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Voykit pocket guide · Switzerland
Geneva
Genève
Geneva is a compact lake city: do the old town on the hill in the morning, walk the quays in the afternoon, and let the airport train and the tram carry every bag.
Geneva's sights are small and close, but it is one of Europe's most expensive cities and the old town is a hill of cobbles. Trips go wrong when bags meet the slope, when a Sunday closes the shops, or when the Jet d'Eau is switched off for wind. Four walking clusters cover a first visit; Lausanne, Montreux and the Alps are trips away from one kept bed.
- Country
- Switzerland
- Local name
- Genève
- Best months
- Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- Time zone
- Europe/Zurich
- Stay
- 2 days: Old town morning + quays afternoon
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CHF
- Money
- Cards and contactless almost everywhere; keep a little cash for kiosks and markets. Euros are sometimes taken with francs back as change.
- Daily spend
- Budget CHF 70–110 excl. bed · Mid CHF 110–200 excl. bed · High CHF 200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly; Switzerland is outside EU roaming plans.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Ambulance 144 · Fire 118 · All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- 230 V; Swiss type J sockets (also fits type C plugs). Bring an adapter for other types.
- Tipping
- Service is included; round up or leave a few francs for good service.
- Water
- Tap water is safe; public fountains are drinkable unless marked.
- Toilets
- Cafés, stations and museums; public toilets sometimes charge a coin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | CHF 4–5 |
| Lunch dish of the day | CHF 20–30 |
| Fondue dinner, per person | CHF 35–60 |
| Bottle of water, shop | CHF 2–3 |
| Tram single ticket | CHF 3–3.50 |
| Taxi, airport to centre | CHF 35–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Geneva Airport (GVA)
- GVA to Cornavin: one short train, 6–8 minutes, and a walk to the hotel — the risk is not the ride but the last-train time on a late landing.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Cornavin station (Gare Cornavin) | Airport (6–8 min), Lausanne, Zurich, Paris (TGV) and Lyon | Walk 15–20 min or tram 3–5 min |
| Bus station (Gare routière de Genève) | International coaches to France, Italy and beyond (FlixBus and others) | Walk 10 min |
| Eaux-Vives station (Gare des Eaux-Vives) | Léman Express to French towns such as Annemasse | Tram 5–10 min |
Typical fares
- Airport to Cornavin, train
- 6–8 min; free ticket at arrivals (check)
- Airport to centre, taxi
- CHF 35–50, 15–25 min
- Tram or bus ticket
- CHF 3–3.50 for one hour (check)
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster and take a tram between them. There is no metro; trams, buses and lake boats do the rest, and a free hotel card covers the stay.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Old town, quays, Pâquis |
| Tram and bus (TPG) | CHF 3–3.50 for one hour (check) | Between clusters and to the airport area |
| Mouettes (lake taxi boats) | CHF 2.50–3.50 (check) | Crossing the harbour |
| Taxi | CHF 20–35 across town | Bags and late nights |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- Hotel guests get a free public-transport card: use it before buying tickets.
- Late at night
- Trams and buses run late but thin; the last airport train is around midnight (check the SBB app).
See and do
01St Pierre Cathedral and the old townCathédrale Saint-Pierre
The best view over the city from the tower and a walk through the cobbled lanes.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Tower CHF 5–10 (check) · Time: 1.5–2 h
02The Jet d’Eau from the quay
The city’s landmark, best seen on a walk from Jardin Anglais.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min
03Bains des Pâquis
Swim, sauna or a coffee on the pier with the lake behind.
Hours: best Summer afternoons; winter fondue · Price: About CHF 2–5 · Time: 1–2 h
04Reformation WallMur des Réformateurs
A short stop that explains the city’s identity.
Hours: best Any time · Price: Free · Time: 15–20 min
05Maison Tavel
A free museum and the city’s oldest house.
Hours: best Rain or midday · Price: Free · Time: 45 min · 46.2015, 6.1479
06A cheese fondue dinnerRestaurant Les Armures
The classic meal in a classic old-town room.
Hours: best Evening · Price: CHF 30–50 · Time: 1.5–2 h · 46.2012, 6.1477
07Palais des Nations (UN Geneva)Palais des Nations
The UN’s European seat; bring a passport and book a guided tour in advance.
