Just a few steps from Bern’s historic centre stands an old tram depot, restored and transformed into a multifunctional venue that includes:
- a restaurant;
- a bar and brewery;
- a terrace;
- an event and seminar room;
- a boutique hotel;
- a gelato production workshop.
The project began in 1998, and since then Altes Tramdepot has become a landmark in the Swiss capital: an iconic place that promotes quality experiences built around some of life’s greatest pleasures — drinking, eating, having fun and sleeping well.
The restaurant
The old station clock no longer marks the arrivals and departures of trams, but rather the rhythm of orders and efficient dining room service.
The kitchen offers traditional meat dishes, burgers and generous salads, accompanied by around 30 types of craft beer.
The bar and brewery
The brewery has been the soul of the old tram depot since 1998. Since then, beer has been produced in large copper fermentation tanks placed at the centre of the venue.
Production takes place several times a week, for a total of around 3,000 hectolitres of beer per year.
All the beers produced are natural, unfiltered and free from chemical additives.
The terrace
The outdoor terrace offers a beautiful view over the River Aare and, especially in summer, is full of people enjoying good moments together.
Event and seminar room
Located on the first floor of the former depot, this 120-square-metre space can accommodate up to 80 people.
The room is available for private events, corporate meetings, conferences, seminars and similar occasions.
The boutique hotel
It is called One Suite Hotel ZOLLHAUS because it consists of a single two-floor suite, created inside the old toll house.
It is located on the historic Nydeggbrücke bridge, inside the BearPark, just a short walk from the River Aare and Bern’s old town.
Connected to the old depot by a small road, it is a truly original place to stay, only a short distance from the city’s main attractions.
The gelato workshop
The depot also houses a workshop for the production of artisanal gelato and fruit sorbets, made with top-quality ingredients.
More than 20 flavours are produced using only organic milk from the nearby Emmental Valley.
Eiswerkstatt, the ice-cream van
In 2024, the workshop equipped itself with an ice-cream van, with the aim of bringing its gelato throughout the city.
To do so, Altes Tramdepot turned to VS Veicoli Speciali, an Italian food truck manufacturer well known across Europe.
The collaboration quickly resulted in an ice-cream van perfectly in tune with the style and identity of the workshop.
Eiswerkstatt is based on a Porter Piaggio Craft X, fitted with 16 gelato wells, a drinks refrigerator and a kitchen area.
The Piaggio Porter ice-cream van is spacious, allows three operators to work at the same time, and travels around Bern with minimal fuel consumption.
The entire fit-out is extremely solid, built with first-class equipment, requires low maintenance and involves a limited initial investment.
The efficiency of this ice-cream van is further enhanced by a digital system that manages the vehicle’s main functions.
The eXtra system, patented by VS Veicoli Speciali, allows food truck operators to work in the best possible environmental and safety conditions.
A simple mobile application increases the efficiency of the food truck by allowing operators to:
- change the temperature of the refrigerators;
- adjust the onboard climate control;
- regulate the lighting of the work area;
- check the vehicle’s location;
- track routes;
- set alarms;
- monitor the battery charge level;
- and more.
With the installation of this technology, Eiswerkstatt has achieved a clear improvement in operator comfort and work productivity, together with a reduction in electricity consumption.
The Eiswerkstatt ice-cream van is an intelligent solution for increasing the workshop’s profits, while also introducing it to people who do not usually visit the venues inside the old tram depot.
A fine example of how to achieve two goals at once.
