Geneva International Airport Guide (GVA)
Located on the Swiss-French border, Geneva International Airport (Genève Aéroport) is an important regional hub serving Geneva and other destinations in the Alps. Our guide to the airport includes detailed information about terminal facilities, nearby accommodation and public transport access.
A new eco-friendly terminal project is currently under construction in the East Wing, and is expected to be completed in 2020.
The airport has an app which allows you to manage your transport (from finding a train to an empty parking lot), find your way within the terminal buildings in real time and access to the Free Wi-Fi for 120 minutes, among others. The app, known as GVAPP, is available in French, German and English. Within the airport, information desks are also located on the arrivals level and transit area.
If you need assistance such as wheelchair or travelling with your guide dog, please contact your airlines.
From downtown Geneva, drive east and take Rue du Temple to Place Isaac-Mercier. Then continue on Rue Voltaire, Rue de Lyon, Avenue de Châtelaine, Pont de l'Écu, Route de Vernier and take exit 6 and follow the airport sign.
If driving from France and wanting to skip the Swiss customs, take the customs road on the French side at the Ferney-Voltaire customs post and follow the signs "Aéroport secteur France". You can set your GPS to Ferney Voltaire (City) and Route douanière (street).
Public Transport
Rail: Passengers arriving at Geneva Airport are entitled to complimentary use of public transport within the canton of Geneva for up to 80 minutes. You can pick up this free ticket from the machine in the baggage collection area at the arrivals level.
If you stay in a hotel, hostel or a campsite in Geneva, you will also get a free Geneva Transport Card when you arrive at your accommodation. This card gives you free public transport during your stay.
Alternatively, The Swiss Pass offers unlimited travel on the Swiss Travel System network for either 3, 4, 8, or 15 consecutive days or an entire month. Further information is available online (https://www.swiss-pass.ch/).
There is a railway station opposite the entrance to Geneva Airport, from which regular trains depart towards the city centre (journey time: 7 minutes).
Bus:Buses 5, 10, 23, 28 and Y serve neighbourhoods in and around Geneva. For those travelling into the city centre it is probably quicker and easier to get a train.
Shuttle: Free shuttle services depart regularly from outside Arrivals for the following hotels in Geneva: Best Western Chavannes-de-Bogis, Crown Plaza Genève, Holiday Inn Express Geneva Airport, Ibis Genève Aéroport, Mövenpick Geneve, Nash Airport Hotel, NH Geneva Airport Hotel and Starling Geneva Hotel and Conference Centre.
Taxis:Taxis can be hailed outside Arrivals. Typically a fare into the city centre will cost CHF35-45. Cabs can be pre-booked at Taxi-Phone SA (tel: +41 22 331 4133; www.taxi-phone.ch). There is also a car-sharing scheme which you can locate a car using an app. For more information, please see www.catch-a-car.ch.
Terminal facilities
Banks, bureaux de change and ATMs are situated in the main terminal. A tax refund service is also available for passengers leaving Switzerland.
Free Wi-Fi internet access (90 minutes, or 120 minutes if you have the airport app) is available throughout Geneva International Airport. If you don’t have the airport app, you can get the Wi-Fi code via an SMS, scan your boarding pass at the self-service counters to get an access code, present your ID at the Visitors Centres on arrivals level.
Additionally, pay telephones are dotted throughout the terminals and a post office facility is available to passengers.
There is a range of bars, cafés and restaurants at Geneva International Airport. A good choice of sit-down eateries, fast-food outlets and cafés can be found in the food court on the departures level, while a restaurant serving Swiss specialities is located in the arrivals area.
Shopping options include duty-free outlets selling cigarettes, alcohol and perfumes. Other shops at Geneva International Airport include confectioners, watch retailers and gift boutiques.
A porter service (tel: +41 79 290 2023) is available for a small fee. For lost property enquiries in and around the terminal, contact Cantonal Lost Property Service (SCOT) (tel: +41 22 546 0900). The train station has its own dedicated lost property office (tel: +41 90 030 0300). Left-luggage facilities and lockers are also available at the train station.
Airport facilities
A small business centre offering copying and internet facilities can be found in Arrivals. Meeting facilities are available at the NH Geneva Airport Hotel (tel: +41 225 296 347; www.nh-hotels.com) and the Mövenpick Hotel and Casino (tel: +41 22 717 1111; www.moevenpick-hotels.com). Additionally, the Palexpo Congress Centre (tel: +41 22 761 1111; www.palexpo.ch) is located nearby.
The public terminal areas and car parks are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Assistance is available for passengers with disabilities – passengers should request any special assistance when booking their ticket and notify the airport of their requirements 48 hours before their arrival.
There are 265 short-term and around 4,700 long-term parking spaces located on-site at the airport, plus an additional 220 parking spaces in a dedicated French-sector car park. An economy car park is also available for long-term parking. For further information, call the airport's parking office (tel: +41 22 717 7099).
Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Sixt and Thrifty have desks in the arrivals area of the Swiss sector – hire cars should be returned to the long-stay P51 car park. In the French sector: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt are the represented car hire companies – cars should be returned to the car park adjacent to the main terminal. If you return a car rented from the French side to the Swiss side, and vice versa, you may be charged a fee by the rental company.
Mövenpick Hotel and Casino is five minutes by free shuttle from Geneva Airport. This 5-star hotel has a gym and a range of dining options, along with extensive meeting facilities.
A good budget option on the French side of the border, the Novotel is just 10 minutes from the airport. A shuttle service is available and the hotel offers a number of meeting rooms as well as a restaurantand outdoor pool.
Recently redeveloped, with the addition of two new floors, the Crowne Plaza is linked to the nearby Geneva Airport by a free shuttle bus. The hotel, which is located in the business district, has two restaurants, extensive business services and a health club.
Boasting a bar and meeting space, the Holiday Inn Express is a good budget option near the airport. Complimentary shuttle services and breakfast is available to guests. The hotel is located not far from the Palexpo Congress Centre.
Just a short walk (or shuttle ride) from Geneva International Airport, NH Geneva Airport Hotel has a restaurant, bar and fitness centre. Its business offering is also bolstered by its proximity to the Palexpo Congress Centre.
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