Car hire at Geneva Airport – Geneva Message Board

Car hire at Geneva Airport

We recently had the unfortunate practice of car hire at Geneva Airport which we had pre-booked on-line.

With effect from one May two thousand sixteen you are not permitted to hire a car in Switzerland and drive it to France.

You can hire a car via the French side of the Airport but not from the much larger side Swiss side.

Each country were blaming each other for the fresh ruling which was clearly causing chaos with four other families all in the same predicament bondage.

There was no warning on the website when booking.

Fortunately we managed to re-book but not all those waiting were so fortunate.

And eventually – attempting to drive back to the French side of the airport is something of a challenge as the Swiss turn down to signpost it.

Fairly a few people have reported this issue over the last two weeks. I rang both Hertz and Avis yesterday to get some clarification.

Hertz stated that they knew of no limitations for EU nationals and that anyone could rent a car from them and drive it into the EU OR in Switzerland.

AVIS stated that EU nationals could not rent a car in Switzerland and drive it into the EU. So renting on the Swiss side of the airport and then driving into France was not possible for EU nationals. When I asked why the man said it was to do with “customs duties” and that an EU national would have to “pay thousands” to take the car back into Switzerland if they had taken it to the EU.

As you say, GreenFamilyof Bolton, this situation is a mess.

I also realise that there are no signs on the Swiss autoroute to the French sector at the airport. But actually if you use the Ferney Voltaire crossing it is pretty effortless to get to – and the staff at the border post can direct travellers. (Cross into France at this post. Turn left instantaneously. Drive inwards the chain link fence and proceed around to the French side of the terminal. )

Do you know if this also impacts U.S. Citizens or only EU and Swiss citizens? The excerpt I’ve linked states that it does not influence U.S. citizens, but I haven’t found anyone who can confirm by practice. thanks for any help.

Anyone had any practice since May one of renting a car in the Swiss side of the Geneva airport and then driving into France? I’ve heard conflicting answers as to whether it applies to US citizens – here’s an excerpt of an article than seems to say it only impacts EU and Swiss citizens – anyone experienced otherwise?

Fresh RULES FROM one MAY two thousand sixteen RE TAKING A CAR HIRE ACROSS THE BORDER:

Switches in EU regulations from one May two thousand sixteen have car hire suppliers at Geneva Airport a little confused. The switches are specific to EU and Swiss nationals so if you’re neither of these, any switches will not affect you. However, if you are an EU national, you may now not be able to pick up a car hire from the Swiss side and take it into France (or other EU country) unless you are driving to your place of residence. For Swiss nationals, you may now not be able to pick up a car hire from the French side and take it into Switzerland.

As far as I know the one May European rule applies to EU citizens only. If you are an EU national you cannot rent a car on the Swiss side of the airport and drive it into the EU. Example – A British person rents a car on arrival at GVA on the Swiss side and wants to drive to Chamonix. S/he cannot under this ruling.

As far as Swiss nationals go – we have had for at least twenty years a law that does not permit us to rent (or even borrow) a car licensed in the EU and drive it in Switzerland. But not many people know about this and I think it is somewhat loosely applied. but if one were in an accident or a police check – it might be.

If you are not Swiss or not EU then it seems neither apply to you. And I called a duo of companies at the GVA airport last week to ask if a UK national could rent a car on the Swiss side and drive it into France. Hertz said they witnessed no reason why not. AVIS said it was not possible. Go figure!

Just about to ask that question, looks like it was the E.U. who drafted this sorry excuse of a law, can you tell me, how hard is it to find that part of the airport on the way back, i have always found Geneva airport challenging, driving through the city, and can i ask , are vignettes readily available, seems like a lot of problems caused for what reason?? I,m landing in Geneva , staying in Switzerland but will be crossing the border to both France and Italy,

To drive to the French sector of the airport from Geneva, go after signs to Ferney-Voltaire. You’ll drive through a tunnel under the airport runway. Instantaneously after the tunnel you pass through the border and instantly after the border (and when I say instantaneously, it indeed is!) you’ll come to a rather fake-looking roundabout made up of plastic elements. Take a left on this roundabout towards “Aéroport Secteur français” and go along the customs road inbetween barbed wire fences for about three km, till you get to the car-park. You can’t go any further.

If you miss the customs road roundabout, go on about two hundred m till you get to a real roundabout, come back the way you’ve come (towards Geneva) and just before you get to the customs post, turn right on to the customs access road. Note the customs are fairly oftened not manned, so you can fairly lightly get through without noticing.

Vignettes are available at the border (if there’s no-one on the Swiss side outside, stop and see if there’s anyone in the office. Otherwise crossover into Switzerland, through the tunnel, on the other side proceed towards Geneva (don’t get on to the motorway) and there are a duo of petrol stations a few hundred metres on in Grand Saconnex which should have them.

Driving through the city is challenging – period, even for those of us who live here!

Thanks for reply, can i ask, if i pick the car up from the French side, is it better to head some way into France and eventually onto the swiss motorway, to go past Lausane i,m heading towards Gstaad area however not got accommodation yet, or straight after coming out of french sector head instantly back into Geneva to get on the motorway?

I was due to stay near Chamonix for half of my stay , now because of this car hire issue , I will stop entire eight nights in Switzerland , and have told the french tourist office the reason i cancelled staying in France is because of the car hire issues

There’s no way you you can get past Lausanne other than the motorway. I would go straight on to the motorway in Geneva. As long as you’re not driving in the rush-hour (7:30 – 9:30 or 17:00 – Nineteen:00) you’ll generally find the excursion OK.

