HI! I booked a mid day flight international flight (to the US) out of Geneva (12:45 p.m.) thinking I could catch an early train same day from Avignon with enough time to comfortably get to my flight BUT there aren’t any early enough trains to do so. In lieu of staying on in Avignon I’m looking for recs for a stop for two nights with a morning train to Geneva the day of my flight in lieu of an overnight stay in Geneva solely for proximity to the airport. Would love suggestions of locations in France or Switzerland which would allow for a same day train to the airport. Thanks so much!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7886 posts
You will need to be at airport by 9:45 am
I would just stay in Geneva to avoid any risk
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
899 posts
Lyon? Has train to Geneva every two hours, takes two hours"
https://www.seat61.com/international-trains/other-cities/trains-from-Lyon.htm#Lyon_to_Switzerland
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
6139 posts
Have you had a look at Google maps to see the train times available? You are correct that you wouldn't have time to travel from Avignon on the morning of departure. Keep in mind that you need to be at the Geneva airport by 0945 for your flight. Lyon might be an option if you took the 0638 train. But at a distance of 160 km, you would be hard pressed to come up with a plan B if something unforseen happened en route that morning. Spending the night before your flight in Geneva may be less risky than having to pay for a last minute new ticket because your train was late or cancelled. That doesn't mean you have to spend the day before in Geneva. Just arrive on a late evening train.
Posted by
St. Francis, WI
87 posts
Maybe Evian, France? If you stay for two nights you could enjoy the spa town of Evian (yes, Evian water) and maybe one day take a train to Montreux or take a ferry over to Lausanne. Look at Swiss rail for information on the timing of a train/bus to the airport from Evian. My first glance at SBB looked like it might be doable. But, of course, the safe choice is staying in Geneva before your flight.
Posted by
Chicago
795 posts
Annecy is an obvious choice. There are buses (don't even need a train) that go to
Geneva Airport and take 45-60 minutes.
If you're willing to go past Geneva and then backtrack, Lausanne or Montreux are
other possibilities. It's about 45-50 mins on the train to GVA from Lausanne (going thru
Cornavin) and 1:15 from Montreux.
Posted by
Franklin, TN
251 posts
I agree with shoeflyer. We spent our last 3 nights in Annecy and booked a driver to get us to the airport in Geneva. It was an easy 45 min drive. Annecy is a lovely town on a crystal clear lake at the foothills of the French Alps. On the other hand, Lausanne or Montreux are equally lovely. Also an easy commute to the airport. Head on from Avignon, get closer to the airport, and enjoy a lakeside town!
Posted by
Paris
7411 posts
Annecy is about the only choice IMO, or Geneva itself, or small towns on the lake like Yvoire (arranging a cab). Bad traffic from Annecy to Geneva in the morning though, so have a good buffer if taking the bus.
Lyon is too far away.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11010 posts
Addionally, it’s very rural between Lyon and Geneva. I’ve been on delayed trains on that route.