Confused about the car hire at Geneva Airport

mousemole

I'm arriving at Geneva airport but driving to France. Is it best to hire a car from the French or Swiss side ? Where do you actually land if that is not a daft questions ?!

Alan_Bowen

The airport has two exits, obviously you will take the French exit, but all the planes land on the same runway

benjus

It depends to some extent on which part of France you are going to and if you intend to enter Switzerland at any point. If you are going to the south side of Lake Geneva you may find it quicker to exit the airport on the Swiss side and drive through Geneva, then enter France on the south side of the city. Also, if you get a car on the French side of the airport it may not have a "Vignette" sticker required for driving on Swiss motorways.

DavidHayton

Hi MM

All planes land in the same place, but as you leave the airside zone, you have a choice: enter Switzerland or enter France. Actually, the terminal building is in Switzerland, but the French police look after the French zone that exits onto a road that leads straight into France.

Outside the airport, it is not an issue to cross the French-Swiss border now that the Swiss have joined the Schengen area.

I suggest that you compare the car rental prices and take the cheapest. My predjudice is that the Swiss prices are going to be more expensive than the French, but you will need to check for yourself.

David

mousemole

thanks all - much clearer now.

shockingmoment

French side is usually much cheaper to rent from. The French side car hire is a bit trickey to get to though. Normally, after collecting baggage, turn left out of customs then left again to take the escalator up to departures (opposite car hire desks and just before UBS bank). Turn right through departures to the end and go through the French control gate (beside KLM and AirFrance desks) into the French Arrivals/Departures hall. The hire desks are each side of the exit.

However, if travelling with hand-baggage only, instead of queuing at swiss passport control it is much quicker to go up to the "transit lounge" (escalator to the left), walk through and enter the French arrivals customs that way.

Beware..... returning to the French side of the airport is a real nightmare!

You'll get a set of instructions from the car hire company - you'll need to follow these to the letter. If you miss a turn, end up on the Swiss motorway - you'll be asked to pay for a Swiss Vignette - this will cost about 30CHF for a 5 minute trip down the motorway!

JasonLVC

This is a useful website :-

http://www.genevaairport.net/

Cannot really add much more advice than already given. French side can sometimes be cheaper for car hire than the Swiss side, but not always so you need to get a quote for both sides.

Swiss hire cars will have the vignette (bit like a tax disc which is needed to drive on Swiss motorways). French car rentals will not but if you've got a good SatNav programme it to "avoid motorways" and it'll direct you through Geneva and so you don't really ned the vignette if your on A or B roads....but if you're touring or going somewhere West of Lake Leman (Lake Geneva) then the Swiss car and vignette will pay dividends.

French car hire is from the same airport but you exit from a different area and when you return the cr you have to return it the same same place, but directions on the roads will only direct you to the Swiss side. If you've SatNav, programme it to take you to Ferney Voltaire which is where the French car hire exit is close to and you cannot go wrong.

Where abouts in France are you heading, I might be able to give you some short cuts/driving tips.