Getting to Geneva Airport (GVA) in Switzerland is easy by car or on public transportation (train and bus). Private minibus transfers and airport shuttle van services run to Alpine ski resorts in France and Switzerland.
Geneva International Airport (Aéroport International de Genève) is conveniently located on the outskirts of Geneva City. Getting to the airport is easy and often fairly cheap when using public transportation. Public bus lines run from the airport to most areas of Genève while train services are the easiest way to travel to most parts of Switzerland. Buses go to many Alpine ski resorts in France. Driving is also a good option as Geneva Airport is next to highway Autoroute A1. Gettransfers gives online quotations for private transfers.
Public transportation at Geneva Airport is available only from the Swiss / International part of the airport. Only a very limited number of taxis and car rental companies operate from the French sector.
Getting to Geneva Airport in Switzerland by Car
Driving to Geneva Airport is very easy. The airport is directly next to the Autoroute A1 highway, which passes Geneva via Lausanne to Bern, Zürich, and beyond. Parking is reasonably easy at Geneva Airport but expensive.
Driving on the Autoroute in Switzerland requires the display of a vignette on the car windscreen. It is possible to reach Geneva Airport without using the Autoroute but a map may be essential.
The road entrance to the French Sector of Geneva Airport is next to the Customs Post (Douane) at Ferney-Voltaire. Very few foreign travelers actually have to use this entrance rather than the main airport facilities on the Swiss / international side of the airport.
Taxis from Geneva Airport are expensive — a minimum of CHF25, around CHF60 to downtown Genève, CHF35 to international organizations, and very expensive to other towns. Private airport transfers may be convenient for small groups or families traveling with luggage to destinations not readily served by public transportation. Advance reservations, especially on winter weekends, are advisable. Try Getttransfers for an online quotation but do compare offers.
By Bus to Geneva Airport in Switzerland and France
Buses provide useful and cheap transportation to Geneva Airport from Genève city as well as many cities in France. All urban buses depart from the Swiss / international part of the airport.
Free Tout Genève public transportation tickets are no longer distributed for free in the baggage claim area of the arrivals hall but cost only CHF3 from vending machines at the bus stop. These Tout Genève (Unireso zone 10) tickets are valid for 80 minutes on all Geneva public transportation buses, trams, boats, and trams.
Travelers sleeping in a hotel in Geneva receive free transportation cards as part of the tourist tax. Hotels should email the app code a few days before arrival so travel is possible on the first day from the airport or station to the hotel.
→ See Genève Public Buses to Geneva Airport for details on the public transportation ticket and bus service to the airport.
Direct bus services from Geneva Airport go to several French towns including Annecy, Chambery, Grenoble, and Thonon-les-Bains. Sometimes trains are also useful although the connections are often not that simple and traveling times may be longer than the bus.
By Train to Geneva Airport in Switzerland and France
The fastest link between downtown Geneva and Geneva Airport (GVA) is by train. The train journey from Genève Cornavin train station to Genève Aéroport station takes only six minutes. There is no specific “Geneva Airport Train” — any long-distance or regional train running between the city center and the airport may be used. The Tout Genève ticket is valid on this section of the railway.
Most Swiss long-distance trains to Geneva terminate at the airport. Direct train services are available to Geneva Airport from amongst others Bern, Biel, Fribourg, Lausanne, Montreux, Neuchâtel, Nyon, and Sion.
All trains stop en route at Geneva-Cornavin station in the city center. From here, connecting trains can speed visitors to any part of Switzerland. From Geneva-Cornavin, train services are also available to many stations in France with the Leman Express service especially useful.
No trains to France or any TGV Lyria trains stop at Geneva Airport but only at the downtown Geneva-Cornavin station.
Public transportation timetables and tickets are available from Swiss Railways but buying tickets is often simpler at Trainline, especially for cross-border travel, or from a train ticket machine.
→ See By Train to Geneva Airport (GVA) in Switzerland for more details on railways to the airport.
Transfer Services to Winter Sports Ski Resorts in France and Switzerland from Geneva Airport
Geneva Airport is a major arrival airport for travelers heading to ski resorts in the Alps in both Switzerland and France. During the winter sports season, many transfer services are available to ski resorts – most require advance reservations.
Bus transfers are mostly used from Geneva Airport to ski resorts in France. Weekends, especially Saturdays, are the main Geneva airport transfer period with many additional buses connecting the airport with resorts in France.
Transfers to Swiss ski resorts are rarely done by bus. Most skiers heading to Swiss resorts will take the train and change to local buses closer to the resorts.
Private transfer services are of course available to any destination and are best reserved well in advance. Ski resorts or tourist offices often provide information on services available to specific resorts and valleys, which may be cheaper than booking through a central reservation office. Compare various shuttle bus providers for the best value deals.
More on Transportation to Geneva Airport (GVA):
- Geneva International Airport – Aéroport International de Genève (GVA)
- Ground Transportation to Geneva Airport
- By Train to Geneva Airport (GVA) in Switzerland
- Genève Public Bus Services to Geneva Airport
- Trains & Buses from France to Geneva Airport (GVA)
- Try Gettransfer for online quotations for pre-booked transfers without requiring personal information in advance.
- Trainline is often the easiest site for buying online train tickets for Switzerland, France, and much of Europe.
- Winter Bus Transfers from French Towns to Geneva Airport (GVA)
- Direct Flights to Geneva Airport
- Swiss Railways English website for online timetables and tickets.