 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
We've just come back from St Gervais and had a hire car from the Swiss side of Geneva Airport. We didn't come across any petrol stations near to the airport on our return journey (via A40). Does anyone know one so we don't get caught out with hire co petrol charges next time?
The Evasion area was lovely to ski and the views on the St Nicholas side were beautiful!
Cheers
Codie
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Codie, easiest is to go through to the French sector (follow the signposting to Ferney, next exit off the motorway after the airport). There's a garage immediately after the border post.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The petrol station at Bonneville (junction 14 of the A40 Auoroute Blanche) has always been fine for us. Still about 30km/25 minutes from the airport but never had any problems when I've returned the car.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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There are some petrol stations if you turn right into Geneva at the Airport motorway exit instead of left.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I've found diesel tends to be cheaper in France, petrol cheaper in Switz.
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There's a BP about 100 yds off the exit before the airport. Petrol is substantially cheaper in Switzerland. We usually manage to fill up just before Geneva, drive to the 3V and back to the same services to refill, thereby avoiding paying French prices or exchange rates at all for petrol 
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Thanks a million for the info.
Cheers
Codie
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Interesting, I've not done the calculation; must pay more attention. If diesel is cheaper in Switzerland I could often fill up in Geneva.
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pam w, I think masmith, is right, diesel is heavily subsidised in France so it's about 30% cheaper than petrol so it's still cheaper there than in Switzerland. The Swiss tend to put a premium on diesel because of teh environmental aspects
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, I think masmith is right too.
the AA website currently suggest petrol is €1.17 in France, €0.97 in Switz, diesel €1.03 and €1.06 respectively. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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E1.12- E1.14 I was paying in France at the weekend on the side of the motorways.
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Hi Codie, I was in St Gervais in December and hired a car from the french side of the airport (im sure this has been covered in other posts!!), and taking the car back there are 2 petrol stations half a mile before the border on your way out of Geneva centre towards Ferney and the french hire car entrance - (route de Ferney I think) seemed as cheap as anywhere in switz - useful if your hiring from the french side and - which is a little bit more hassle I think, but seemed to save a few quid!! Btw, hows the conditions in St Gervais at the moment, as Im thinking of going back in March??
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You know it makes sense.
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Mick_1243, see my report for last week on Megève/Evasion in general here:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=24484
Since then, judging by the webcams, the snowline is creeping up again: and the immediate forecast is not too pretty.
Still, anything could happen after that! 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hiya
There is a AGIP station (24 hrs and takes your credit card on the pump - great if you are in a hurry for your flight) right next to Geneva airport -swiss side. Drive as if you are going towards departures short term drop off but keep left and drive straight on past the drop off zone and AGIP is on the right. When you come out, follow the road out and pick up the signs to drive back around to the airport again, this time, with your full tank, head down to car rental return.  This is the closest one we have found!
FS
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi MickMick_1243
We've been to St Gervais via the French side so we may do that way again. The conditions were good up the mountain with good cover to Bettex. The south facing lower slopes looked that they may suffer and the run into St Gervais was grass. Higher up was good and not packed. I'm sure it will snow again before March anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If driving on the A41 from Annecy direction I always fill the car up at the autoroute services about 15 minutes after the Annecy junction, and a few miles before you joun the A40 heading towards Geneva. I think the autoroute services are called 'Cretes' or something similar. I fill the car up so that it is very full, and although it's still 25 minutes drive to GVA every car I've returned has still had the fuel gauge reading full. Although the petrol at the autoroute services might be slightly more expensive than other places, I've found that doing this is much less hassle than trying to fill up near the airport.
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brian
brian
Guest
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I use Freestyle's little AGIP station if I'm coming off the autoroute. (Follow the signs for "P51 - Illimité).
