Bern is the capital of Switzerland, a compact and well-preserved city on a bend of the Aare river, and while most visitors get around its car-free medieval old town on foot or by tram, a rental car is genuinely useful for day trips into the surrounding Bernese countryside and toward the Alps. Bern-Belp Airport, a small regional field a short drive south of the city, handles limited commercial and charter traffic, so most travelers renting a car in Bern do so at city-center locations near the main train station rather than at the airport itself, with desks run by international and local companies.
From central Bern, the Bernese Oberland's lake towns and mountain villages lie within an hour to ninety minutes by car, making a rental practical for reaching areas the rail network covers less directly, along with wine routes near Lake Biel and the rolling farmland east of the city. Within Bern itself, though, the old town's narrow lanes and extensive pedestrian zones mean a car is more of a burden than a help, so many visitors pick up their rental only when they are ready to leave the city center for the surrounding region.
Driving is on the right throughout Switzerland, and every vehicle using the country's motorways needs a vignette, an annual sticker or, more recently, an electronic version tied to the license plate; rental cars usually come with one already included, but it is worth confirming at pickup since driving without it brings a fine. Roads outside Bern climb quickly into hill and mountain terrain, and winter conditions bring snow-tire expectations and occasional pass closures at higher elevations. Fuel stations are common and reliable throughout the region, and Switzerland's well-maintained road network makes onward travel from Bern toward Interlaken, Lucerne or the mountains straightforward for a confident driver at any time of year.