Geneva Car Hire

Hi All,

Off to Megeve in January, currently looking at Car Hire on the Swiss side of Geneva Airport due a special offer on my credit card but not much in it really cost wise.

So - pros/cons of car hire French/Swiss side in Geneva?

Cheers

I always used to hire on the French side, because generally it was much cheaper, sometimes up to 20%. I've noticed recently that the price on the Swiss side is only marginally more expensive. Given that Swiss side hire entitles access to the Swiss motorway system whereas the French side does not then I would suggest the Swiss side.

Although i did prefer it when you could walk across from the terminal to the Swiss ski-hire, now there is a bus service to a car park about 10 minutes away.

Have always hired from Swiss side as this is the one all the road signs bring you back to - beware whichever side you hire from it must be taken back to that side, sounds obvious but can mean several miles back on motorway if you get it wrong! Also Swiss cars have vignette on windscreen (for motorway travel in Switzerland) and will automatically come with winter tyres.

You absolutely need a Vignette to use the Swiss motorways: the police are very hot on stopping people without one. So this is one benefit of hiring at Cointrin. The other is that the Ferney Voltaire site is more circuitous to reach and most signposting is - as was said - to the Swiss Rental Return. Like all airports, it's a bit of a cartel, but that's unavoidable unless you opt to take the train or free bus into Geneva. Go to the GVA airport webpage

http://www.gva.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-72/

to get a list of the car hire firms.

In the past, I have sometimes found that the '.ch' version of a car hire company will have offers and rates that aren't on the '.com' version, but this varies, and you may have to interact in French or German. This was particularly the case with people carriers and larger passenger vans.

Vignettes expire on 1st.Feb the following year, so if you pick up in early February, always check that the Vignette is valid - sometimes they manage to miss changing the odd car if it's busy.

Swiss side every time! Very few desks French side and often long queues - also a nightmare to get to inside the airport, especially with a lot of luggage. Then there's the free vignette, just don't try driving through Geneva if you're not used to it, and the snow tyres - no brainer.

Beware catching the bus to collect your hire car a complete pain in the A*se.

If you are only going to Megeve why hire a car. Far better to get one of the reasonably priced transfer companies that operate from Geneva Airport to take you. Most do door to door for about 30 Euros each way.

Swiss side include winter tyres and snow chains in the price ….. the sorry french charge you extra !!!!