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Eurovision Song Contest 2025
The Eurovision Song Contest is coming to Switzerland! And with it, music fans from all over the world celebrating its motto “United by Music”. This May, numerous artists will once again be performing elaborate shows in an attempt to score the most points and secure the win for their country. The musical mega event will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, only a one-hour train ride from the federal city.
Event information
Programme
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025 will take place over the course of a week with a total of nine live-audience shows. They include the two semifinals on 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May, all three of which will be broadcast on live television.
Tickets
In order to see Eurovision live, you had to pre-register with the ticket platform by 10 January 2025. The first wave of tickets was available for sale to all registered persons on 29 January 2025.
Locations
The shows will take place at Basel’s St. Jakobshalle, but there are other ESC-related locations throughout the city. The Basel Exhibition Centre will be home to the Eurovision Village, which offers a daily programme of events and activities related to the Eurovision Song Contest.
By the way: Presenting the Grand Final on 17 May will be Michelle Hunziker, a Bern native. She’ll be joining presenters Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer.
Nemo
We owe the fact that the largest music contest in the world will take place in Switzerland this year to a young artist from the canton of Bern: on 11 May 2024, Nemo won the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö with their song “The Code”. This marks only the third ever victory for Switzerland in the history of the event. It was clear early on that Nemo, born and raised in Biel, has an exceptional talent for music. In 2018, they won four Swiss Music Awards and became a star overnight with their songs in the Bernese dialect.
Interested in a bit of ESC atmosphere in Bern? In this case we recommend discovering Bern with our city guide Marc “Cuco” Dietrich. As a part of the music group Peter, Sue & Marc, he has taken part in the ESC four times and even became fourth.
Travelling and accommodation
Accommodation
Basel is only an hour away from the city of Bern. To get there as quickly as possible, an accommodation near the main station would be “gäbig” (convenient). However, as the city of Bern has an excellent public transport network and distances are short, you have plenty of diverse options to choose from. There’s something for every taste, need and budget
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Mobility
If you stay at an accommodation in Bern, you automatically receive a Bern Ticket which lets you use public transport in the city for free. It is the easiest way to get from where you’re staying to Bern railway station. Additionally, the Bern Ticket grants free access to the Gurten and Marzili funiculars, among others. Ready to explore the city and its surroundings?
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Trains depart from Bern railway station to Basel every thirty minutes, taking you to the Eurovision venues within an hour. The website and convenient mobile app of the SBB (Swiss railway) make it easy to plan the journey.
Attractions and events
Eating and drinking
The federal city is a mecca for gourmets. Be it a relaxed neighbourhood “Beiz” (pub), an elegant fine-dining restaurant, or a trendy snack bistro: visitors in Bern can choose from a wide range of restaurants and bars to fuel up before the show begins.
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Musical Bern
Be it contemporary performances at Dampfzentrale, fast beats at Gaskessel, or inspiring plays at Heitere Fahne: the city and its surrounding regions offer everything the hearts of music fans and culture vultures desire. There’s something to suit every taste, from intimate jazz evenings to energizing raves. Experience creative performances combined with an unforgettable atmosphere in Bern!
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