By plane
The distance between Moscow and Geneva is 2800 km. The fastest, most comfortable and budget way to get here is by air. Several direct flights a day from Moscow Domodedovo are operated by Aeroflot and Suisse, the journey time is almost 4 hours. Options with transfers via Athens, Barcelona and Brussels are available both from the Russian capital and from St. Petersburg Pulkovo: they should be sought from Brussels Airlines, Vueling and Iberia Airlines. All flights arrive at the only Geneva airport – Cointrin. According to populationmonster, Geneva is one of the largest cities in Switzerland.
From airport to city
The airport has an advantageous location: it is located 4 km from the city center, which allows travelers to visit Geneva even during short transfers. All scheduled flights arrive at Terminal 1. In the arrivals area, there is an exit for trains leaving every 12 minutes for Cornavin station. You can get to it in 6 minutes. The bus stop is located near the check-in desks. Routes No. 5 and 10 pass through the historic center of the city. Opening hours are from 5:30 to midnight. A ticket for any of the listed modes of transport will cost 3.50 CHF. The prices on the page are for September 2021.
There is a possibility of a free transfer: you need to take a ticket from the machine at the baggage claim. The validity period of the pass is 80 minutes from the moment of receipt.
Accustomed to travel in comfort, you can use the services of a taxi. A trip to the center will cost 40-50 CHF, depending on traffic and the number of passengers.
By train or bus
There is no direct train from Moscow to Geneva. Only options with transfers are available: from the Belorussky railway station to Prague, Paris or Berlin you can drive for 250 EUR, travel time is about a day. Trains to Geneva regularly depart from the central railway stations of these cities: a ticket from 50 EUR, on the road – from 3 hours (for example, high-speed TGV Paris – Geneva takes 3 hours, a train from Milan – about 4 hours). From the capital of France, buses depart from the Bagnolet station, from Prague – from the Florenc station. The total cost of tickets is about 140 EUR, the journey will take a little more than 2 days.
Transportation
There is no metro in Geneva, but a very convenient system of land and water transport. A universal ticket is sold from vending machines at stops, its cost depends on the number of zones that you intend to cross. The territory of Geneva itself is considered to be 2 districts, so there is a double fare here: a ticket for an hour will cost 3 CHF, for a short trip – 2 CHF. The current prices can be found on the TPG company page (official site in English).
The border regions of France also belong to the transport system of the Geneva agglomeration. You can get there by regular buses or suburban trains departing from Cornavin station.
The ticket must be validated at the entrance. Checks of conductors, although infrequent, but the fines by Russian standards are colossal – 120 CHF, repeated violation – 240 CHF.
Geneva Transport Card
All tourists residing in Geneva are provided with a transport card free of charge. It is valid only within the city until the end of the booking period. The cost of the card is included in the hotel rate. You can get it upon check-in.
Bicycle for rent
Geneva is a great place for cycling. At the Geneveroule rental (off. site in English) you can rent a bike for half a day for 8 CHF. When applying, they will ask for a passport and 20 CHF as a deposit.
Taxis
The car can be ordered in advance or parked on the street. Drivers accept cash and non-cash payments in Swiss francs, dollars and euros. Landing costs 10 CHF, each kilometer – 5 CHF.
Rent a Car
Geneva is an amazingly picturesque and car-free city. But the lake, which is surrounded by a comfortable track, beckons travelers to hit the road for unforgettable views. No sooner said than done: international Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz operate at the airport and at the main railway station. The cost of renting a budget hatchback is from 150 CHF. Read more about all the nuances here.
Traffic is well organized in Geneva, the only unpleasant feature is that there are many one-way streets. Parking lots are very tight, sometimes you have to stand in line to get a place. In the blue zone, you can leave your car for free for an hour on weekdays from 8:30 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 19:00, in the red zone – for 15 hours in a row, and it is forbidden to park in the yellow one. In the most common zone – white – you will have to pay 2.8 CHF for an hour of parking.
Parking machines do not give change, so stock up on small change. The ticket must be placed in a conspicuous place under the windshield. The fine for parking in the wrong place is 100-200 CHF.
Communication and Wi-Fi
If you come to Switzerland for a short time, you can not spend money on buying a SIM card. Geneva is a modern city with hundreds of free Wi-Fi hotspots. You can connect to the World Wide Web at the airport, cafes, hotels, parks, museums and even on the beaches. Also popular is the service of renting a portable adapter-router in iSpot Connect communication stores, which provides unlimited access to high-speed Internet during the week.
When planning a long vacation, it is better to get a European SIM card: it will cost less than international roaming service. When buying, you will need to present a passport. There are several major players in the communications market in Switzerland: Swisscom, Sunrise, Orange. Also in demand are the cards of the European operator Lebara, which can be bought at stations in SBB machines. Tariffs are mainly prepaid, the balance can be replenished using cards sold in kiosks and supermarkets at the checkout.