Getting Here
How to reach Geneva, find the venue, and leap from airport or station into Rebel Hope.
Arriving by plane
Geneva Airport is ridiculously close to the city. This is one of the rare moments when Geneva makes something both simple and relatively inexpensive.
If you are staying around the city centre or Cornavin railway station, take the train. The station is inside the airport and every train leaving Geneva Airport stops at Genève-Cornavin. The journey takes about 3-5 minutes.
You can also take the TPG buses (5, or 10 if you go toward the main Geneva town) from directly outside the airport. Several lines connect the airport with different parts of Geneva, so depending on where you are staying, the bus may take you closer to your actual bed than the train (the site of the Geneva transport system (TPG) is: https://www.tpg.ch/fr/lignes.
In other words: you probably do not need a taxi from the airport.
(Unless you have enormous luggage, several children, three dogs, Chewbacca, a cello, or have simply decided that public transport is incompatible with your arrival aesthetic.)
Trains, trams, buses & the mysterious efficiency of Switzerland
Geneva public transport is very good. TPG runs the buses and trams; CFF/SBB runs the trains; and the Léman Express/CEVA network connects Geneva with places such as Annemasse and other parts of the cross-border region.
For timetables, connections and tickets, the two useful things to have on your phone are:
SBB Mobile / CFF : excellent for trains and, in fact, practically all Swiss public transport. Put in where you are and where you want to go and it will tell you how to get there.
CEVA/Leman Express: https://www.lemanexpress.com/je-me-deplace/
TPG app — particularly useful inside Geneva for trams and buses, live departures and local tickets (3 frs at the automat).
Do not overthink the system. Type in your destination and follow the instructions. The Swiss have already done the overthinking for you. And it is usually on time; if not, you will have information immediately.
Tickets
For ordinary travel within Geneva, you need a Zone 10 / Tout Genève ticket. A standard ticket currently costs CHF 3 and is valid for 60 minutes across the Geneva network, including the train between the airport and Cornavin.
You can buy tickets from machines at stops and stations, or directly through the TPG or SBB/CFF apps.
Buy your ticket before travelling. Geneva operates largely on trust followed occasionally by a ticket inspector, which is a psychologically interesting but financially unwise moment (100 CHF unwise) to discover that you misunderstood the system.
If you are staying in a Geneva hotel, hostel or other participating accommodation, ask about the Geneva Transport Card. It gives visitors free public transport within Geneva for the duration of their stay.
Coming from France
If you are staying in Annemasse, the Léman Express is your friend. It runs through the CEVA railway connection into Geneva and makes staying across the border much more practical than it sounds.
If you are staying in Ferney-Voltaire, buses connect you with Geneva and the airport (check Google Maps itinerary).
Cross-border tickets are slightly different from ordinary Geneva Zone 10 tickets, so use the TPG or SBB/CFF journey planner and let it calculate the correct ticket.
Coming from Versoix, Coppet or Nyon
Very easy: take the train.
Versoix, Coppet and Nyon are all on the railway line along the lake towards Geneva. Check SBB/CFF for the exact connection and buy the ticket there.
This is why staying outside Geneva is not necessarily exile.
Coming by car
You can drive to Geneva.
Whether you should is another philosophical question.
Parking in central Geneva exists, but it can be expensive and street parking has rules, zones and time limits that are probably not what you came here to study.
If your accommodation has parking, excellent: use it and leave the car there. Otherwise, look for one of Geneva’s P+R (Park & Ride) car parks and continue by tram, bus or train.
For parking locations, availability and tariffs, check Fondation des Parkings / Genève Parking: https://www.geneve-parking.ch/fr.
My recommendation: once you are here, abandon the car for the weekend. Geneva is small and public transport will almost certainly be easier.
Uber & taxis
Yes, Uber works in Geneva, including UberX and larger options such as UberXL. It can be useful late at night, with luggage, or when your enthusiasm for deciphering a tram connection has disappeared. (usually running till midnight, but there are night buses…)
Regular taxis are also available, including directly outside Geneva Airport: Taxi: +41 22 331 41 33
Both are considerably more expensive than public transport because, once again, Switzerland…
And don’t worry, you are not undertaking an expedition to the Outer Rim; here, more than 50% of the town is foreigners, and English is everywhere. You won’t be lost; there is always a Force (;))) and don’t forget a charger adapter !!!!! (now jump to the page called “Useful” (it really is)
