 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone have any recent experience of how long it is currently taking to get through Geneva airport (both ways) and any tips to make it quicker? Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Around Xmas, was about 50 mins to the train station on arrival with checked bags. Aside from the obvious about getting your paperwork in order before getting to immigration, only other tip is to avoid getting stuck behind someone (a tour guide  ) who had no idea there was a Swiss PLF...
On the way back about 20 mins from station to departure lounge (main bit). Easyjet queues were non existent (unlike Feb 2020) and neither were security queues. Again, helps if you have your documents ready for the check in desk. Other tip is make sure you head to the exact flight gate in plenty of time as passport checks for the B gates were another 20 mins.
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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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It depends - inbound largely due to other flights arriving at similar times (therefore passport control and baggage handling will be longer) and outbound is largely security queue dependant! We had some evening flights in December with no other simultaneous arrivals and were on the station platform in the airport about 40 minutes after landing.
My only tip for making it quicker is to sit by a front/rear exit and get your bags loaded last!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank you @DrNo and @oui4ski. I was envisaging it taking well over an hour to get through passport control with all the checks required now. I might take a risk and book a specific train!
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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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| mrs_frostee wrote: |
| Thank you @DrNo and @oui4ski. I was envisaging it taking well over an hour to get through passport control with all the checks required now. I might take a risk and book a specific train! |
We flew into Geneva on 2nd Jan with Jet2 and sailed through passport control (PC) and customs. PC asked to see only our proof of negative tests. Mind, we did fly into Terminal 2, which was a bit of a surprise....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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As others have said it seems to depend on what other flights have come in - we were getting a morning flight from manchester last summer and we seemed to come in after an Emirates flight landed - cue big crowds of non-eu passports. They only ever seem to have 2 booths open no matter how many people are waiting!
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There are often two hidden immigration booths tucked behind the main ones directly at the end of the travelators. Sitting in front of the plane helps a lot and also letting someone in group going ahead sans luggage to queue for rental car. Walking to the CH car rental carpark often quicker than waiting for the shuttle bus. Coffee is cheaper at the Jazz Cafe shop if you turn right when you exit air-side instead of the TA cafe if you turn left.
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There are often two hidden immigration booths tucked behind the main ones directly at the end of the travelators. Sitting in front of the plane helps a lot and also letting someone in group going ahead sans luggage to queue for rental car. Walking to the CH car rental carpark often quicker than waiting for the shuttle bus. Coffee is cheaper at the Jazz Cafe shop if you turn right when you exit air-side instead of the TA cafe if you turn left.
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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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@Ozboy, they were bringing us (EJ flight) on a bus directly into a hall with immigration booths so just one big queue. Couldn’t see anywhere there’d be any other booths?
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@andy from embsay, if you go with an airline that uses the terminal ‘arms’ (Swiss & BA) you get the option described. I once flew LCY-GVA in business and got a car to pick me up to drive me to the bit you’ve described so I didnt have to take the bus. I had a very overinflated view of myself that day.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
| @Ozboy, they were bringing us (EJ flight) on a bus directly into a hall with immigration booths so just one big queue. Couldn’t see anywhere there’d be any other booths? |
Not sure about the EZ arrival route but can be done with BA. Think both satellite spokes converge near immigration and you can access the alternate booths if attended.
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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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@Nadenoodlee, ah, interesting. I’m flying BA on Friday as I’m coming from That London. My tip for EJ is to stand by the middle door of the bus on the rh side and refuse to shift. You should then be first of your flight in the queue, but may still be behind 300 people off an Emirates flight.
It’s longer and more expensive but we’ve flown via Schipol a couple of times which is lovely as you’re in Schengen so it’s like getting off a train.
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@andy from embsay, I used to commute from Geneva to various places and got my ‘hacks’ for that airport down to a fine art. Not sure how it works with the new terminal though.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| @andy from embsay, I used to commute from Geneva to various places and got my ‘hacks’ for that airport down to a fine art. Not sure how it works with the new terminal though. |
Is it a whole new terminal or just new gates area?
