Airport
Geneva Cointrin International Airport
IATA Code: GVALocation: The airport is situated three miles (5km) north of Geneva.
Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between March and October).
Contacts: Tel: +41 22 717 7111.
Transfer to the city: Uniresco public buses leave for the city centre every few minutes from the departures and arrivals levels. Passengers can pick up a free ticket for public transport from the machine in the baggage collection area at the Arrival level, information is available at the Unireso information counter in the Arrivals hall. A free hotel shuttle transports passengers to major hotels. A Uniresco train leaves for Cornavin RR Station in the city centre every 10 minutes, from where connections can be made to destinations throughout Europe. Taxis are available outside the Arrivals Hall and cost about Sfr35 to the centre of Geneva. Car rental is also available. It is only about three miles (5km) into town.
Taxis: Taxis can be found outside of the arrival terminal and costs about Sfr35 to the city centre (a bit extra for luggage). The trip is three miles (5km) and commute times vary according to traffic. Taxis are metered and there are around 60 registered taxi ranks in Geneva.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and National. Travellers should ensure they hire their car on the French side of the border if they are going to France, and vice-versa. It is only about three miles (5km) into town.
Facilities: Luggage lockers can be found in the Train Station Mall and on the arrivals level. A Skycom Airport Business Centre and Business Corner offer a range of business facilities. Other amenities include banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, bars and restaurants, tourist information, a hotel reservation desk, post office and shops, including duty-free. Facilities for disabled passengers are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: Long and short-term parking, and valet parking is available. Eurocard, American Express or Visa cards can be used to pay for parking in parking lots.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.gva.ch
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Geneva
With a pleasant setting, green parks, colourful gardens and lakeside promenades, Geneva is considered one of the healthiest places to live in the world. The city sits astride the River Rhône, where it streams into Lake Geneva, and is set against a dramatic backdrop of mountains. At the lake's south shore the Jet d'Eau shoots water 460ft (140m) into the sky from the end of a pier - the city's landmark attraction and Europe's most powerful fountain.
Undoubtedly Switzerland's most cosmopolitan city, Geneva's reputation for religious and political tolerance dates back more than five hundred years. In the 16th century the city spawned the religious teachings of John Calvin, and was where Lenin spent his 'years of recreation'. Little of their Puritanism is left today - stately homes line the banks of the lake, overlooking an armada of luxury yachts. Jewels and designer labels spill out of exclusive boutiques and into chauffer-driven limousines that slide down palatial avenues.
As well as a host of museums and fine galleries, Geneva has a lively cultural calendar. Most notable is the celebration of l'Escalade in December, which involves costumed and torch-lit processions through the town, and the consumption of sickly amounts of chocolate and marzipan.
Geneva is a gateway to Switzerland's luxury ski resorts, an important banking centre and home to thousands of international delegates and diplomats. Among the many international organisations based in the city are the United Nations and the International Red Cross.