If coming from central Geneva, then the Avenue Louis Casai is lined with petrol stations as you approach the airport.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Freestyle wrote: |
Hiya
There is a AGIP station (24 hrs and takes your credit card on the pump - great if you are in a hurry for your flight) right next to Geneva airport -swiss side. Drive as if you are going towards departures short term drop off but keep left and drive straight on past the drop off zone and AGIP is on the right. When you come out, follow the road out and pick up the signs to drive back around to the airport again, this time, with your full tank, head down to car rental return. This is the closest one we have found!
FS |
Thanks for this tip, googled it on the way home last night and it worked well... FWIW the entrance to the AGIP garage looks like you're driving into a car park in the office block, but go with it and you're all good.
Best bit is now that the rental drop off is further on then there's no need to 'go round the loop' to get back to the airport - drive out of the petrol station and on a few yards, turn right and you're into the car park.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Be careful using this, I have had £107.00 debited from my account as the car behind me filled up on my card.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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blahblahblah, Thanks for the heads up on this, we filled up there wed, will check the statement carefully.
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Ironically I know of this being done to some one else, but as two transactions, his bank called him to ask why he was filling up twice, he obvious;y was not.
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For really cheap fuel try the Tamoil station (next to the big fuel tanks!) at 46.2149N, 6.1042E:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=46.2149,6.1042&t=h&z=20
24h self service also available and easily less than 2km from car hire return.
From the A1, take the exit (J4) signed to Vernier just after the last tunnel. Turn right onto Route de Vernier and then left at the traffic lights after about 500m. They take Euros or CHF and are much cheaper than in France - IIRC, 1.12 vs around 1.20 to 1.40 (2009 prices). Two of the four pumps are diesel only for trucks. There is also a BP station and a Coop very nearby.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 7-01-13 13:14; edited 3 times in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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There is a petrol station just outside the World Trade Centre 2 building, about 100m from the entrance to P51. It's just not at all obvious!
Map here - more or less where the "World Trade Centre Services" dot is - take the (little white) slip road immediately after you "swoop" down right from coming through the airport.
There are four, unattended 24 hour pumps that only take credit cards.
Ignore the sign that says "Car hire companies only" - it works anyway 
When you exit from the petrol station your are literally just on the slip road into P51.
Not the cheapest place, but it generally adds less than 3 minutes to the journey; doesn't require complex navigation and you're guaranteed to be full when you arrive.
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FlyingStantoni, Same one being referred to above, where blahblahblah reports card issues. We always use this one, not had a problem so far, except accessing it when people for departures get in the wrong lane and then you can't get through 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I always fill up at the last services on the westbound E62 - somewhere near Nyon - can't remember what it's called but it may be La Cote. It's about 25 km out but if you make sure the car is full to the top and take it easy thereafter, the needle will still be on full when you arrive, and that's all they check
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Apologies, got confused by...
| Freestyle wrote: |
| When you come out, follow the road out and pick up the signs to drive back around to the airport again, this time, with your full tank, head down to car rental return. |
Now realise (I think) that Freestyle is talking about returning car on French side(?)
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FlyingStantoni, actually I think Freestyle was referring to the previos situation when the car rental return was opposite the airport - his post was in 2007.
This was before it was moved up the road "for the convenience of passengers" or whatever management-speak mumbo-jumbo they used to justify it
[Edit: how foolish of me. This is Switzerland of course, so they don't justify anything ]
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You know it makes sense.
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| sarah wrote: |
| FlyingStantoni, Same one being referred to above, where blahblahblah reports card issues. We always use this one, not had a problem so far, except accessing it when people for departures get in the wrong lane and then you can't get through |
I have had the payment through, and it was not the petrol station, it was Natwest being window lickers, they said I had spent 167 swiss francs, I had spent 66, so assumed someone had filled up on my card, but actually the amount is 66 plus 1.75 a service charge.
So thank you Natwest, for screwing up, for offering to cancel my card and lastly for allowing my wife to tell me how stupid I am, when actually I did not do anything.
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FAQ
