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Day Trips to France from Geneva

Posted by on

Hello,

My family and I will be in Switzerland in July using Geneva as a home base.

We will be traveling to France on 3 separate days (Annecy, Chamonix, Lyon).

We are leaning toward the Swiss Travel Pass. Does anyone know how this would work for getting to those locations in France? Do you just pay an extra fee to get to those areas? Or are you paying full price?

Additionally, does anyone have any recommendations for getting to Geneva to those 3 cities. Lyon is straightforward but Chamonix and Annecy seem trickier.

Thank you!

Posted by
21145 posts

Swiss pass pretty much useless for these as Geneva is pretty well surrounded by France, starting in the Geneva suburbs. I might save a few nickels. Going to Chamonix is much faster by bus. Same with Annecy. Its 1 hour on a bus and 2 hours (at least) by train.

Posted by
8889 posts

The Swiss Travel Pass is only valid on Swiss rail lines and bus routes, not in France. One exception is the rail line from Martigny over the border to Chamonix, but that is coming from the wrong direction if you are in Geneva.
If you are staying in a hotel in Geneva, you will get a free pass for Geneva only for the duration of your stay. See here: http://www.geneva.info/transport/card/

Unless you are travelling to multiple destinations a long distance away in Switzerland, a Swiss Pass is of little use.

You would have to buy normal tickets to Annecy, Chamonix, Lyon with no discount. Lyon is a train, Chamonix is a bus, Annecy requires multiple trains or train+bus.

Posted by
768 posts

As for getting to Chamonix, there are buses that run daily to Chamonix from Geneva's Gare Routier, which is about halfway between the main train station (Cornavin) and Lake Geneva. About a 10 min walk from Cornavin.
I believe there are others as well that run from Geneva's airport. Google should help you find them.

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