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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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When we arrived for the Psb (BA), there were only 2 booths. If there were 2 more round the corner, they were not in use.
I was near the front. Only a dozen or so in from of me, but it still took 20 minutes.
Those at the back of the queue took and hour longer to clear.
In front of me was a couple with 2 young kids, who were moving to CH for work. Immigration took ages to check. They thought they were going to be rejected. Problem with the change of rules, but they got through eventually.
It only takes 1 with a query to slow everything down.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Ozboy, has come up with the tip I was going to give you.
You can see 2 Passport Check Booths as you come along the travelator ...
If there is a queue of people waiting there, just check around the corner there are a couple more out of site.
And as @andy from embsay, says, if its a bus from the plane board last so you can stand in the doorway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ozboy, i think its a terminal from the newsletter i vaguely read but no direct experience- I’m a Zuricher now
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@andy from embsay, looks like East Wing is new terminal for long haul and hopefully they will not mix with European arrivals or departures as security screening can take a long time when busy and the food area congested.
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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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For those that don’t already know. A two pence coin works in the baggage carts
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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We queued just over an hour at 8pm on Friday before Xmas. In the new terminal, in the airless boiling immigration hall where you have to queue in the ‘rest of world’ queue. Every single person had their COVID test documentation checked. There were only 1-2 officers still on duty by the time we got thru. And since you are ‘rest of world’ every passport needs stamped. Reminded me of arriving at JFK.
Still at least we didn’t have to wait for skis to come out which can take ages anyway.
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Thanks everyone. We’re flying with Swiss, so will look out for the extra hidden booths. With nobody being able to travel to France from the UK at the mo, we’re really hoping that it won’t be as busy as it usually is on a Saturday during the ski season. Fingers crossed!
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@mrs_frostee, of course next Saturday is widely expected to be when Brits can travel to France so there might be a bit of a rush on…
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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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@andy from embsay, Think I'm on the same plane as you, though I'll be getting on as you get off, as I am going to the UK on Friday with BA 
Any tips for LHR ?
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@WindOfChange, Will wave. My only LHR tip concerns getting into town - rather than pay £25 for a heathrow express get the overland train for about eight quid that only takes ten mins longer than the HEX. Don’t fly through it much these days tbh since they binned the Leeds Bratfud shuttle.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@WindOfChange, in non-covid times you used to be able to pay £7 to fast track arrival security. Alas not an option at present but I used it when traveling with kids or with a tight timing for a meeting etc.
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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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@andy from embsay, Thanks for the heads up about the HEX - 25 quid is a few beers even at London prices.
Does an all-zones Travelcard cover the Overland?
Otherwise I'll just get the Dark Blue line, as I will have 4 hours to get from LHR to SE London, which ought be be achievable
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@WindOfChange, not sure on Travelcard - I know you can dab in on the touchpad things and don’t have to buy a ticket, so I think it may well do.
The Piccadilly line is a bit of an epic having used it to get back to town after a match at Twickenham recently - about an hour?
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You know it makes sense.
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@andy from embsay, Sounds like I'll need 4 hours if that's anything to go by
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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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@WindOfChange, whereabouts in London are you heading?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| andy from embsay wrote: |
| @mrs_frostee, of course next Saturday is widely expected to be when Brits can travel to France so there might be a bit of a rush on… |
Oh crikey, I hadn’t even thought about that. I was so chuffed that we’d actually managed to get a holiday in Switzerland after cancelling our one in France (we should have been there now), that I hadn’t really been paying attention to when France might be opening up again. Glad I bought the flexible train tickets in the end! (Although they’d gone up CHF72 for 3 of us since I looked week or so ago!)
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 10-01-22 11:59; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ozboy, Friday going to see friends in Blackheath. Sunday - Ally pally.
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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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I'm flying with easyjet in a couple of weeks. Is there a separate EU/Schengrn queue in the arrivals hall?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you're travelling with Easyjet from the UK it can be very painful at present, in both directions.
