 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking at car hire for January's trip to Verbier.
Hiring from the French side at GVA is significantly cheaper than from the Swiss side. So what's the catch? Surely French side hired cars can be used in Switzerland? I guess French side hired cars do not come with winter tyres or snow chains. Probably don't need the former and can buy chains quite cheaply at service stations I guess. Any other advice, pros and cons of hiring from either side?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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halfhand, if you can possibly face the search facility, there has been lots on this. Main points, I think, are non-winterisation and the fact that it's awkward (but not impossible) finding your way in and out of Geneva. If pam_w sees this, she'll be able to summarize better than I could.
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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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Presumably the price difference is getting ever wider as the Swiss Franc appreciates and the Euro goes the other way
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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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halfhand, you can request chains (not charged extra, usually) but their availability is never guaranteed in advance. And yes, no snow tyres without fairly hefty extra charge. If you want to use the Swiss motorway you will usually have to buy a vignette (40 francs) though some cars may have them, courtesy of previous hirers. 
It's not difficult to find your way in and out of the French side - clear directions are available, should you decide to go that route.
another possible snag is opening hours - if you arrive very late at night, for example, you could find everyone has gone home....
If you self cater the proximity of a big French supermarket to the French (Ferney Voltaire) side of the airport is useful.
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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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just booked a car from the french side last week - £198 for the week for a vauxhall astra. been through the french side a few time times and no real hassle. the good thing is there is also very little queues for check in when returnng home which is also good.
I was getting quotes around £400 going through the swiss side. do you take a left at the end of the airport road for the super market in ferney voltaire?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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10196986, yes, left at the end of the airport road, right at the roundabout a few hundred metres up, then you'll see signposts (at the next roundabout IIRC) for the "Centre commerciale". £198 for a week is good!
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Pedantica,yeah I couldn't face the search function I'd rather stick pins in my eyesM  . Have hired from swiss side before but was surprised at the difference in price. I thought there'd be some horrendous catch.
pam w, thanks for the tips. I was on the way home and remembered about the vignette but I'm pretty sure it's possible to get to Verber without using toll roads. Good idea re:supermarketi
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| Quote: |
I couldn't face the search function I'd rather stick pins in my eyes
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You can always use Google to search SH, just append the phrase "site:snowheads.com" to get results from here only.
E.g. This
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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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| pam w wrote: |
another possible snag is opening hours - if you arrive very late at night, for example, you could find everyone has gone home....
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The French side will just go home if there are no more flights to the French side of the airport - regardless of what the opening hours say and whether you've arrived or not.
Last season the Swiss side car rentals stayed open until 02:00 in the morning because of flight delays.
Personally, I'll only book the French side if the price difference is compelling and I'm not flying in late.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
another possible snag is opening hours - if you arrive very late at night, for example, you could find everyone has gone home....
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The French side will just go home if there are no more flights to the French side of the airport - regardless of what the opening hours say and whether you've arrived or not.
Last season the Swiss side car rentals stayed open until 02:00 in the morning because of flight delays.
Personally, I'll only book the French side if the price difference is compelling and I'm not flying in late. |
That's not my experience. We booked a car on the French side and arrived well after closing time (thanks Easyjet) and the Avis desk was still open.
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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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In previous threads on this subject, people have said that there is a good guide to the airport, showing not only how to get in and out of the French car rental place, but also how to get to and from the airport without driving through Switzerland at all. I've Googled around and can't find it. Probably I'm being dim, but please could someone point me to the right website. Thanks.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
That's not my experience.
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I can't remember who, but one SH reported a fairly grim experience, arriving late, not getting car, and having to trek to hotel for the night. I once arrived fairly late when my car was parked on the French side, and the route through from the international side was closed. Fortunately there was a French couple who also needed to get through, and he was more masterful than I would have been marching round finding somebody to open up for us. So it's not impossible to run into problems.
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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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geepee, thanks, excellent if small.
pam w, it was Flying Stantoni I think.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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geepee, that's a very useful map - one of the difficult things for a first time driver to the French side is ignoring all the back seat drivers who insist on pointing out signposting to 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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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
That's not my experience.
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I can't remember who, but one SH reported a fairly grim experience, arriving late, not getting car, and having to trek to hotel for the night. I once arrived fairly late when my car was parked on the French side, and the route through from the international side was closed. Fortunately there was a French couple who also needed to get through, and he was more masterful than I would have been marching round finding somebody to open up for us. So it's not impossible to run into problems. |
Yep, I agree it is possible... I certainly wouldn't plan to arrive late on the French side, but if you are delayed it is worth phoning the hire desk and warning them, they can be helpful sometimes:-)
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sah, I did try to apologise - sorry didn't mean to be so rude.
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sah, trouble is that - contrary, perhaps to public opinion - there's a lot of useful information to be found in the Apres Zone, and that's hidden from Google, as I understand it. So a Google search cannot always be a satisfactory subsitiute for the search function on here. Granted, though, the many Geneva Airport threads are mostly not in the AZ.
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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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FlyingStantoni,
| Quote: |
The French side will just go home if there are no more flights to the French side of the airport - regardless of what the opening hours say and whether you've arrived or not.
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I was talking to the woman at the Hertz car rental desk on the French side last Christmas whilst waiting for a delayed flight (about 11:30pm). She told me if people indicate the flight number on their booking they have to wait until the flight arrives, even if it is delayed until 2am. It doesn't matter if it is due to land in the French or Swiss side of the airport.
If they don't have a flight number on a booking and the rentee hasn't arrived at closing time they assume it is a no show and go home.
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halfhand, fench side is always better on the wallet, the swiss side charge more because it includes the swiss road tax (begins with V . . . help me out). so the down side is that you shold not use the autoroute/peage back into switzerland (GVA) as you will have to stop and pay the V . . . , if you come from say Val, Tignes, La Plagnes, etc you need to come off a junction earlier and go thro Geneva, or take the chance there are no police/customs. Even if you go the autoroute/peage way and get stopped you can turn round and go the back way OR as i discovered you ask to turn roumd but cant you just go staright to GVA!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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skichampcouk, Interesting perspective, BUT the Swiss have an inflexible cut off point= if the flight cannot arrive by 00:00 then it is refused permission to take off heading for Switzerland. The timetable will give you a clue!
Ergo a 21:00 LHR flight with a an ETA or 23:30 would not be permitted to take off after 21:00: However, some of the rental companies will stay if you call them beforehand (for a charge) or occasionally upon arrival if there are baggage issues 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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FAQ
s and Google and whilst I appreciate the fact that you have taken the time to respond your contribution
