From Geneva Airport Into the City - The Best Ways

If you're travelling to Geneva for the first time - especially if you are on a business trip and need to be quick on your feet - you will be pleased to learn that Geneva airport is very well connected to the city. Located just four kilometers away from the city centre, you can swiftly make your way from the airport to your hotel by pre-booking a Geneva airport taxi or taking public transport (both a train and a bus are available), depending on the option that suits you best.

Using a Geneva Airport Taxi

Dealing with public transport can be very unappealing, especially if you're a business traveller with tight time restrictions but still need to drop your luggage off at your accommodation before a meeting. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of taxis available at Geneva Airport: you can either catch one from the taxi stand when you exit the airport or a better idea is to pre-book a private Geneva airport taxi service before you fly, for peace of mind. (Prices for the latter option are also more stable and dependable.)

If you decide a taxi is your best transport option, pre-booking is highly recommended for many reasons. Not only will you avoid queuing at the taxi stand (which can take a while if you fly in at a busy time of day), but you will also have a private driver waiting for you upon arrival, to drive you straight to your city hotel in a comfortable vehicle. Moreover, your driver will wait for you (for an hour) from the time your plane lands, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through passport control and baggage reclaim.

Taking the Bus

Geneva airport has good bus links into the city, including almost every well-known hotel and common business destinations such as the Place des Nations (where many international organizations have their headquarters), Bel-Air (where most banks’ headquarters can be found), and Meyrin (where the European Organization for Nuclear Research, also known as CERN, is based). Buses 5, 10, 23, and 28 all depart from the airport every nine to fifteen minutes, and the bus stop can be found directly in front of the airport terminal.

Ticket machines are located inside the Baggage Hall, before passing through customs, and offer free public transport tickets for those going anywhere between Zone 10 and central Geneva within 80 minutes of printing. Both buses and trains are included.

Taking the Train

If you want to take advantage of the free public transport ticket and a train will take you to your hotel quicker, you are not worse off for options. Once you exit the Baggage Hall, turn left and you will reach the train station almost immediately. Escalators adapted to carry baggage trolleys will take you down to the platform, so you don’t need to worry if you're carrying a heavy suitcase.

All trains departing from the airport’s train station will take you non-stop to Genève Cornavin, the city’s main station. Trains depart approximately every twelve to twenty minutes between 5:00h and 00:00h, and the journey is just six minutes. From Genève Cornavin you will find a wide array of buses and trams you can take to your hotel in the city.

Are There Any Other Options?

Although the choices highlighted above are the most common ones, you can also choose to rent a car at one of the airport’s car rental facilities, or take a free hotel shuttle if you've booked your accommodation with a hotel that provides this service.

Whatever you choose to do, whether it be taking the bus or hiring a private Geneva airport taxi, the airport is excellently connected and you'll be in the city before you have time to finish the chapter you were midway through reading on the plane!

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for a Geneva airport taxi, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.