 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Sorry, I know this has been done to death, but I've never completely understood the benefits of hiring from the Swiss side of Geneva airport (only ever previously arranged fly-drive ski trips out of Treviso, Chambery and San Francisco).
I'm just about to search for a hire care from Geneva for the EoSB for me and Red Leon, picking up on the Friday evening.
1) As I understand it, picking up on the Swiss side during the 'winter' means that you get the 'ski pack' included as standard.
a) However this doesn't seem to be the case with all the car rental firms (or at least not according to their web sites). Can anyone clarify?
b) Is 21 April still considered to be winter?
c) What exactly is included in the 'ski pack'? Does it mean winter tyres or snow chains?
d) Will snow chains still be necessary that late in the season? (I would have thought so, having previously skied in fresh powder in the second week of April)
2) Isn't it more expensive to hire in Switzerland than in France?
3) Isn't it far more inconvenient to pick up on the Swiss side when driving to France (customs and borders to cross etc.)
Am planning to book a Swiss-side pick-up anyway (because snowHeads say it's so!), but just want a better understanding of exactly why! Thanks.
Dave
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dave Burt, in answer to some of your questions at least.
1.a) When booking online it ususally tells you whether winter pack (chains and tyres) are included, or whether they are extras payable on arrival. We booked through holiday autos, and the car from Avis had winter tyres and chains at no extra charge.
b) NOt sure, I don't think so.
c) Tyres and ususally chains, may have to ask for the chains, depends on the company. Avis included them, and they were also excellent.
d) Possibly.
2. Usually, Yes, but motorway disc (vignette), is included, and it's only a very small amount anyway .
3. Much more convenient and easier to pick up and drop off car on return at Swiss side, (although I did spot arrows to the French side this time). French side is really for the domestic flights. You'll have a Swiss registered car, so they'll probably just wave you through the border. You;ll arrive at the Swiss side of Geneva anyway, and the car desks are just past the customs clearance in the arrival hall.
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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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When booking for the Swiss side at Geneva I've always ignored the option for booking the winter pack, and on every occasion the hire car has come complete with winter tyres and chains.
It is more convenient to collect/drop-off from the Swiss side because the way into the airport is much easier - it's just off the motorway that heads into/from France. The way into the French side is much more convoluted, and unless you know where you are going its easy to get lost. There are many stories from snowHeads of having trouble finding the way in/out of the French side. The border crossing is not an issue - passports are rarely checked, and you are likely to be waved through (that is if there are any border police checking cars; often there aren't).
Although hiring on the French side does seem to be slightly cheaper, by the time you add the extra charge for winter pack I don't think there is much difference in price between Swiss and French sectors.
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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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i have a reservation with avis in the french section this saturday. i'll report if i got lost  or not...
does anybody know how much snow chains cost in france? i'm headed for tignes and returning the car in lyon. for a one way rental, i couldn't get chains, so i'm considering buying if they're not too expensive.
cheers,
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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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icke, most of the garages and autoroute service stations seem to have them, but not sure of the cost.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A Swiss Motorway Vignette costs CHF40, around £18, double check that you have one.
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icke, The hypermarket in Chambery had reasonable chains for €49 just before Christmas - although I dare say their stocks might be a bit lower now. You can pay much more - I've seen some nearer €200.
But this time of year I'd be inclined to risk it and not bother buying chains unless it's actually snowing/raining whilst driving up: of course this means that if it's snowing when you are leaving a week later, you might need to buy chains in Tignes, and I'm sure you'd be paying a lot more there.
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brian
brian
Guest
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| Dave Burt wrote: |
3) Isn't it far more inconvenient to pick up on the Swiss side when driving to France (customs and borders to cross etc.)
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It's actually much more convenient. To use the French side and go towards the alps without crossing the border involves a long circuitous route round on small roads.
If you did go French side it's much easier to cross straight into Switzerland and, assuming you don't have and don't want to pay for the vignette, go straight through Geneva itself.
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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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you need to look at the T&C's for each company as to when winter packs are included or not.
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Thanks all, that's a big help.
Dave
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hertz (on Swiss side) booked via Carbookers, have charged me an extra supplement on both occasions for winter tyres, but snow chains were provided FOC.
