Best value car hire from top brands
Key facts for hiring a car in Geneva
Best time to visit
This really depends on your plans. For winter sports and snow, December to early
April is a good bet. For warmer weather try June to September.
Car hire locations
There are two car hire locations at the airport – the French side and the Swiss side.
Make sure you know which one you’re heading to!
Useful lingo
Petrol – de l’essence
Diversion – La déviation
Time difference
GMT (the same as London, UK)
Currency
Swiss Franc (CHF)
Hire a car in Geneva
A city of pure sophistication, Geneva is as
elegant as the waters which sit beside it.
Geneva seems to have it all. From fabulous panoramas of snow-dusted mountains, to quirky and
unpredictable buildings, the city is really photogenic. The food is also a delight – dip
into gooey fondue, feed your winter soul with a plateful of moreish rösti and wash it down
with the local pop, flauder.
Even travelling around is exciting – whether you want to float, cycle or
drive (or do a bit of all three) the routes in and outside of the city are hard to beat. So,
if you plan to spend some of your trip to Geneva on the road, then easyCar will help you
find your way – starting with the perfect rental.
Why book your Geneva car hire with easyCar?
At easyCar, we’ve been helping customers find their perfect rental for nearly 20 years. Our
experience means you can rest assured that you’re in good hands. Plus, across the most
trusted of review sites, we have over 10,000 reviews. Here’s a few from customers who’ve
booked a car in Geneva.
We’re ready to help
When you book with us, you’ll have the support of our team, 24/7. Just give us a call
if you want a hand.
“Easy to talk to…great helpful service”
“Very helpful and efficient representative”
“Your sales assistant was amazing”
“Great service, great prices. Used before,
will use again”
Booking’s a breeze
Whether you need a big car or small, use our price comparison tools to hunt down the
best car for your needs.
“The booking process was excellent”
“The site is very user friendly, and I was glad
to see there are no hidden fees”
“Changing my booking was a piece of cake”
The best prices, guaranteed
The easyGroup is known for its great value, and we pride ourselves on finding you the
best car hire deal out there.
“Pricing is excellent, you always beat going directly to the rental companies”
“Straightforward and a competitive price”
“Prices were substantially lower than
other agencies”
Helpful advice
Geneva Airport car hire information
Pickup LocationAverage cost per day of car hire in Geneva
| Airport | £38.10 |
| Downtown | £36.90 |
I want to hire a car at Geneva Airport, where do I collect it?
This
totally depends on where you plan on driving your car. There are two sides to Geneva
Airport, the French side and the Swiss side. Hiring from the Swiss side, you should get
things such as the motorway vignette included, however the car may cost a little more. It is
more popular to pick up a car on the Swiss side, and this makes sense if you are staying in
Switzerland.
Where do I return my hire car?
Be extremely careful when you return your
car, as rental companies at GVA have a habit of charging you extra if you drop of your car
at the ‘wrong side’.
What’s the best value supplier at Geneva Airport?
On the French side, the
two best value suppliers are Dollar and Hertz; on the Swiss side the best value suppliers
are Dollar and Flizzr.
Which car hire supplier should I choose?
Over the years, we’ve complied thousands of ratings from our customers so we can help you
make the most informed decision when choosing a supplier. The table below shows Geneva
suppliers ranked by both popularity (how many people have chosen to book with them) and
rating (how people reviewed their rental).
| Our most popular suppliers |
Our highest rated suppliers |
|---|---|
| Avis | Budget |
| Europcar | Unirent |
| Budget | Europcar |
| Thrifty | Dollar |
| Citer | Alamo |
It’s good practice with any car rental company to look carefully at the small print. In a
country like Switzerland, pay attention to any added extras which are often legal
requirements (such as winterisation). Some companies may at first appear more expensive but
have these things included, so be thorough in your search. If you have any questions about
what’s necessary when you are booking a Swiss hire car, our customer service team are
available to help you over the phone 24/7.
