All public transport in Zurich is free with a Swiss Travel Pass and several other rail passes. Alternatively, you can purchase a Zurich Card that allows free public transport throughout the city as well.
With an average of 3.5 million passing through its doors every day, Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan, is the world's busiest train station in terms of passenger throughput.
It used to be a government institution, but since 1999 it has been a special stock corporation whose shares are held by the Swiss Confederation and the Swiss cantons. In addition to passenger rail, SBB operates cargo and freight rail service and has large real estate holdings in Switzerland.
Switzerland's national railway company is the SBB (Schweizerische BundesBahn). Use the Interrail train timetable or SBB timetable to check times for trains in Switzerland.
The main rail network in Switzerland is made up of the following regional and intercity trains: RegioExpress trains link regional destinations with larger Swiss cities. Regio trains connect local towns. InterCity trains link major Swiss cities like Basel and Geneva.
On the French border south of Geneva, Mont Saleve is a limestone ridge that offers outstanding views of the lake and the Alps. Along with the views, you can enjoy hiking and rock climbing here, or simply take the six-minute cable car from Veyrier, at the French border, to an elevation of 1,143 meters.
12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Geneva
- 1 Lake Geneva. Lake Geneva.
- 2 Jet d'Eau (Water Jet) Jet d'Eau (Water Jet)
- 3 Temple de Saint-Pierre. Temple de Saint-Pierre.
- 4 Jardin Anglais (English Garden) and Parc de la Grange.
- 5 Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens)
- 6 Place du Bourg-de-Four.
- 7 Palais des Nations.
- 8 Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Art and History Museum)
There are countless smaller towns and villages within easy reach of the city just waiting to be discovered by adventurous day trippers.
- Annecy. To many, Annecy is the most beautiful city in all of France.
- Lausanne.
- Montreux.
- Gruyeres.
- Annemasse.
- Pays de Gex (St.
- Chillon.
- Vallee de Joux.
Train options for Paris to Geneva
| Train | High-speed train | Regional train |
|---|
| Travel time | 3 hrs 5 minutes | 8hrs 35 minutes |
| Seat reservations | Mandatory | Not required |
| Stations | Paris Gare de Lyon - Geneva (Genève) | Paris Est - Geneva (Genève) |
Travel by
train is easy in Switzerland, or you can sign up for one of the many day tours that explore the tourist attractions around
Zürich.
12 Top-Rated Day Trips from Zürich
- 1 Jungfraujoch and the Bernese Oberland.
- 2 Lucerne.
- 3 Mount Titlis.
- 4 Rheinfall (Rhine Falls)
- 5 Eastern Swiss Alps and Liechtenstein.
- 6 Bern.
Map of the Top 6 peaks in the Lake Geneva Region
- Rochers de Naye.
- Dent de Vaulion.
- La Dôle.
- Le Chasseron.
- Berneuse.
- Mont Tendre.
Free Transport PassThis includes buses, trams, trains, and yellow taxi-boats - Mouettes.
Geneva ranks among the 15 most expensive cities in the world, so be prepared not to have a cheap vacation there. In eg. a coffee in a restaurant costs around 3.20 to 4.00 swiss francs. Look also for Migros grocery stores, one of the most popular budget chain in Switzerland.
Geneva International Airport, formally named Genève Aéroport, is located 4 km northwest of Geneva city centre. The airport can be accessed from both countries. IATA code for Swiss side is GVA and for French side is GGV. At Geneva Airport, there are two passenger terminals: T1 and T2.
You have three options from the airport; bus, taxi or train. Taking a Geneva airport taxi is the quickest and most comfortable option. Be warned that taxis in Geneva are notoriously expensive. You can expect to pay around 35-45CHF (30-40€) for a 12 minute journey.
Getting around Geneva
- Public transport. Transports Publics Genevois (TPG) (tel: 00800 022 021 20, in Switzerland only; ) operates Geneva's superb bus and tram network.
- Taxis. You can order taxis in Geneva by phone, hail them in the street, or pick them up at authorised taxi ranks around the city.
- Driving.
- Car hire.
- Bicycle hire.
The currencies accepted at the airport are Swiss francs and Euros in the shops and car parks. Pounds and dollars are also accepted in the restaurants.
Uber is ideal for travelers arriving to or departing from Geneva Airport. It is served by the majority of major European carriers and is the easiest way to access Geneva, the surrounding metropolitan area, and many of the French and Swiss ski resorts and chalets from abroad.