Agree about it being dead easy to get to France from Swiss side - so long as the motorway is open! It was closed last Wednesday so ended up taking a scenic tour of Geneva until joining the motorway in Anne Masse 
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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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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
The border crossing is not an issue - passports are rarely checked, and you are likely to be waved through (that is if there are any border police checking cars; often there aren't).
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From experience:
I used to work in Ferney-Voltaire ( main border town by GVA ). Border crossing from CH back to F was never a problem with a local 01 plated car. There were often customs officers around and sometimes even CRS - however if it was cold, wet, dark you could pretty much rely on the douaniers being inside in the warm. But going from F to CH 99.99% of the time there would be a Swiss customs officer outside even in inclement weather and we often were stopped and asked where we were going. In addition to the main border crossings there are quite a few small ones located out in 'the sticks'. I used to use one of these to get to work and back and only ever saw them manned by roaming Swiss customs officers and they did do a full document check etc.
Local plates 01 for France and VD for Switzerland will lessen your chances of getting a full passport, car documents check. Hire cars often have non local registrations and can attract attention.
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I crossed the France/Swiss border in Geneva loads of times and never questioned even once. This could be due to driving a UK-registered vehicle with the paid road tax displayed at the windscreen.
As far as my experience goes the border police in Switzerland are only interested in the road tax. I have entered Swiss side of Geneva without a passport once because we went skiing in Flaine and then went to the GVA airport to pick up somebody. We only realised not carrying the passports on the motoway and were prepare to beg for admission. Like I said the police take one look at the road tax and waved us past.
The cost of a set of snow chains is related to the tyre size and one must know the tyre dimension to choose the correct one. In UK the starndard set is about £100 for a large 4x4. Fitting an incorrect set is unsafe because if the chain comes loose a lot of damage can be done to the vehicle.
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You know it makes sense.
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icke, the vignette will be stuck on the car winscreen, and has a motorway symbol on it.
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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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We managed to make it over the border on the paid motorways to & from the alps in January from the french side. We didnt intend on taking the motorways it just sort of happened!
Didnt even see a border guard.
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Poster: A snowHead
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saikee, very lucky - two seasons in a row I was forced to buy a vignette for my English (and taxed) car.
My understanding is that it is a legal requirement in Switzerland for all hire cars to be equipped with snow tyres and chains between October and May.
I might be wrong but I always rent from the Swiss side for this reason and have always had cars with these items.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The trick to getting to the French side of Geneva airport is to follow signs to Ferney. Do this religiously even where there are huge enticing signs to the airport. After resisting the tempation to divert to the airport you'll be rewarded with a small border post into France. Almost immediately through the border there is a sharp left turn with a tiny sign indicating the Airport French sector. It's a narrow road between high wire fences but that will lead right into the French hire car drop off point. From there Pas de probleme.
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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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| Quote: |
Like I said the police take one look at the road tax and waved us past.
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I don't think the Swiss border police are remotely interested in whether we have paid UK road tax. There are a number of crossing points round Geneva where they will "wave you through"; the one on the motorway itself is the only one where you will be stopped and made to buy one. They are hawk-eyed - I don't think many people get away with it. If you cross on a non motorway crossing you have an opportunity to buy a vignette, and if you don't, you run a risk of a large on-the-spot fine if you do use the motorways. No excuses are accepted. The vignette is not really too expensive compared to the French motorway tolls.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
Like I said the police take one look at the road tax and waved us past.
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I don't think the Swiss border police are remotely interested in whether we have paid UK road tax. |
I'm pretty sure he meant the vignette, it's effectivley a road tax anyway.
| pam w wrote: |
| They are hawk-eyed - I don't think many people get away with it. |
I'm not sure about that, there's any number of people with vignettes sellotaped to the screen I spot that seem to be missed by them 
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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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| Quote: |
I'm not sure about that, there's any number of people with vignettes sellotaped to the screen I spot that seem to be missed by them
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When I was living and working in Zurich the Police used to hang around waiting for the driver to return if they spotted a dodgy vignette.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The easiest place to buy a vignette is in the airport. You have to go into customs for it, we asked the girl on the info desk and she pointed us in the right direction.
Just for the recored, The last weekend in April a three day hire france is £60 and in Switzerland its £120. I'd buy a vignette on my way through to the French desk!! These prices are booking with europe car through easy jet.
It is much shorter driving through the centre and the traffic really isn't too bad for a city centre. From the French side it is practically one road all the way.. Go straight on till you get to the lake and then turn right and go round it till you see signs for chamonix. Can't really go wrong. There are a few road works at the moment but they are an route to the swiss side anyway.
