Weekday rush hours add extra S‑Bahn S31 runs Belp–Bern
The S‑Bahn S31 is a regional train line that supplements the standard S3 service between Belp (for Bern Airport BRN) and Bern main station, mainly during weekday peak hours. It runs between Belp Bahnhof and Bern Hauptbahnhof, connecting to the airport bus at Belp and long‑distance trains at Bern. Use it if you’re flying in or out of T1 at times that line up with commuter traffic in the Bern area.
From Belp Bahnhof, the S‑Bahn S31 heads straight to Bern HB, sharing the same rail corridor as the S3. Journey time is comparable to the S3’s run between Belp and Bern, so you’re mainly gaining extra departure options rather than speed. If your flight into BRN lands close to a weekday rush‑hour window, you often get an additional Belp–Bern train in the S31, which trims platform waiting time when you just missed an S3.
Tickets for the S‑Bahn S31 use the same Libero tariff system as the S3 and Bern’s buses and trams, with Belp and Bern sitting in adjacent Libero zones. Cost matches any other regional S‑Bahn ticket for the same zones; you don’t pay a surcharge just because it’s an extra commuter train. Buy at the SBB ticket machine on the platform at Belp Bahnhof or Bern HB, or use the SBB Mobile app and load a point‑to‑point or zone ticket before boarding.
Frequency varies by time of day, with S‑Bahn S31 runs primarily appearing in weekday morning and late‑afternoon peaks alongside the baseline S3 half‑hourly pattern. Outside those rush periods, you usually will not see S31 in the schedule and should plan around the regular S3 plus the Belp–airport bus. Always check the SBB timetable for the exact train ID; in peak periods, consecutive departures from Belp can be just a few minutes apart when S3 and S31 both run.
From the airport, you first ride the bus from Bern Airport (BRN) to Belp Bahnhof, then connect to either S3 or S‑Bahn S31 for Bern HB. The whole chain usually fits easily inside a 60‑minute buffer from T1 to central Bern if trains line up, but S31’s extra peak‑hour departures give you a tighter connection window when traffic or baggage delay the airport bus by 5–10 minutes. Tip: in the SBB app, save Belp–Bern as a favorite and filter by “S3/S31” so you can spot those extra S31 runs at a glance.