 Poster: A snowHead
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acanno, collect your own bags. That's no problem as long as you have papers to enter Switzerland. If other than British passports, or if you don't know, check. It takes them forever to get your bags.
dandurcd, I can't say. Depends which exit you used. The main "Swiss" side of the airport is very clearly marked off the motorway and the French side not at all. That's why you need to look for the Ferney exit if driving to the French side. It's the next exit after the main airport one, heading towards Lausanne (ie the last exit before the airport if headed from Lausanne!).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Use Hertz on the Swiss side on Sunday (booked through Auto Europe via Opodo). Upgraded to Avensis estate, winter tyres, chains in boot, and excellent service at the desk.
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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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Helen Beaumont, the enquirer was using Eurostar points and therefore has to hire in France; a new one on me. My Tesco points will do Avis!! Though when I used them to hire Avis, on the Swiss side, one time I was badly diddled on the value they put on the Tesco points and it took months of tedious emails to get my large overpayment back.
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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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Cheers pam w, That was what I was thinking as the fear of losing ski equipment frightens me, especially when it's our only holiday of the year
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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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Quick cautionary update - We hired from the French side by mistake last time and I had forgotten quite how bad it is. Two and a half hours from Chamonix to the airport! Luckily we had allowed two, so just made the flight. After leaving the car, we had a Kafkaesque detour trying to find the check-in where we ended up on the wrong side of the Swiss exit, in the baggage reclaim area!! Never again. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Check that snow chains and tyres are included in the rental price. Always have been when I have hired in Switzerland, weren't the time I hired on the french side-negated the cost savings!
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| Quote: |
| Two and a half hours from Chamonix to the airport! |
I can't think why. It need only take 5 or 10 minutes more to get round to the French side of the airport off the motorway (but if, of course, you are so determined to save a few bob that you won't buy a vignette, you do need to allow a lot more time, and have a good map and a competent navigator, preferably a French speaker so you can ask the way when you get lost. When that happened to me two customers in the garage, where I stopped to ask, had a big argument about the best way to send me - one spoke French with a strong Italian accent and so was easier to understand, so I went his way!).
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Always have been when I have hired in Switzerland |
Swiss hires do NOT always include chains and several recent hirers, including my sister, have been forced to pay an additional charge on arrival for snow tyres, even though they are apparently required by law in Switzerland and there is no option to do without them. Several snowheads have complained about this recently. The additional driver charge in Switzerland is also pretty steep.
By the way, if you hope to get away without buying a vignette, coming back to Geneva airport through the motorway border at Bardonnex your best bet is the morning rush hour - when there is a big queue they sometimes open up all the ways through, and not have people checking.
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I am just looking to hire a car for the new year week. Once again, bizarrely it seems nearly impossible to hire a 4WD automatic in advance on the Swiss side, despite the fact I have always been upgraded, or able to upgrade to one on arrival. We are going to Nendaz (cracking place BTW) in Switzerland. I am now seriously considering hiring on the French side because of the availability of the aforementioned 4WD automatics. I take on board the comments made on this topic but most people seem to have problems driving from Ferney to french ski resorts - its doesn't look that difficiult in principal when you are heading to/from the Lausanne direction. Anybody know how feasible it would be to leave the wife and kids to collect the bags as I nip to the french side to get the car and drive back to the swiss side of the terminal to collect them. We are travelling with another family who have hired on the swiss side but have never been to the resort so I need to get to that side so they can follow me!!!
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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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As some say collect you bags and go back in through the french customs by the checkin desks, or the other ooption is to go through french customer before you get your bags and there is a desk taht will get your bags (swiss air or something).
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I suggest you go out through the international (swiss) side, with your bags, then you can walk through to the French side (there's sign saying "France" - sort of top right hand side of the terminal, if you're looking in from the road outside). Getting your bags collected can be slow, and a right pain. It's only really necessary for people without papers to go into Switzerland.
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Fifespud, you won't have a vignette on your French car to use the swiss motorway. Not sure if you will need one though, as I've never done it. Only ever hired from the Swiss side.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Anybody know how feasible it would be to leave the wife and kids to collect the bags as I nip to the french side to get the car and drive back to the swiss side of the terminal to collect them. We are travelling with another family who have hired on the swiss side but have never been to the resort so I need to get to that side so they can follow me!!!
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It would not be a problem to go through to the French side, pick up a car and drive back to the Swiss side - once you get the highway in Ferney you make a right turn and immediately go through the border. If you follow the signs to the airport they'll take you to the Swiss side easily enough.
However, as Helen Beaumont says, you will need to buy a Swiss vignette to use their motorways. The best place to buy it would be at the border post in Ferney.
It would probably be possible to get to Nendaz OFF the motorway - someone who knows the alternatives could advise.
But you really don't need a 4wd automatic - why not hire a cheaper car from the Swiss side? A car hired on the Swiss side will automatically be equipped with snow tyres and a vignette. Some automatics are not great in the snow, either.
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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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pam w, we had an automatic Astra that had a 'snow and ice' setting last time we hired from Geneva, and it drove ok in a heavy snowfall, but an auto 4x4 we had in Canada was rubbish in the snow, probably because it was so heavy. Fifespud, any particular reason for needing an automatic?
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Fifespud, you couldget from the airport to Nendaz without using the autoroute, but it would be a slow if picturesque trip. Not recommended.
