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Original poster

Hiring a car at Geneva airport

17 replies

WendyWeber · 13/01/2008 21:16

If you hire on the French side it's a bit cheaper, but I've just read something that says it's much easier to find your way back into the Swiss side of the airport to return it so it's worth paying the extra to hire from there.

Is this really true? And what about those pesky Swiss motorways that you need a permit for, is it possible to end up on one by accident and have to pay for the permit?
(We will be going to Chamonix btw so no need to be in Switz at all)

TIA

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Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 11:17

bump

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TigerFeet · 14/01/2008 11:30

most swiss hire cars already have a permit

I have been through Geneva airport loads of times and had no idea that there was a Swiss/French side

we usually use this hire company - they are usually cheaper than the rest

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 11:37

ooh ooh ooh, thanks, TigerFeet! That's one of the 2 we are considering, are they good? Are they the actual hire company or just brokers?

(The other is hirecars.co.uk, their prices are more or less the same)

Swiss hire cars come with the permit? Well that makes perfect sense, they can't expect every driver to buy an annual permit just for a week or whatever (would bring in lots of money though )

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katwith3kittens · 14/01/2008 11:48

There is a french side and a swiss side and yes the french side is marginally cheaper to hire from, however in my experience the swiss are a lot more organised and the whole process is a lot smoother and more efficient.

the swiss cars obviously have their permits in and you may be lucky to find your french hired car has one - but this is not always the case !

The motorways are a nightmare especially in the dark in a new car on the 'wrong' side of the road and it much easier to find your way back to the swiss side imo. However I was last there 2 years ago and the roads were all having work done so it was v v complicated, and it might have improved now.

we were in a french car on one occasion (without a permit) and got onto the wrong motorway heading back to the airport. At the border we were stopped and checked but the guard waved us through when we explained we were heading back to the airport. I have heard some people have been charged though, I suppose it just depends !

Chamonix is great fun btw

TigerFeet · 14/01/2008 11:52

They are a broker - we have never had any problems with them though. iirc they go through Alamo or National Car Hire (or whatever they're called). If you need any more info about them I'll ask dh, he's the expert (he's used them at other European destinations too with no probs)

Yes they come with a permit - hurrah

@ Chamonix - I have only been there in the summer but I love it there.

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 12:29

Well I've just checked prices for both sides - the 2 have almost entirely different cars which makes it hard to compare but they both do a Peugeot 607 - for 4 days:

French side £202
Swiss side £353

So I think we'll risk going with French, even without the permit (not that we're getting a 607!) - if we did have to pay for one it would be cheaper than a Swiss hire.

Thanks for that, kat - luckily we will be arriving at 11am, I have never ever had to set off from a foreign airport in the dark and hope never to have to, it must be a nightmare. One of the websites I was looking at provides a download of a v helpful map showing how to avoid a) Swiss motorways or b) Switzerland itself when you're returning, including descriptions of road signs.

We're not going until early April, only for 4 days to visit DS1 who is working with Esprit - as long as he hasn't broken any bones by then, a couple have had to come home already, poor things. I shan't be skiing (nasty wet stuff) but other members of the party might. (5 of us are going, if there were fewer of us we might have got the bus but it's 55euros each)

Thanks again, both, you are very helpful

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TigerFeet · 14/01/2008 13:14

I will take note of that WendyWeber and let dh know, we have family in Switzerland so we are there fairly often, may well be worth our while hiring a car from the French side if it is that much cheaper and paying the vignette if we need to. Do you know if it is possible to hire from the French side to use in CH????

katwith3kittens · 14/01/2008 13:40

Wow ... that is a big price difference enjoy your trip.

TF, can't see why not ?

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 14:39

For future ref, this is the site with the helpful map and directions (it's on "just follow this link")

It also says "slightly" more expensive - maybe the diff is a lot less with a small car. Again the 2 sides do different cars but eg a Multipla on the Fr side is c£250; a Trajet on the Swiss side is c£400.

Anyway I'm planning to get a Renault Kangoo from carhire3000, it's only £114! (Or £130 if a 4x4, which might be a good idea as early April still gets chains etc on a swiss rental)

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Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 14:41

TF, I think it must be OK to swap sides, as people will be doing it by accident half the time

The vignette is actually only about £20 so def worth doing it that way round - but carhire3000 have an 0800 number you could ring and double check

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bubbleandsqueak · 14/01/2008 16:32

hi wendy, I live in France, Geneva is my nearest airport, I always advise people to hire from the Swiss side for 2 very good reasons

  1. The Swiss cars always have the vingette which is compulsory on Swiss roads.
  1. All cars will be already prepared for snowy conditions ie have snow tyres on and/or chains available.

I have known the French side to hire cars out that have neither, this can be a very expensive mistake!!! Make sure you check before leaving the airport.

HTH

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 22:40

Noooo, bas, go awaaaaaay!

I know you're right but

a) we're not going until April

b) it's an extra £100+ for 4 days and

c) I'm intending to get a 4x4 and we'll basically only be going Geneva-Cham-Geneva (avoiding Swiss motorways at all times ), almost all on the autoroute.

Even if we do find ourselves on a Swiss motorway we can pay the £20 for the vignette.

It is noticeable on the car hire sites I've looked at that the Swiss hire cars are far classier than the French ones, but we are simple people...

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kindersurprise · 14/01/2008 22:48

Wendy
I am not sure, but I think that snow chains are compulsory in Switzerland, whether you are on the motorway or not. Maybe BAS knows?

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 22:58

You can only use chains in snow, can't you, ks? Don't they damage the road otherwise?

Anyway it is possible to avoid Switzerland completely by going the long way round. I have a map

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kindersurprise · 14/01/2008 23:06

Ok, looked it up.

Snow tyres are not compulsory, but highly recommended. They are special tyres that are specially formulated for use in cold temperatures.

Snow chains are compulsory on certain roads (which are signposted)

This doesnt really help you though, does it? Sorry!

kindersurprise · 14/01/2008 23:07

And, I just noticed that you wrote you are going in April. I guess there wont be much snow on the roads then

Original poster
WendyWeber · 14/01/2008 23:10

Well I'm hoping not

The high slopes often have about 400cm of snow in April but the low ones are in single figures so the roads round the bottom I'm hoping will be quite clear.

(iglu website snow history for Cham)

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