Geneva travel guide
Geneva Tourism | Geneva Guide
You're Going to Love Geneva
With a population of 183,981, Geneva is the largest city in Geneve, Switzerland by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Geneva deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Geneva
Activities
Events
Where to Eat in Geneva
If you’re looking for affordable options, Café des Bains (26 Rue des Bains) and Ruby Claire Hotel & Bar (46 Rue du Rhône) are great picks.
When to visit Geneva
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Geneva in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 80.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 30.2 °F, with an average temperature of 35.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 4.1″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Geneva, with an average rainfall of 2.7″.
How to Get to Geneva
Plane
When flying to Geneva, you’ll arrive at Geneva Airport (GVA), which is located 4 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Geneva from the United States departs from New York and takes around 7h 45m.
Train
SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Geneva, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Geneva to Lyon takes 1h 57m and costs around $37 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Zurich, expect to pay about $56 for a 2h 46m trip. The train station in Geneva is called Geneva, and is located 0.3 km from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Geneva is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 224 km from Geneva. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Budget, among others, in Zurich.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Geneva, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Trenitalia. From Lyon, the bus ride to Geneva takes 209 km and will cost you around $13. From Milan, the ticket costs about $18 for a journey of 547 km. The most popular bus station is Geneva Bus, located 0.3 km from downtown Geneva. Geneva Charmilles is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 km from the city center.
Airlines serving Geneva
Where to stay in Geneva
From 5-star hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva to great affordable options like the Hotel Sagitta, Geneva offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $174 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $912 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel St. Gervais and Hotel Les Arcades. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Geneva, with prices from $32 to $1,407 per night. Pâquis is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Geneva are about 17% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Grottes et Saint-Gervais - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as Hotel Rotary Geneva - MGallery, The Ritz-Carlton, Hotel de la Paix, Geneva and Hotel Cristal Design. The average nightly price for a double room in Grottes et Saint-Gervais is $108.
Pâquis - Jade Manotel, Hotel Eden and 9hotel Paquis have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Pâquis will cost you about $119 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Geneva
Most booked hotels in Geneva
Renting a car in Geneva
Renting a car in Geneva costs $56 per day, on average, or $112 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Europcar, Alamo and Sixt are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Geneva is the Alamo branch at Geneva Airport Swiss Side, which is 4 km from the city center.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Geneva Geneve-Cointrin.
Expect to pay $7.84 per gallon in Geneva (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $94.03 and $125.37. The most frequently booked car type in Geneva is Compact (Class Compact SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Seat Ibiza or similar) are, on average, 67% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.