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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Geneva has to offer.
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 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 27 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -1 °C, with an average temperature of 2 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 105 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Geneva, with an average rainfall of 68 mm.
How to Get to Geneva
Plane
When flying to Geneva, you’ll arrive at Geneva Airport (GVA), which is located 3 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Geneva from the United Arab Emirates departs from Abu Dhabi and takes around 6h 50m.
Train
SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Geneva, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Geneva to Lyon takes 1h 56m and costs around AED 132 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Zurich, expect to pay about AED 213 for a 2h 43m trip. The train station in Geneva is called Geneva, and is located 0.2 miles from the city centre.
Car
Another option to get to Geneva is to pick up a car hire from Zurich, which is about 139 miles from Geneva. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Europcar, among others, in Zurich.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Geneva, including BlaBlaBus, FlixBus and Itabus. From Annecy, the bus ride to Geneva takes 50 miles and will cost you around AED 70. From Lyon, the ticket costs about AED 121 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Geneva Bus, located 0.2 miles from the city centre of Geneva. Geneva Charmilles is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 miles from the city centre.
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 Sagitta Hotel, Geneva offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around AED 637 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to AED 3,005 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 holiday rental options in Geneva, with prices from AED 118 to AED 4,303 per night. Pâquis is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Geneva are about 13% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Grottes et Saint-Gervais - In Geneva’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Hotel Rotary Geneva - MGallery, The Ritz-Carlton, Hotel de la Paix, Geneva and Hotel Cristal Design.
Eaux-Vives - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Hotel Century, Calvy and Hotel Churchill. The average nightly price for a double room in Eaux-Vives is AED 446.
Where to stay in popular areas of Geneva
Most booked hotels in Geneva
Hiring a car in Geneva
Hiring a car in Geneva costs AED 219 per day, on average, or AED 657 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Europcar, Alamo and Sixt are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Geneva is the Alamo branch at Geneva Airport Swiss Side, which is 3 miles from the city centre.
It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Geneva.
Expect to pay AED 7.68 per litre in Geneva (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between AED 92.11 and AED 122.81. The most frequently booked car type in Geneva is Luxury (Class Luxury Wagon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Volkswagen up! or similar) is, on average, 62% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.
Best car hire deals in Geneva
Compact SUV
4 Adults, 2 Bags
AED 116/day
Compact
4 Adults, 2 Bags
AED 117/day