Jo
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| oopalley wrote: |
| Just for the recored, The last weekend in April a three day hire france is £60 and in Switzerland its £120. I'd buy a vignette on my way through to the French desk!! These prices are booking with europe car through easy jet. |
I've found booking car hire via easyjet to be quite expensive. I've got a five and a half day car hire for that weekend in April from the Swiss side at GVA (economy grade car) for £98. Booked with Holiday Autos, car hire with Alamo. Once you add in the supplementary charge for winter equipment I've not found that much difference in price between French and Swiss sectors.
Just got a Holiday Autos quote for a three day car hire from the Swiss side for the last weekend in April - £65, and no need to buy a vignette.
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I have to agree with rob about easyjet car hire, very very expensive compared to others I have got quotes from. Holiday Autos has always been a great price (compared to going to the car rental places direct  ) and you can compare the price between hiring on the french side or the swiss side.
Also, from a link in another post - www.yescarhire.com has some really good prices.
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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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do the alamo cars generally have snow chains included in the winter equipment ? or does winter equipment just mean winter tyres?
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hedley, in my experience Alamo do come with chains as well as winter tyres (although once this season the wrong size chains were in the boot, which I didn't discover until I went to fit them  ).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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thanksrob@rar.org.uk, it always seems to be a bit hit and miss whether you get snow chains or not ?
hopefully there will be no need for them in flaine by 20 april.
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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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just back from tignes. its a bit funny for an airport to operate in two countries. the only suggestion i would have after my own experience is to pick up the luggage from the swiss side first thing (after swiss passport control) and only after that head over to the french sector with the luggage. waiting for someone to deliver the bags to the french sector can take half a day...
i then drove directly throug geneva (following the chamonix signs) and just got waved through at the border crossings. traffic in geneva indeed was light and it's such a small city anyway.
since i hired one way (drop off in lyon) i couldn't get snow chains but there was really no need. even with fairly heavy snow falls in tignes throughout the week, the snow was cleared off the roads pretty quickly. but i was told that it can turn colder again with heavy snowfalls even in late april but then, a local fellow in tignes told me that he never bothered with chains, even in the winter... the locals are probably a bit more used to driving in those conditions though.
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| Quote: |
Local plates 01 for France
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? Local number is 74 for Haute Savoie. 01 is Ain, which is somewhere in the middle and a long way from Switzerland.
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You know it makes sense.
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| icke wrote: |
| ... a local fellow in tignes told me that he never bothered with chains, even in the winter... the locals are probably a bit more used to driving in those conditions though. |
Yes, but more importantly he will probably have winter tyres fitted to his car which significantly improves the grip on snow. When driving hire cars with winter tyres on I've only ever needed to put chains on once (then the damn things supplied by the hire co. were the wrong size  ) but when driving my own car with regular tyres on I've had to use chains on many occasions.
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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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..............................
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Wed 23-08-06 7:41; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just hired from the french side due to very big cost difference, points are as follows:
Driving through the city centre is easy and probably works out the same time as going via the motorway
(i.e slower but shorter)
The snowchains you get with french cars (if you pay extra for them) are not the type you get in Switzerland
which are a doddle (cheaper and more complicated to fit by the looks of it) glad I didn't need to use them
as we were only 1100 up & the forecast was o.k
finding the french side of the airport coming back was pretty easy (as someone said just ignore the airport & keep heading for Ferney)
allow an extra 1/2 hour for traffic & moving from the french to swiss side with lugguage
Someone advised we don't check our bags in on the french side with easyjet but go through to the swiss side (not sure why, presumably they might get lost) bit of a lug but not too bad.
in short, If there is only a few quid between the two in terms of cost then I would hire from the swiss side everytime, but (as in the case the other week we saved over £140 on 2 cars) if there is a big difference go with the french side.
Incidentally in early march we were in a monstrous Europcar queue on the swiss side and a number of hapless individuals had french side car hire vouchers (I directed one very tired family with 2 children who had been queueing for over 1/2 an hour) these vouchers were booked on their behalf by travel agents/tour operators & they had no Idea that they were in the wrong side of the A/P.
TO's Obviously happy to send them to resorts with presumably no chains or winter tyres & via a not particularly obvious route and I assume making a healthy profit in the process
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