We flew in from London Gatwick on 6th March 2022. We were on the tarmac 20 minutes before steps arrived. It then took about 20 minutes in the non-EU line for passport control. The equivalent line for an EU citizen was about 5 minutes I think. It then took a further 1.5 hours for our bags to arrive. So about two and a half hours from the plane touching down (on time) to leaving the baggage hall. We were a little unlucky I think, but were not the only flight waiting a long time for bags in the hall.
We flew back to London Luton yesterday, 13th March 2022. The line for Easyjet UK passengers was going up the ramp outside the terminal at the far end from the Easyjet checkin. It took two and a quarter hours to navigate that queue and check in. We timed that, it's pretty accurate. Then about 20 minutes in the security lines, and about a further 20 minutes going through passport control. The flight left an hour late solely because people were standing in lines. Easyjet will call passengers for some departing flights out of the main line and give them a dedicated checkin desk, but that didn't happen to us. We arrived at the airport at about 11:20am for the 2:05pm flight, and eventually sat on the plane at about 2:40pm, having done nothing apart from stand in lines and walk around the airport for 3 hours and 20 minutes. We had no lunch, and Easyjet had run out of sandwiches on the flight.
@TaraThompson: as mentioned, there is a separate EU queue for passport control on arrival which can be much quicker. Also if you're not flying to the UK the Easyjet lines for departure are shorter.
I'm not sure how much this has to do with pandemic restrictions by the way. Easyjet do check the UK Passenger Locator Form at the checkin desk, but none of the other slowness was directly related to covid 19.
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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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@TaraThomson, yes. And generally a whole load quicker.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@under a new name, @TaraThomson, and no problem (either way) using a UK passport with carte de sejour. Difficult to keep the smug look off my chops as I breezed past the quite horrendous non-EU queue.
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@richn2022, I am a bit confused by your description of the queue for Easyjet going "up the ramp" outside the terminal. There is no ramp outside the terminal at Geneva - it is flat ground. Did I miss something?
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Passport control into Geneva last week was really fast, few minutes tops. Had to wait a while for my board bag but nothing out of the ordinary.
The way back was a bit of a queue for easyJet but nothing more than 10-15 minutes.
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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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| richn2022 wrote: |
If you're travelling with Easyjet from the UK it can be very painful at present, in both directions.
We flew in from London Gatwick on 6th March 2022. We were on the tarmac 20 minutes before steps arrived. It then took about 20 minutes in the non-EU line for passport control. The equivalent line for an EU citizen was about 5 minutes I think. It then took a further 1.5 hours for our bags to arrive. So about two and a half hours from the plane touching down (on time) to leaving the baggage hall. We were a little unlucky I think, but were not the only flight waiting a long time for bags in the hall.
We flew back to London Luton yesterday, 13th March 2022. The line for Easyjet UK passengers was going up the ramp outside the terminal at the far end from the Easyjet checkin. It took two and a quarter hours to navigate that queue and check in. We timed that, it's pretty accurate. Then about 20 minutes in the security lines, and about a further 20 minutes going through passport control. The flight left an hour late solely because people were standing in lines. Easyjet will call passengers for some departing flights out of the main line and give them a dedicated checkin desk, but that didn't happen to us. We arrived at the airport at about 11:20am for the 2:05pm flight, and eventually sat on the plane at about 2:40pm, having done nothing apart from stand in lines and walk around the airport for 3 hours and 20 minutes. We had no lunch, and Easyjet had run out of sandwiches on the flight.
@TaraThompson: as mentioned, there is a separate EU queue for passport control on arrival which can be much quicker. Also if you're not flying to the UK the Easyjet lines for departure are shorter.
I'm not sure how much this has to do with pandemic restrictions by the way. Easyjet do check the UK Passenger Locator Form at the checkin desk, but none of the other slowness was directly related to covid 19. |
What was you flight time on your outbound journey?
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FAQ