Facts and stats about car hire in Geneva
Monthly weather and average cost per day of car hire
MonthHighLowAverage cost per day
| Jan | 4°C | -1°C | £38.60 |
| Feb | 6°C | -1°C | £45.90 |
| Mar | 11°C | 1°C | £43.50 |
| Apr | 14°C | 4°C | £36.40 |
| May | 19°C | 9°C | £37.20 |
| Jun | 23°C | 12°C | £33.10 |
| Jul | 26°C | 14°C | £43.30 |
| Aug | 25°C | 14°C | £40.50 |
| Sep | 21°C | 11°C | £33.70 |
| Oct | 15°C | 7°C | £35.40 |
| Nov | 9°C | 2°C | £36.00 |
| Dec | 5°C | 0°C | £50.50 |
Your questions answered
Frequently Asked QuestionAnswer
| What is the most popular rental length in Geneva? | Five to six days. |
| What is the most popular month to rent a car in Geneva? | March, when a hire car costs on average £34.60 per day. |
Types of car
Car TypeAverage cost per day of car hire in Geneva
| Mini | £25.30 |
| Economy | £28.40 |
| Compact | £36.00 |
Driving tips for car rental in Geneva
Motorway vignettes – It’s the law to have a motorway vignette in your
windscreen if you intend to drive on Swiss motorways. There should be one in your hired
car, but if you have hired the car in a different country, there may not be. You can buy
them at the border for 40 Euros.
Car lights – Headlights should always be on, even during day time. This
is a legal requirement which was introduced in 2014.
Keeping alert – Look out for wildlife on the roads if you are driving in
rural areas. There will be signs alerting you to this.
Save the planet – If you are waiting at traffic lights, it is expected
that you turn off your engine to help keep emissions down.
Road signs – The language on road signs can vary depending on where you
are in the country.
Drive safely – The Swiss authorities are very strict on speeding and
consumption of alcohol prior to driving.
Park up – Some small towns and villages are ‘car free’ areas, so it’s
best to park outside and walk in.
Giving way – Uphill drivers have priority on narrow roads, but larger
vehicles tend to always have priority over cars.
Book your car hire now
Book by phone
+44 203 3186 960
The ultimate Geneva road trip
There’s nothing more enticing when in Switzerland than exploring the brilliant towns and
villages surrounding Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) and beyond. We’ve put together a road trip,
which is by no means exhaustive, but gives you an idea of where you could drive to if you’re
wanting to hit the road. If you head to the opposite side of the lake, try not to miss
Montreux, Gruyères or Fribourg, too.
Geneva Airport GVA
The busiest routes from GVA are London, Paris and Barcelona.
Car hire pick up point
Swiss side: car park P51
French side: P21
Lausanne – 60km
Picturesque lakeside city surrounded by vineyard-coated slopes.
Yverdon-les-Bains – 40km
Spa town with 30 degree hot springs.
Neuchâtel – 37km
Attractive city with hillside castle and cobbled streets.
Bern – 55km
The capital of Switzerland, Bern has a quaint, medieval air.
Swiss road signs
When driving in another country, it’s sometimes off putting if you see a road sign you don’t
recognise. In Switzerland, there are a few signs which you may not regularly see in other
countries. Here are three of the most unusual ones explained:
Snow chains required
This signpost displaying a tyre simply means that snow chains are required
on this road. You’re car should be properly winterised if you are planning on driving these
routes. The opposite sign has a red line through it, stating that snow chains are no longer
necessary.
No vehicle-like transport
This strange looking boot accounts for all things that may behave like a
mode of transport. For example, you wouldn’t be able to use a scooter, rollerblades or
skateboards in this area. Luckily, we don’t rent those!
Mountain postal road
This one is worth knowing about if you’re planning on driving mountainous
routes. Listen out for a three-tone-horn (when you can’t see around a bend). This is
probably public transport, and you must give way to them.
Local driving laws
What are the rules of the road in Switzerland?
| Legal drink driving limit |
Minimum renter age |
|---|---|
| 0.05 millilitres of alcohol per litre of breath | If you choose a company such as Avis or Hertz, they will rent certain cars to drivers as young as 19. |
| Type of road |
Speed limit |
|---|---|
| Autobahn / autoroute / autostrada | 120km/h (75 mph) |
| Autostrasse / semi-autoroutes / semiautostrade | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
| Outside built up areas |
80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Inside built up areas |
50 km/h (31 mph) |