As asked elsewhere, why the need for a 4x4 auto?
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen - its probably not very 'manly' to admit but I just cant handle the gearstick on the other side, I just cant do it! It is extremely time consuming driving to Nendaz off the motorway, in fact unless you wanted to, it would be bonkers! We have an apartment in Nendaz which we visit maybe 4 times a year, I often drive my own car down in the Summer so the vignette could be good value at 40 CHF for a year. I have had to put snowchains on several times going to Nendaz, particularly in December through to mid February, I reckon I am pretty good at it, and its no bother in an underground garage say, but even when you know what you are doing, doing it at the side of the road, in total darkness and in a blizzard is not easy. Particularly when the snowchains the rentals have are mostly the cheapest of the cheap. Basically if its a half hour job, from the French side round to Swiss side of the airport, and I can save that time leaving the family to get the bags, and not having to fight to get all the gear/kids on the little minibus that now takes you to the Swiss car hire collection point and save 300 GBP it seems well worth it to me.
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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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BTW in all the times I have driven my own UK car in Switzerland, a couple of times without a vignette - by accident - I have never been stopped by the police or even given a second glance - even going through customs. Maybe just lucky and I would not recommend it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Fifespud, I think people are questioning more whether you need a 4x4 than why it needs to be an auto.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| rjs wrote: |
| Fifespud, I think people are questioning more whether you need a 4x4 than why it needs to be an auto. |
In my experience, at that time of the year, definitely. The car park at our apartment doesn't get properly cleared if the snow is persistant, its a nightmare getting in and out. 4WD is defo the way to go.
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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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Fifespud, Twice last season hired from Budget (via holiday autos) from the swiss side and got nissan squashy which was part time 4wd and cvt auto. It is budgets compact 4 door and they seem to have lots of them.
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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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Fifespud, we sometimes need 4x4 to get out of our apartments car park on occasions too, even though it is level and tarmac. Although snow gets cleared quickly, if snow falls overnight, and you have to leave first thing the next morning, I would agree a 4x4 is a good idea, but it isn't essential. We could probably have dug our way out if we needed to.
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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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if its a half hour job, from the French side round to Swiss side of the airport,
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I'd say nearer 7 minutes. Maybe 10. But if it's a Saturday (though why would you fly in on a Saturday if you have your own apartment) it could then take you longer than that to get into the car park and find a slot to pick up the others.
If you decide to hire on the French side I'd take everyone over there - and then get away from the airport with no more faff.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fifespud, Vignette only required on motorway, and the entrances/exits are not all monitored. Which may be why you got away with it.
Be aware that once it's stuck to your windscreen, it's incredibly difficult to remove. Which is why we have 3 of them. Makes it hard to swap between cars.
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Which may be why you got away with it.
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be aware also that if caught on a motorway without one you are very likely to be given a hefty fine, with no room for any kind of argument or negotiating.
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Please note anyone reading this forum the security arrangements in Geneva have changed.
You must go through to the Swiss sector now. I used to be able to go directly to the French sector, in fact I was able to walk through a few times without anyone checking my passport on arrival.
Pick up your bags then head for the French sector up the stairs to the far end.
I tend to use the French sector most times and buy a vignette. A vignette is a must for a novice (imho). For me it's just as easy as the swiss sector to drive onto the Swiss motorway for Chamonix etc. On the way back You can also drive right up to the airport drop off your bags and check in for all flights. The car hire on the swiss side is now a shuttle bus ride away.
The french sector always seems quieter and I've found the check in process (Easyjet and Aerlingus) a breeze.
Hope this helps someone.
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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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| Quote: |
You must go through to the Swiss sector now
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This can be a problem for people without papers for entry into Switzerland - then it's a real hassle, someone in the party who DOES have the papers has to exit Switzerland with everybody's baggage, or you get the baggage service people to do it for you. It needs thinking about well in advance, and allowing some extra time. I agree the French side can be easier and quieter - and driving in and out is no problem once you know the way. But for folk just visiting occasionally, and hiring cars, the Swiss side is probably still best, because of having snow tyres, a vignette, and signposts (all the roadsigns, even once you've found the right motorway exit, direct you to the Swiss side). We've had to assist two lots of people coming here in the last few weeks with French hired cars with no snow tyres. If you're good with chains this isn't necessarily a problem, but most people aren't, and they're such a drag when it's dark and you just want to get to your accommodation and have a drink.
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also, you tend to get rubbish cheap chains, sometimes broken - always best to check they're not
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Completely agree, you need to consider your own personal circumstances, time of year, destination etc.
However my understanding is that the only direct route into the french sector now is if you are on an "internal" flight from France.
Apart from that everyone now has to go through Swiss customs.
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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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gcoulter, maybe everything has changed with Schengen. Just looked at their website - and note that it's not possible to check in on the French side for a British Airways flight. I'm not entirely surprised. Last time I did that - or tried to - it was a total carve up because you were supposed to pick up a phone and speak to BA on the Swiss side, but somebody had left the relevant phone off the hook. They were like a bunch of not very competent girl guides - eventually we did catch the flight, but only just and it was no thanks to British Airways - we just marched through with our bags, and without boarding passes, to the Swiss side. Not allowed. But I've done several not allowed things through that airport. The BA woman on the desk was very friendly and apologetic but we'd have missed the flight if we'd followed instructions.
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FAQ
