Festival Guests Info
We are very pleased to welcome you to the 13th edition of the Norient Festival from January 10–14, 2024, in Bern, Switzerland. Below you will find important information regarding your travel and stay with us in Bern.
Please check this page for short term updates and changes (they will be highlighted in red).
Festival Host / Contact
During the festival dates, this is your first contact for most inquiries:
Hannes (Head of Production)
+41 76 479 78 20 (WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal)
hannes (at) norient.com
Festival Catering
LUNCH
We generally don’t offer lunch to our guests. However, on Saturday and Sunday you can find some food (sandwiches) at the festival hub also during the day.
COFFEE
At the festival hub we offer free coffee for you. Check the opening hours.
DRINKS
We will offer three vouchers per day to get drinks for free at the festival venues.
DINNER
The festival dinner for guests and staff is available between 18:00 and 19:30 (6–7pm) at the following dates and places:
Tue/Wed: PROGR, Atelier 361 (3rd floor, wing OST)
Thu–Sun: PROGR, Festival Hub/Stube (ground floor, wing WEST)
Adapter for Power Plugs
If you need any adapter for your power plugs, please ask at the hotel or ask at the Festival Hub and we will check if we can lend you a suitable one.
Bicycle Rental
If you wish to move around by bicycle, there is a rental system for bicycles that covers the entire area of the city and more called PubliBike. Check their website all further information such as prices, payment, app download, etc.
Currency
The currency in Switzerland is Swiss Francs. Most shops accept debit and credit cards, and many also accept Euros. If you like, you will be able to exchange currency at the airport, main train station (Bern HB) or when you arrive in Bern at a number of Swiss Banks.
Liability
Norient declines all liability. Insurances (for hospitalization e.g.) are the responsibility of the invited guests.
Public Transport
If you stay in a hotel you’ll get a ticket which you can use for public transport in Bern for the duration of your stay. If you stay in the Artists-in-Residence appartment at PROGR you won’t get one of these tickets.
SIM Cards
If your phone company does not offer any reasonable data packages for Switzerland, check one of these options:
- If your mobile phone allows eSIM, you can easily register for an eSIM through an App called «swype». With eSIM, you can have both your usual SIM card and the Swiss eSIM active at the same time.
- If you need to use a physical SIM card, you can use the same service (app «swype»). Order your SIM card before your stay and let them ship it to the Norient office.
Weather
Winter has come to Berne and January is the coldest month of the year. The temperature at this time of the year is on average around 3 degrees or less sometimes (from -10 to +10 all is possible). Be prepared for snow, wind, and cold nights – so make sure to bring warm clothing and shoes.