Geneva Cointrin International Airport

Geneva Cointrin International Airport is located approximately three miles away from Geneva's city center. The northern part of the airport lies along the French border, and it can be accessed from both France and Switzerland. Passengers on flights either to or from France do not have to pass through Swiss customs or immigration control, if they stay in the French portion of the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. Geneva Cointrin International Airport has one concrete runway and also a small grass runway for smaller airplanes. Geneva Cointrin International Airport has many convention facilities, and both the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the world headquarters of Airports Council International (ACI) have home offices here at the airport. In 2006, Geneva Cointrin International Airport served in excess of 9.6 million passengers, which was an increase of 5.9% from 2005.

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The Geneva Cointrin International Airport has both long and short-term car parking facilities. The entire airport has a parking capacity for 4,500 vehicles. The charges for parking your car vary, as it will depend on how long you park there. The most expensive rates are for short-term parking, and there are also penalties for overstaying that are strictly enforced. A nice thing about Geneva Cointrin International Airport is that the first ten minutes you park are absolutely free. There are pay machines in the car parking areas where you can pay with both cash and credit cards. If you use your credit card to pay for parking, you have to swipe your credit card when you enter and when you exit the parking area. The areas next to the charter terminal, the railway station, and the cargo terminal also have parking, but the spaces are limited. The parking information telephone number for Geneva Cointrin International Airport is (41) 22 717 7099.

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Short-Term Parking

There are two short-term car parking areas in Geneva Cointrin International Airport, as Car Park 2 is located in arrivals opposite the main terminal. Car Park 2 is for people who are meeting passengers, and the waiting time in this parking area is limited to one hour. Car Park 3 is specifically for departures, is limited to 75 parking spaces, and is also located opposite the main terminal. Car Park 3 is for dropping off passengers, and the waiting time is limited to 30 minutes.

Long-Term Parking

There are three long-term parking areas at Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The closest long term parking area is Parking Area 1, which is an underground garage, located near the terminal building. The other two long-term parking areas, Parking Areas 51 and P20, are located farther away from the terminals, but the rates are less expensive and there are 230 parking spaces. The walk from these two long-term parking areas to the terminal is 5 to 10 minutes.

Disabled Parking

Geneva Cointrin International Airport has disabled parking spaces in all the parking areas. These spaces are located near the entrances and exits of the car parking areas. If you are in need of assistance getting to and from the terminal to these spaces, the staff at the airport can help you.

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People that are driving from France to Geneva Cointrin International Airport do not have to cross the border into Switzerland to get to the airport. If you plan on driving on the motorways in Switzerland, however, your car must have a Swiss Highway Vignette that can be bought at the border.

From the north, the E23/25 gives you access to Geneva from the northern part of Switzerland. Then, you'll take highway E23/25 to Lausanne until you get to the shore of Lake Geneva. From here, you'll follow E25/62 west for about 50 miles, and the airport is located just off the E25/62 where you'll see signs to the airport.

From the east, take highway E27 to Lausanne and take the E25/62 to Geneva following the blue airport signs.

From the south, take Highway A40. If you have a Swiss Highway Vignette for your car or plan to purchase one, follow the blue signs to Lausanne/ Geneva Cointrin International Airport and then cross the border at Bardonnex. From here, just follow the "Geneve Aeroport" signs right to the airport. If you are not planning on purchasing a Swiss Highway Vignette, you will follow the blue signs for St. Julien-en-Genevoise and then, from Highway 40, exit onto the N201. Follow the green signs for Geneva and then cross the border at Perly. Follow the blue signs to Plan-les-Ouates, Lancy, and Aeroport/Palexpo.

From the west, France, you can get to Geneva Cointrin International Airport without having to cross into Switzerland. From Lyon, Dijon, or Bourg-en-Bresse, take Highway 40 following the blue signs to Bellegarde/Gex. Now, you will be on the D984 and follow the green signs until you hit the D35. Right before you hit customs at Ferney, follow the white signs for "Aeroport Secteur Français," which will take you directly to Geneva Cointrin International Airport.

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Geneva Cointrin International Airport has many porters, information desks, and security personnel that can be very helpful in answering any questions you may have. On the Arrivals level of Geneva Cointrin International Airport, there are several information desks located in the transit area of the sector of Switzerland. France has a separate sector and a different information service independent from the Swiss sector. Each sector has several tourist information services that are in the Arrivals Hall of the Swiss and French sectors. The phone number of the airport information desk is (41) 22 717 71 11.