Hours: Guided tours; book ahead (check) · Price: About CHF 15 (check)
08Musée d’art et d’histoire
Geneva’s largest art and history museum; the permanent collection is free.
Hours: Tue–Sun (check) · Price: Free permanent collection (check)
09International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
The story of humanitarian action and its origins in Geneva.
Hours: Closed Tuesday (check) · Price: About CHF 15 (check)
10CERN (Globe and Microcosm)
Free exhibitions at the particle-physics lab, a tram ride from the centre.
Hours: Check; free exhibitions (check) · Price: Free (check)
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lausanne | Train from Cornavin, about 40 min | Full day |
| Montreux and Chillon | Train about 1 h 10 min to Montreux, then a walk or bus to the castle | Full day |
| Chamonix (France) | Bus or shuttle about 1 h 30 min | Full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pâquis Lebanese and falafel counters | Falafel or shawarma wrap · Pâquis | CHF 9–15 | Budget |
| Plainpalais market stalls | Picnic of bread, cheese and fruit · Plainpalais | CHF 10–20 | Budget |
| Chez Ma Cousine | Roast chicken with potatoes · Bourg-de-Four | CHF 15–25 | Mid-range |
| Buvette des Bains | Simple lunch by the lake · Bains des Pâquis | CHF 12–25 | Mid-range |
| Café de Paris | Entrecôte with sauce · Cornavin | CHF 35–50 | Mid-range |
| Les Armures | Cheese fondue · Old Town | CHF 30–50 | Higher |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Names and hours change: check.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | CHF 45–80 dorm bed · CHF 110–170 double | Cornavin and Pâquis | Hostels and small hotels |
| mid | CHF 180–320 | Cornavin, Pâquis and the old town | 3–4 star hotels |
Per room per night in Swiss francs, 2026 estimate; trade fairs and December add 30–100%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimehr-see |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-syon see voo pleh |
| To this address, please | À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtah set ah-dress see voo pleh |
| I am vegetarian | Je suis végétarienzhuh swee vay-zhay-tah-ree-ehn |
| A table for two | Une table pour deuxoon tahbl poor duh |
| Which stop is this? | C'est quel arrêt ?say kel ah-reh |
| Help! | Au secours !oh suh-koor |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Say “Bonjour” when entering a shop or café; it is expected.
- Quiet hours: Sundays and evenings are quiet; avoid laundry, mowing and loud music.
- Punctuality: Be on time for trains and appointments.
- Tipping: Service is included; round up or add a few francs for good service.
- Water: Tap water is drinkable; ask for a carafe.
Red lines
- Cathedral: quiet, covered shoulders.
- Do not swim outside marked areas or in a storm.
- Tap water is safe; refill at public fountains.
Scams and watch-outs
- Street petition or bracelet offers near Cornavin end in a demand for money: walk on.
- Unlicensed drivers offering rides in the arrivals hall: use the taxi rank or the train.
- Shops near the station that exchange money at poor rates: use a bank or a card.
- Fake ticket sellers at the Jet d'Eau boats: buy at the official booth.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or a day between flights. Skip: The museums and the UN.
- 09:009:00 AMSt Pierre Cathedral and the old town
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch at Chez Ma Cousine
- 15:003:00 PMLake promenade and the Jet d’Eau
2 days
The usual Geneva stay. Skip: Plainpalais unless it is a market day.
Day 1 — old town
- 09:009:00 AMCathedral and Reformation Wall
- 11:0011:00 AMMaison Tavel
Day 2 — lake
- 09:309:30 AMFlower Clock and the Jet d’Eau
- 14:002:00 PMBains des Pâquis
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Geneva Tourism (official): www.geneve.com/
- Switzerland Tourism: www.myswitzerland.com/
- Wikivoyage — Geneva: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Geneva
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
GenevaGenève
À cette adresse, s’il vous plaît
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Cathédrale Saint-PierreSt Pierre Cathedral
- Mur des RéformateursReformation Wall
- Restaurant Les ArmuresLes Armures
- Palais des NationsPalais des Nations (UN Geneva)
Embassies are in Bern; many countries also have missions in Geneva.
Give the street name and number; your hotel can write it on a card.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/geneva). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.