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Geneva Airport car hire

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
When I hired from here last year and also from Grenoble (I think, through Holiday Autos/Fleet Europe) the hire included an additional driver without an extra charge. Looking to hire a car from Geneva in Jan, none of the usual firms seem to offer this. Anyone hired recently please and had that thrown in for free please?

Also, has anyone hiring recently from Geneva found snow chains in boot without paying extra?

Thanks!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Villz, last time we hired from GVA through Holiday Autos there was a surcharge for an extra driver. A couple of times before over the last 18 months this has been included in the price and no extra charge so I am not really sure why this is unless it has something to do with stating/not stating at the time of booking online?

Same goes with the snow chains really - few times we have had them slung in the back and all ready to go and other times there is nothing provided. A bit hit and miss.
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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?
Villz, Additional driver (via holiday Autos) at GVA was an extra charged by the actual car hire company. I'm at a loss why this cannot be included.
Chains were part of the original deal though.
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MrDan, BMF_Skier, Thanks both of you - I think I will book anyway thru Holiday Autos !
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

an extra charged by the actual car hire company

I've found the same. It's just a way of getting a few extra francs out of you - annoying. I suppose the firms are losing money selling through Holiday Autos and similar - so they seize any opportunity to grab a bit back again.
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Booked through Holiday Autos last week for Jan trip (GVA - French side) and got free additional driver. Have checked the site again and it looks like pick-up on the Swiss side doesn't give the free driver but French side does and hire charges are cheaper. Very Happy

To be honest, it's easier picking up from the French side now as they have changed the hire car park on the Swiss side so you now have to catch a shuttle to pick up your car while French side is still on-airport pickup.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
maxineige wrote:
To be honest, it's easier picking up from the French side now as they have changed the hire car park on the Swiss side so you now have to catch a shuttle to pick up your car while French side is still on-airport pickup.

Does picking up on the french side cause any hassles with driving to the resorts ie do you have to use the swiss motorways at all? did it twice last year but can't remember this fact at all as i just followed the satnav.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
There are ways to avoid the Swiss motorways, by going through the centre of Geneva.
I saw them here
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~dougmacarthur/FromGenevaAirport.html
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midgetbiker wrote:
Does picking up on the french side cause any hassles with driving to the resorts ie do you have to use the swiss motorways at all? did it twice last year but can't remember this fact at all as i just followed the satnav.

Hiring from the French side will mean the car won't come with winter tyres as standard, so you should pay extra for the "winterization" option (which can completely negate the lower cost of hiring from the French side).
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
midgetbiker, you can avoid the Swiss motorway, though it's far easier to use it. However, be aware that using a Satnav which shows safety (speed) cameras is illegal in Switzerland. I would think that a satnav would take you on the motorway unless you specifically gave it a "via" which would make that a nonsense.

I can see that the on-site pickup on the French side alters the balance of advantage a bit. Ordinary (non winter) tyres would be fine, if you have chains and are confident about using them.
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maxineige, Thanks - but finding your way through Geneva without going on the motorways (becuase of lack of vignette) is, I have found in my experience, a complete hassle! I didn't find the shuttle bus on the Swiss side a pain. It;s a bummer about the additional driver not being included in the price tho!
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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.
Villz wrote:
Also, has anyone hiring recently from Geneva found snow chains in boot without paying extra?

Yes, with Alamo, hired through Holiday Autos. This seems to be standard practice with Alamo in my experience. Budget, on the other hand, never seem to have chains in the car unless you pay for them.
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Quote:

finding your way through Geneva without going on the motorways (becuase of lack of vignette) is, I have found in my experience, a complete hassle!


Hire cars from the French side are supplied with vignette and the journey isn't really much different. I always encounter less traffic getting on to the motorway from the French side than from the Swiss side (especially as they've got loads of roadworks going on not far from the hire car park at the moment). I agree that you don't get the snow tyres supplied as standard by the Swiss but, by hiring from the french side, I saved £30 on hire cost and £44 (70 chf) on the additional driver. Snow chains will cost 42 euros so I still made a little over a £30 saving. Enough for a few rounds of toffee vodka methinks!

Whatever you do, have a great time this season!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
pam w wrote:
be aware that using a Satnav which shows safety (speed) cameras is illegal in Switzerland.

Thanks Pam I'll that in mind. Last year was camered twice, both in France though, once on the way to Chamonix (excusable), once on the way back (bloody stupid - should have learned).
Nothing ever appeared on my credit card though, maybe due to French camera & Swiss car, who knows & so long as I got away with it who cares?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

Hire cars from the French side are supplied with vignette

Not normally they're not - you're just lucky, I suppose, if a previous hirer has bought one.

midgetbiker, the point about the Satnav is that if the Swiss police catch you with a satnav which shows safety cameras (even if it's switched off and in your suitcase) they can, if they wish, legitimately fine you some large amount of money. Should you be on the motorway without a vignette at the time it could be a very large amount of money.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
maxineige wrote:
I agree that you don't get the snow tyres supplied as standard by the Swiss but, by hiring from the french side, I saved £30 on hire cost and £44 (70 chf) on the additional driver. Snow chains will cost 42 euros so I still made a little over a £30 saving. Enough for a few rounds of toffee vodka methinks!

As I hate putting on chains I'm more than happy to forgo a round of Toffee Vodkas if it means I don't have to grub around on the floor putting the damn things around the wheel.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We hired Europcar from GVA Fr snow chains in vehicle chargeable if used @45e
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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?
sorry if this sounds a bit dim, but do you need snowchains if you have winter tyres? off to Chatel this aft (can't wait can't wait can't wiat!!) hiring car from French side so this winter tyre/ snow chain thing is worrying me a little...
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sprinkles, no, it's not dim at all. Mostly you'd be OK with winter tyres, but in certain conditions you do need chains as well, and if the police are stopping all cars without chains (as happens when it's very snowy) the fact that you have winter tyres won't convince them to let you continue. On the other hand, if you don't have winter tyres, you would be OK with just chains - though the likelihood is that you'd need them earlier.

So, if you can only have one or the other, it's best to choose chains. But it won't be snowy when you arrive....
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