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Connection at Geneva Airport for SwissTours bus to Chamonix

My wife and I arrive on Air France 1442 on September 1st (13:50 arrival) at the Geneva airport after changing planes in Paris, where I assume passport control & customs will occur.

My questions are:

1) Will there be sufficient time for us to get to the SwissTours bus that leaves at 14:30? We plan to check our luggage on flight 1442.
2) Will the bus be easy to find?

I posed this question to Swisstours via email four days ago without a reply, I am hoping someone on the forum can help.
Do you think I should book a later bus??
-Bruce

Posted by
406 posts

I highly doubt it since you are not in 1st class, unfamiliar with the airport, and then have to wait for the luggage to come out; who knows if the flight will arrive on time.

Catching a bus leaving at 15:30 is more realistic.

Posted by
33 posts

Is there anyone who has had experience with the Geneva airport?
-Bruce

Posted by
9183 posts

I just flew into the Geneva airport in May but from Paris so no immigration/customs but we also found it a confusing place poorly signed and it took us a bit to find our train. Coming from outside Europe and having to go through immigration and with checked bags I cannot imagine expecting to connect with a tour company for a trip an 40 minutes later (generally they require people to be there at least 15 minutes in advance.

Arrival is when you roll up to the gate; it can easily take 20 minutes to get off the plane. Even without immigration and carry on luggage I would not want to book something 40 minutes after ETA -- I can't imagine you could make this in this time.

Posted by
996 posts

So I'm doing this literally a few hours before you get there, but direct out of YUL, so I'll have to do the whole Customs, etc.

I think some of the timing will be based on checked v carryon only, I'd think at least an hr, but GVA is small.

This is a YT video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPdyTfAGVWM&t=76s - he gives you an idea of where they're picking up now.

From what I've read on the Chamonix subreddits, no need to really buy your ticket in advance, it's rare for them to fill up.

See you in Cmx!