Travelling to Geneva

About Geneva

Nestled on the banks of Lake Geneva you'll find the City of Peace. Surrounded by snowy mountains, Geneva welcomes visitors from around the world. Known for its rich history in horology, finance, and as the headquarters of the UN and the Red Cross. Offering free public transport to its visitors, the city provides a clean and healthy environment to explore. Geneva has a unique charm, a serene atmosphere, with possibly the best view in all of Europe.

Quick Guide to Geneva

• Must Know: Purchase a transportation card to save money while exploring the city.
• Must Do: Take a cruise out on the lake, or hire your own boat to see the picturesque lake.
• Must See: Near the city's centre you can discover the area known as Carouge, with its Bohemian atmosphere of boutiques and open air cafes it's a relaxing way to spend the day.
• Did You Know: Geneva has been voted one of the best cities to live several times.

Travel to Geneva

Flying into Geneva International Airport

Lying 4 kilometres from Geneva city centre, Geneva International Airport is, unsurprisingly, the facility most visitors to Geneva pass through on arrival. In fact as the second largest facility in Switzerland the airport saw nearly 15.5 million passengers travel through one of its two terminals in 2014.
Having been opened in 1920 the airport has grown to become one of the principal hubs for easyJet Switzerland, which contributes to 40% of the facility’s traffic. Overall around 45 companies operate from this airport providing flights to destinations in Europe, Maghreb and the Near and Middle-East.

Getting from Geneva International Airport to City Centre

Geneva International Airport has its own train station which offers regular services directly to Geneva-Cornavin railway station, the main railway facility in Geneva city centre. Journeys take approximately 7 minutes.
Buses are also regularly available, with one leaving every 8-15 minutes. Bus numbers 5, 10, 23, 28, 57, F and Y all pass through the city centre.
Taxis are readily available outside of the airport, with an average ride to the city centre costing between 35-45 CHF. If driving yourself take road Pré-Bois, then Avenue Louis-Casai. Follow by Avenue Pailly, Avenue de Châtelaine, then Avenue du Mail dir. Boulevard Georges-Favon.

Trains to Gare de Genève-Cornavin (Geneva-Cornavin Railway Station)

As the largest station in Geneva , and 9th largest in Switzerland, Gare de Genève-Cornavin sees around 23 million passengers pass through it each year. The main providers operating here are CHH and SNCF, with destinations including Lyon, Grenoble, Valence, Marseille, Montpellier, Barcelona, Paris, Lyon, Basel, Biel, Bern, Lausanne and Zurich.

Getting from Gare de Genève-Cornavin (Geneva-Cornavin Railway Station) to Geneva City Centre

The train station is well within a walkable distance to the city centre, and most would probably find it a quicker option than bus or taxi, however if you would prefer buses 61, 6, 9, 10, 19, NA, NE and NC will take you to the centre.
Trams are also available with lines 14 and 18 travelling into the city. Many taxis are readily available outside of the station, with the average driving time taking 8 minutes. If driving yourself follow Boulevard James-Fazy/Passage des Grottes to Rue de la Servette, then Pont de la Coulouvreniere, then Boulevard Georges-Favon. Continue onto Avenue du Mail, Avenue Henri-Dunant, then Boulevard Georges-Favon.

Buses to Gare routière de Genève

This bus station is located very close to the train station meaning it too is in walkable distance to the city centre. Buses, many routes provided by Eurolines, are provided to most European countries.

Getting from Gare routière de Genève to Geneva City Centre

The city centre is a walkable distance from the bus station, however bus lines 1, 6, 8, 9, 25, NA, NC and NS travel into Geneva’s centre. There is no tram, but taxis are readily available. To drive from this bus station, a journey which ordinarily takes around 10 minutes, follow the route below:
Rue Ami-Lévrier to Rue du Mont-Blanc, then take Boulevard James-Fazy/Passage des Grottes to Rue de la Servette. Follow Pont de la Coulouvreniere, then Boulevard Georges-Favon, then Avenue du Mail, Avenue Henri-Dunant, then Boulevard Georges-Favon until you reach the city centre.

Driving to Geneva

To drive to Geneva follow the A1 or A1a motorways from Switzerland, or the A40 and then A1a from France. Geneva’s city centre is accessible by car. Switzerland has an effectively laid out and well-maintained motorway system, and due to its size the country can be crossed in 3 hours by car. Some of the roads will require a toll to pass them, and stick to the speed limit of 120 km/hour.

How to Get Around in Geneva

Public Transport in Geneva

Unireso is a travel tariff operated in the Canton or Republic of Geneva. Its tickets are valid for CFF (trains) TPG (Transports Publics Genevois - trams and buses) and Mouettes Genevoises (boats) services throughout the area. Within the city of Geneva itself services are provided by the operator TPG. Their transport system comprises of 28 bus lines (covering 364 kilometres), 6 trolleybus lines (covering 36 kilometres), 4 tram lines (covering 27 kilometres), 20 regional and cross border bus lines (to France) and 4 boat routes. The transport system handles 440,000 passengers a day.

• Public Transport Provider: TPG
• Cost of a Ticket: 3 CHF (3 stops max.) Daily tickets cost approximately 10 CHF, or a discounted 8 CHF if bought after 9 A.M. Weekly tickets cost 38 CHF, and monthly approximately 70 CHF. A yearly ticket will cost around 500 CHF.
• Discounted Ticket Types: Juniors (from ages 6 to 25) and Seniors are entitled to discounts on daily tickets (for approximately 7,30 CHF), weekly tickets (for approx. 23 CHF), monthly tickets (approx. 45 CHF) and yearly tickets (approx. 400 CHF),
• Availability of Public Transport at Night: Noctambus Genève operate 12 bus lines around the city between midnight and 4:30 A.M.

Cycling in Geneva

Over the years cycling in Geneva has becoming increasingly common; 2009 to 2011 saw a 30% rise in cyclists in the city. There are around 130 kilometres of roads accessible to cycles in Geneva, which equates to 58% of the overall road network. 29% of this consists of dedicated bike lanes.
Bike hire is available from 2 rental stations provided by Genève roule.

• Official Municipal Bike Provider: Genève roule (Association)
• Rental Costs: Between 12 CHF - 38 CHF per day depending on the bikes hired.

Taxis in Geneva

There are around 60 dedicated taxi ranks in Geneva, with taxis also available by hailing them in the street. Some useful companies include TAXIPHONE Centrale (+41 22 33 141 33), AA Genève Central Taxi (+41 22 320 22 02) and Taxi Ambassador Sàrl (+41 22 731 41 41).

• Base Minimum Fare: Around 6,30 CHF.
• Cost: Approximately 3.20 CHF per kilometre, raised to around 3,80 CHF if travelling at night or with more than 3 passengers.