Legal battle erupts over Bern’s controversial pedestrian passage plan
A legal challenge has been launched against a new pedestrian passage planned between Bern’s main station and Hirschengraben. The project, part of the larger Zukunft Bahnhof Bern megaproject, is now facing opposition from the Green Liberal Party and the Heit Sorg zu Bären association. The groups argue that the passage threatens the area’s protected heritage and contradicts existing zoning rules. The proposed passage forms a key element of the Zukunft Bahnhof Bern initiative, led by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Regionalverkehr Bern-Solothurn, and the city of Bern. The scheme aims to modernise and expand the main station, adding new entrances near Bubenberg/Hirschengraben and along Länggasse. Opponents claim the zoning ordinance, approved by the Office for Communities and Spatial Planning, violates the objectives of the Obere Altstadt planning zone. This zone seeks to preserve historic urban fabric and improve architectural quality. The plaintiffs insist the passage would damage these goals by altering the area’s character. Their concerns extend to the relocation of the Bubenberg Monument and the loss of valuable trees. They also warn that archaeological remains beneath the site could be put at risk. According to the legal challenge, these changes would strip the area of its distinctive identity and undermine the building code’s protective purpose. The court case will determine whether the pedestrian passage can proceed as planned. If the challenge succeeds, the project may need significant revisions to address heritage and zoning concerns. The outcome could also impact the broader Zukunft Bahnhof Bern modernisation efforts.
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