Both the Departures and Arrivals areas of Geneva Cointrin International Airport have currency exchange kiosks, communication facilities, banking facilities, and an American Express bureaux de change. There is a post office located close to Arrivals. There are also many ATM machines that are situated in and around Geneva Cointrin International Airport. There is even a shop where you can rent a mobile phone in the airport, and you can rent private offices and conference rooms in the SkyCom Business Center of the airport. These rooms are equipped with fax machines and personal computers with Internet access.

Geneva Cointrin International Airport is well equipped to handle disabled passengers. The public parking areas have ramps and are wheelchair accessible. Trained staff at Geneva Cointrin International Airport can help disabled persons get to and from the Arrivals and Departures area of the airport. If you will need any special assistance when at the airport, you should contact the airport at the time you book your ticket. To contact the airport for assistance, or if you want any more information concerning airport disability options, you can call (44) 22 799 3346.

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Geneva Cointrin International Airport has many places to shop, eat, and drink. After going through the check-in area, there are a few duty free shops, as well as in the Departures area. Some of the shops in the airport include a perfume shop, a hairdresser, an electronics shop, a pharmacy, a clothing shop, and yes, even a shop especially for chocolates, which the Swiss are famous for. There are also some retail chain shops at Geneva Cointrin International Airport such as Tie Rack and Swatch. For upscale shopping, there are designer boutiques including such high-end brand names as Cartier and Hermes. Many of the shops in the airport are located near the Departures area. Several newsstands are located throughout the airport where you can buy magazines, newspapers, books, and souvenirs.

There are several places at Geneva Cointrin International Airport to eat and drink, and many of these establishments are located in the Departure and Arrivals areas. The Pub Follow Me is a nice lounge where you can grab a drink, while some of the upscale restaurants at the airport are Le Dragon d'Or, Plein Ciele, and the Martel Tea Room. There is also a good sandwich store in Pret a Manger, and you can pick up a variety of snacks at the various newsstands.

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Geneva Cointrin International Airport has a railway station right at the airport. All the trains that travel from the airport go to the city center station in Geneva, where it is easy to get connections to other parts of Switzerland, as well as to destinations all over Europe. The Geneva Cointrin International Airport train station is less than a quarter of a mile from the terminal. Three or four trains depart every hour, and it only takes 7 minutes to get to the city center. There are some direct train services right from the Geneva Cointrin International Airport railway station to cities such as Basle, Lausanne, Zurich, Venice, Rome, and Milan.

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There is no shortage of options when traveling to and from Geneva Cointrin International Airport. There is a local bus service to Geneva, which operates from the Swiss sector, as well as buses from the French sector, which travel to areas around France. Buses from the French sector also have international destinations to other countries such as Portugal and Spain. In addition, there is the Aero Ski bus that runs to many of the French ski resorts. The local bus stops at Geneva Cointrin International Airport are located outside the Arrivals area and Departures area. The number 10 and number 18 buses are the buses you'll take to get to Geneva, and tickets can be purchased from machines located right at the bus stops.

There are also many hotel shuttles that deliver passengers from Geneva Cointrin International Airport to their hotels and vice versa. These hotel shuttles begin at 6 AM and run every 20 minutes. Check with the hotel you are staying at to see if they offer hotel shuttle services; these shuttles are usually free of charge. There are many taxis available at the airport, and a ride to the city center of Geneva takes around 15 minutes depending on traffic. You can also book a taxi in advance and have them waiting for you. To book a taxi in advance call (41) 33 141 33. In addition, there are a few limousine hire companies at Geneva Cointrin International Airport.

If you are planning a ski vacation, there are many ski resorts all around Switzerland and in neighboring France. Many of the ski resorts in these two countries have travel arrangements that will take you from the airport to the resort. Check with the resort to see if these options are available.

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There are several hotels near the airport, and three, less than a mile away, are the Crowne Plaza Geneva, Holiday Inn Express GVA Airport Hotel, and Moevenpick Hotel. These three hotels offer free shuttle services to the airport. The city center of Geneva is very close to Geneva Cointrin International Airport, and here you will find many options for accommodations. They range from five star luxury hotels to bed and breakfasts. There are also many apartments available for short-term rental in Geneva. Many hotels in Geneva are equipped with business facilities. Although there are many mid-range hotels available in Geneva, the city hosts many festivals, and during these festivals, it can be difficult to find accommodations. Three of the larger festivals in Geneva are the sailing festival, Bol d'Or held in July, the Fetes de Genève held in August, and the l'Escalade held in mid-December. If you plan on traveling in Geneva during these times, make sure to book your accommodations early.

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