valid when booking through this link.
More tips for accommodation
Dogs and other animals are not allowed on the festival grounds – for the sake of the animal.
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.
- The check-in for Comfort Zone guests is located on the left in front of the main entrance at the Gurtenbahn mountain station.
- At the Waldbühne wristband exchange, no Comfort Zone tickets can be exchanged for a festival wristband.
- It is still possible to travel via footpath from Spiegel/Blinzern. The path leads around the festival site to the check-in (turn-off signposted).
Check-in opening hours
Tue: 2.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Wed: 07.30 am – 02.00 am
Thu / Fri / Sat: 10.30 am – 02.00 am
Contact: comfort@gurtenfestival.ch / 031 386 10 10
Safety
ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE SPEAKERS, THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SECURITY STAFF
In the event of an evacuation of buildings and tents in the event of a thunderstorm/storm:
- Go to the open area and to the signalled evacuation zones.
- Keep your distance from buildings, trees and other dangers.
- Avoid the path back to the valley, because it leads through a forest (danger of falling trees).
- Spread the official information – inform your friends
- Take care of your self-protection and provide help if necessary
- We do not tolerate any form of discrimination, especially racism, sexism, queerphobia or violence.
- Help make our festival a place for everyone. Meet others with respect, openness and respect their boundaries – for a peaceful and communal festival experience.
- If you experience a violent or discriminatory situation or feel unsafe, contact the Care Team, the security and stage staff, the bar crew or the paramedics at any time.
Accessibility Care Team
- You can reach the Care Team during the festival days via WhatsApp at +41 31 386 10 90 or signaled on the grounds with green reflective vests.
- You should be uncomfortable with the “Care Point” location (between Waldbühne and Zeltbühne, Ostsignal crossing) with safer spaces where you can retreat.
- Times: from the beginning of the festival daily from 12.00 noon until the grounds close.
- Aftercare after the festival until the following Monday at 5:00 p.m
You can reach the festival organization directly by phone (031 386 10 10) or by email (info@gurtenfestival.ch).
Here you can find our “Feel Safe Together” principles.
With the Sunflower Lanyards, we create more visibility for invisible disabilities at the Gurtenfestival. The green lanyard with the sunflowers is an international identification mark for invisible impairments. These include, for example, autism, anxiety disorders, ADHD, chronic pain and other impairments that are not immediately recognizable.
Wearing a Sunflower Lanyard discreetly signals that the person in question may need a little more time, patience, understanding, or support. A festival is often associated with loud music, large crowds, intense light effects and many sensory impressions. For some people, this can be challenging or stressful.
The Sunflower Lanyard helps to make these needs visible – without any explanation. Wearing the lanyard is voluntary and does not bring any additional benefits at the festival.
Get Sunflower Lanyards at the Gurtenfestival
The Sunflower lanyards can be purchased free of charge at the following locations:
– Check-in at the mountain station
– Infopoint on the festival grounds
No proof is required. We don’t ask questions. Just take one if it helps you.
Dealing with People Wearing a Sunflower Lanyard
If you see someone with a Sunflower Lanyard, please treat that person with understanding and consideration. She/He may need a little more time, for example when orienting, ordering or queuing. Maybe the person behaves differently than you expect. That’s perfectly fine. Please don’t ask why. The lanyard itself is already the signal.
On-site support
The Gurten crew, local contact points (Care Team, Security) and the blue light organisations are sensitised to the use of the Sunflower Lanyard and provide respectful, attentive and needs-based support.
Accessibility and inclusion are important to us as the Gurtenfestival. With the Sunflower Lanyards, we want to help make all visitors feel welcome and in good hands at the festival.
- The sale and serving of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products to children and young people under the age of 16 is prohibited.
- The consumption of spirits or drinks containing spirits (mixed drinks) is prohibited by law for young people under the age of 18.
- Age checks (+16/+18) are carried out when wristbands are exchanged (ID must be presented), and the appropriate age is made visible on the festival wristband.
As at most other festivals, crowdsurfing is also prohibited at the Gurtenfestival (risk of injury).
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.