Car hire at Geneva Airport – Geneva Message Board

Car hire at Geneva Airport

We recently had the unfortunate practice of car hire at Geneva Airport which we had pre-booked on-line.

With effect from one May two thousand sixteen you are not permitted to hire a car in Switzerland and drive it to France.

You can hire a car via the French side of the Airport but not from the much larger side Swiss side.

Each country were blaming each other for the fresh ruling which was clearly causing chaos with four other families all in the same predicament bondage.

There was no warning on the website when booking.

Fortunately we managed to re-book but not all those waiting were so fortunate.

And eventually – attempting to drive back to the French side of the airport is something of a challenge as the Swiss reject to signpost it.

Fairly a few people have reported this issue over the last two weeks. I rang both Hertz and Avis yesterday to get some clarification.

Hertz stated that they knew of no limitations for EU nationals and that anyone could rent a car from them and drive it into the EU OR in Switzerland.

AVIS stated that EU nationals could not rent a car in Switzerland and drive it into the EU. So renting on the Swiss side of the airport and then driving into France was not possible for EU nationals. When I asked why the man said it was to do with “customs duties” and that an EU national would have to “pay thousands” to take the car back into Switzerland if they had taken it to the EU.

As you say, GreenFamilyof Bolton, this situation is a mess.

I also realise that there are no signs on the Swiss autoroute to the French sector at the airport. But actually if you use the Ferney Voltaire crossing it is pretty effortless to get to – and the staff at the border post can direct travellers. (Cross into France at this post. Turn left instantaneously. Drive inwards the chain link fence and proceed around to the French side of the terminal. )

Do you know if this also impacts U.S. Citizens or only EU and Swiss citizens? The excerpt I’ve affixed states that it does not influence U.S. citizens, but I haven’t found anyone who can confirm by practice. thanks for any help.

Anyone had any practice since May one of renting a car in the Swiss side of the Geneva airport and then driving into France? I’ve heard conflicting answers as to whether it applies to US citizens – here’s an excerpt of an article than seems to say it only impacts EU and Swiss citizens – anyone experienced otherwise?

Fresh RULES FROM one MAY two thousand sixteen RE TAKING A CAR HIRE ACROSS THE BORDER:

Switches in EU regulations from one May two thousand sixteen have car hire suppliers at Geneva Airport a little confused. The switches are specific to EU and Swiss nationals so if you’re neither of these, any switches will not affect you. However, if you are an EU national, you may now not be able to pick up a car hire from the Swiss side and take it into France (or other EU country) unless you are driving to your place of residence. For Swiss nationals, you may now not be able to pick up a car hire from the French side and take it into Switzerland.

As far as I know the one May European rule applies to EU citizens only. If you are an EU national you cannot rent a car on the Swiss side of the airport and drive it into the EU. Example – A British person rents a car on arrival at GVA on the Swiss side and wants to drive to Chamonix. S/he cannot under this ruling.

As far as Swiss nationals go – we have had for at least twenty years a law that does not permit us to rent (or even borrow) a car licensed in the EU and drive it in Switzerland. But not many people know about this and I think it is somewhat loosely applied. but if one were in an accident or a police check – it might be.

If you are not Swiss or not EU then it seems neither apply to you. And I called a duo of companies at the GVA airport last week to ask if a UK national could rent a car on the Swiss side and drive it into France. Hertz said they spotted no reason why not. AVIS said it was not possible. Go figure!

Just about to ask that question, looks like it was the E.U. who drafted this sorry excuse of a law, can you tell me, how hard is it to find that part of the airport on the way back, i have always found Geneva airport challenging, driving through the city, and can i ask , are vignettes readily available, seems like a lot of problems caused for what reason?? I,m landing in Geneva , staying in Switzerland but will be crossing the border to both France and Italy,

To drive to the French sector of the airport from Geneva, go after signs to Ferney-Voltaire. You’ll drive through a tunnel under the airport runway. Instantaneously after the tunnel you pass through the border and instantly after the border (and when I say instantly, it truly is!) you’ll come to a rather fake-looking roundabout made up of plastic elements. Take a left on this roundabout towards “Aéroport Secteur français” and go along the customs road inbetween barbed wire fences for about three km, till you get to the car-park. You can’t go any further.

If you miss the customs road roundabout, go on about two hundred m till you get to a real roundabout, come back the way you’ve come (towards Geneva) and just before you get to the customs post, turn right on to the customs access road. Note the customs are fairly oftened not manned, so you can fairly lightly get through without noticing.

Vignettes are available at the border (if there’s no-one on the Swiss side outside, stop and see if there’s anyone in the office. Otherwise crossover into Switzerland, through the tunnel, on the other side proceed towards Geneva (don’t get on to the motorway) and there are a duo of petrol stations a few hundred metres on in Grand Saconnex which should have them.

Driving through the city is challenging – period, even for those of us who live here!

Thanks for reply, can i ask, if i pick the car up from the French side, is it better to head some way into France and eventually onto the swiss motorway, to go past Lausane i,m heading towards Gstaad area however not got accommodation yet, or straight after coming out of french sector head instantaneously back into Geneva to get on the motorway?

I was due to stay near Chamonix for half of my stay , now because of this car hire issue , I will stop entire eight nights in Switzerland , and have told the french tourist office the reason i cancelled staying in France is because of the car hire issues

There’s no way you you can get past Lausanne other than the motorway. I would go straight on to the motorway in Geneva. As long as you’re not driving in the rush-hour (7:30 – 9:30 or 17:00 – Nineteen:00) you’ll generally find the journey OK.

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