What Berner Wanderwege does

Berner Wanderwege (BWW), legally Verein Berner Wanderwege, is a Swiss nonprofit association founded in May 1937 and headquartered at Nordring 8, Bern. It is the largest hiking organization in Switzerland and the largest association in Canton Bern, responsible for developing and maintaining the official marked hiking trail network across 78 districts in the canton. The organization operates with approximately 8 paid staff supported by 150+ trained volunteers who act as district supervisors, hiking guides, and maintenance personnel. Its primary constituency is roughly 14,000–14,500 individual and family members who pay annual fees of CHF 50 and CHF 70 respectively.

BWW's core product is the Wanderplaner, an online route-planning tool integrated with official Swisstopo maps and the Swiss federal hiking trail network, offering 5,000+ route suggestions with PDF, GPX, and offline mobile export across iOS and Android. Supporting products include the quarterly magazine Wandern/Randonner (CHF 29/year for external subscribers), an online shop selling Kümmerly+Frey and Swisstopo maps plus guidebooks from Rother, Rotpunktverlag, SAC, and Wanderland Schweiz, and an event business running 50+ guided day hikes per year plus multi-day hiking vacations. The organization also operates the ViaBerna and "Wandern am Wasser" themed challenges and sells corporate volunteer days at CHF 50 per person.

Revenue is generated through four streams: annual membership subscriptions, merchandise and map sales via the online shop, magazine subscriptions, and event/guided-hike fees (CHF 10 for non-member day hikes). BWW monetizes indirectly through a partnership network with SBB, BLS, Niederhorn, multiple hotel groups, Swiss Youth Hostels, REKA, NIKIN, Transa, LOWA, and Allianz Switzerland, whose discounts enhance the member value proposition without contributing direct revenue.

Name

Berner Wanderwege

Legal name

Verein Berner Wanderwege

Website

https://bernerwanderwege.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Berner Wanderwege is a Swiss nonprofit association founded in 1937 that maintains the official hiking trail network across Canton Bern's 78 districts. It serves approximately 14,500 members through memberships, the Swisstopo-integrated Wanderplaner route planner, guided hikes, and a quarterly magazine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation and Hiking Association Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Outdoor Guiding Services (Hiking, Trekking, Mountaineering) (THAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB), Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA), Hiking & Trail Accessories Retail (CRAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Hiking trail maintenance
• Hiking route planning
• Outdoor recreation association
• Guided hiking services
• Outdoor maps retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees generate recurring revenue. Individual membership CHF 50/year, family membership CHF 70/year. Organization has approximately 14,000-14,500 members.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling hiking books, maps (Kümmerly+Frey, Swisstopo), cycling maps, winter sports maps, merchandise (hats), and BWW brochures.
3. Travel and Event Services: Guided day hikes (free for members, CHF 10 for non-members), multi-day hiking vacations, and courses. Includes organizational fees and participant payments.
4. Magazine Subscription: Quarterly magazine Wandern/Randonner subscription at CHF 29/year. Sent to 14,000+ members (included in membership) plus ~1,000 copies to tourism partners and ~95 external subscribers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Berner Wanderwege maintains and marks the official hiking trail network across Canton Bern's 78 districts and sells individual and family memberships that include access to the online Wanderplaner route planner, the companion mobile app, a quarterly magazine, and free guided hikes. The association also operates an online and physical shop selling hiking guidebooks, official Swisstopo and Kümmerly+Frey maps, merchandise, and brochures, and organizes guided day hikes, multi-day hiking vacations, and hiking courses in Switzerland and internationally.

Product overview

Berner Wanderwege (BWW) operates primarily as a hiking trail management organization and membership-based association rather than a software company. Its core product portfolio centers on the Wanderplaner — an online route planning platform with a companion mobile app for iOS and Android that provides access to SwissTopo maps and the official Swiss hiking trail network. The organization maintains an e-commerce online shop selling hiking guidebooks (Rother, Rotpunktverlag, SAC, Wanderland Schweiz), hiking and national maps (Kümmerly+Frey, SwissTopo), and Berner Wanderwege merchandise and brochures. The Magazin Wandern/Randonner is a quarterly publication distributed to members and subscribers. Additional offerings include guided day hikes, multi-day hiking vacations, and educational courses organized by volunteer hiking guides. The organization also promotes the ViaBerna thematic hiking initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wandern/Randonner: The official quarterly magazine of Berner Wanderwege, published since 1971, covering hiking in the Canton of Bern and Switzerland with integrated French translation.
• Wanderplaner
• ViaBerna

Products and services

• Wanderplaner (Hiking Planner)
• Wanderplaner Mobile App
• Membership Program
• Guided Hikes and Hiking Courses
• Online Shop (Hiking Books, Maps and Merchandise)
• Magazin Wandern/Randonner (Quarterly Magazine)
• ViaBerna Hiking Challenge
• Corporate Volunteer Day

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ members receive magazine quarterly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSBB offers half-price discovery travel cards to BWW members for CHF 33 (adults) or CHF 19 (youth). Valid for two months on entire Swiss public transport network. Promotes hiking access via rail.
• BLS (Bernese Railways)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBLS travel centers offer BWW members a package booking fee of CHF 50 when booking package tours. Valid through December 31, 2026.
• NiederhornminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer evening '2-for-1' offer: two people ride to Niederhorn, one pays. Valid Friday and Saturday from 16:00 for BWW members through October 10, 2026.
• Chasseral HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree breakfast for two persons when booking hotel overnight with shower/WC. Valid Wednesday-Friday nights. Panoramic 360-degree mountain location.
• Hotel AlpenlandminorGTM or Marketing Partner10% discount from 2 nights in panoramic rooms. Located in Lauenen near Gstaad. Valid December 2025-March 2026 and May-October 2026.
• Faern Group (Altein, Victoria Lauberhorn, etc.)minorGTM or Marketing Partner20% discount on hotel nights at Faern Group properties including Altein Arosa, Valaisia Crans-Montana, Victoria Lauberhorn Wengen, Schweizerhof Sils-Maria. Valid on Flex rate with direct booking.
• ImbachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF 50 per person discount on multi-day guided hiking vacations with Imbach.
• Swiss Youth HostelsminorGTM or Marketing Partner15% discount on all overnight stays except group houses (Châteaux-d'Oex, Fällanden, Saignelégier, Scudellate, St-Luc). Based on availability with published prices.
• REKAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF 50 booking discount on REKA vacations. Minimum 3-night stay. Valid based on availability with direct booking.
• NIKINminorGTM or Marketing Partner15% discount on online purchases at NIKIN. Circular and sale products excluded.
• TransaminorGTM or Marketing Partner10% discount on purchases at all Transa and Yosemite stores and online shop.
• LOWAminorGTM or Marketing Partner30% discount on all LOWA socks via online shop.
• Trophy SportminorGTM or Marketing Partner10% discount on full assortment at Bike & Sport Trophy in Bern. Bikes and reduced-price items excluded (only 5% discount).
• HöhencoachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHF 50 discount on altitude training program offerings for BWW members.
• P+Rail AppminorGTM or Marketing Partner50% discount on weekend parking tickets via P+Rail app. Partner transport companies include SBB, Appenzeller Bahnen, BLS, Jungfrau Railways, and others.
• Allianz SwitzerlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAttractive insurance premium discounts for BWW members on selected insurance products. Available for new and existing Allianz customers.
• Wandermagazin SCHWEIZminorGTM or Marketing Partner50% discount on annual subscription (6 issues) for CHF 49 instead of CHF 98. New subscribers only.
• belvedere MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner20% discount on annual subscription to travel magazine (4x/year) for CHF 34 instead of CHF 42.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Komoot: Popular European route-planning platform for hiking and cycling, with strong mobile app and community features. Closest direct commercial competitor to BWW's Wanderplaner in functionality and target user.
• Outdooractive: Commercial hiking, biking, and outdoor route platform widely used across the Alpine region with mobile apps and route planning. Comparable digital offering to BWW's Wanderplaner but as a commercial, multi-country platform.
• AllTrails: Global hiking and trail database with mobile apps, user reviews, and route planning — similar feature set to Wanderplaner though lacking BWW's official mandate and Swiss hiking-network integration.

Others

• Rotpunktverlag: Swiss outdoor guidebook publisher whose hiking guides are sold through BWW's online shop. Compares as an adjacent ecosystem participant in Swiss hiking content rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• SchweizMobil: National non-motorized transport route network covering hiking, cycling, mountain biking, and skating across Switzerland. Comparable in coordinating national trail content and route information; broader scope than BWW's hiking-only focus.
• Schweiz Tourismus: Switzerland's national tourism marketing organization, promoting hiking and outdoor experiences domestically and internationally. Comparable in distributing BWW's magazine to tourism partners and overlapping on hiking tourism promotion.
• SAC Swiss Alpine Club: Switzerland's largest mountain sports organization, offering guided tours, hut network, courses, and a membership model. Comparable in nonprofit, membership-driven structure and guided outdoor activities, though focused on alpine/mountaineering rather than trail hiking specifically.
• Schweizer Wanderwege: National umbrella federation for Swiss hiking trail organizations, coordinating across all cantons including Bern. Direct counterpart at the federal level, with broader geographic scope but less depth in any single canton — the most structurally comparable peer to Berner Wanderwege.

Direct peers

• Wanderland Schweiz: Operator of the national route portal SchweizMobil.ch and partner publisher of hiking guides carried in BWW's shop. Directly comparable in coordinating Swiss hiking route content and trail promotion across regions.

Regional players

• St. Gallen Wanderwege: Cantonal hiking association for Eastern Switzerland, with similar mandate, volunteer model, and trail-maintenance role. A direct functional analogue operating in a different Swiss canton.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berner-wanderwege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berner Wanderwege