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Just finalising some holiday arrangements and need to hire a car for the week.
I believe that renting on the Swiss side of Geneva Airport means winter tyres as standard.
So...any specific recommendations for any provider?
I'd prefer not to have to deal with offers of additional insurance which may not actually be required....buy an insurance policy here?
Thanks all.
Swiss side will also come with a vignette so you can use the Swiss motorway to get to the a40 south.
You need a credit card for a deposit now, debit cards won't cut it.
I always use europcar. Reasonable value for money. Legal tyres and good quality cars.
When filling up fuel on your return there are two petrol stations on the other side of the motorway to the airport terminal and they're just good deal cheaper than petrol station under the world trade centre on the access road to hire car returns.
That pre-pay petrol station is a nightmare and I've heard of people getting confused and leaving a pump "open" for the next customer who fills their tank for free. Just use Google Maps to find a proper service station.
Not sure who you're flying with but we've just got a pretty good deal through Jet2 with Budget.
Slight thread hijack - can anyone recommend an excess insurance provider?
Yes, hire on the swiss side not the french side. The little hassles accumulate way too fast if you hire in France. It's just not worth it.
Swiss hire cars will have tyres / chains etc as needed and, as stoner says, the motorway vignette.
We've always just chosen by price rather than particular companies, usually through holiday autos or similar.
Insurance is explained nicely here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire/#needtoknow-5
Don't fill up under the world trade centre. Do what Stoner says, or if you are heading back to the airport from France, there's a good spot to fill up just before you get there, here https://goo.gl/maps/Wn3CXmMcxCm. J13 on the A40 looks very complicated on the map nowadays, but you come off there, through St Julien following signs for Geneva, across the suburban border, fill up, then get back back on to the motorway just a bit further along the road.
I agree don't fill up at the WTC. But if on the A40 then no need to come off. Just fill up at Aire de Bonneville services. I know its still 40 odd km from Geneva Airport but I've filled there probably dozens of times and never been charged for any fuel at Geneva Airport. - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Shell/ @46.0687336,6.4140302,15.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x478c0902484006dd:0x6d79faf5f8c2c93c!8m2!3d46.0655284!4d6.4097366
Also agreed - from Bonneville it's mostly downhill to Geneva anyway so your gauge will still be stuck against FULL when you reach the airport.
We do the same whenever we hire cars from Glasgow Central Station. There's a Shell at J6 on the M80, which is 16 miles out.
I hired right at the end of April, europcar I think, and it still had winter tyres fitted.
Was painless and for convenience I filled up at the self service place on the way into the parking, probably cost me an extra Euro, not worth going any where else.
I’d prefer not to have to deal with offers of additional insurance which may not actually be required….buy an insurance policy here?
If they ask all is a required is a polite, no already covered thanks. They all have to ask to make sure you are aware of the risk but 99% of the mainstream guys have given up the hard sell for it.
Basically any of the big guys are worth a look, so pick up whichever one gives you the best nectar/clubcard points 🙂
The other benefit of hiring from the Swiss side is that if you trigger a speed camera in France , the speeding fine doesn't make its way back to you....
The other benefit of hiring from the Swiss side is that if you trigger a speed camera in France , the speeding fine doesn’t make its way back to you….
Why the French fines do go out to certain foreign country for years even if small amounts, do the swiss have a special deal?
Any how since Gilets Jaunes there are few operational speed camera's left in my department last week there where none left i an operational state
www.carhireexcess.com/uk
Never had to test out how good it is though...
It looks like they've changed the rules in the last couple of years. Previously there was no information sharing agreement between france and Switzerland,so the French couldn't identify the driver ,but it looks like they can now.
An EU citizen can't drive a non EU (Swiss) registered car in the EU. So its illegal for someone from the UK to drive a Swiss registered car in France.
So if you travelling to France you need to hire it on the French side. EU registered car can be driven in Switzerland fine.
A Swiss non EU person is allowed to drive a Swiss car in the EU 🙂
Confused yet 🙂
Whilst I believe that the above is technically correct, most of the Geneva airport (Swiss side) rental companies, at least the big ones, have fleets of EU registered cars which EU citizens can drive into France, etc. That was my experience the other year (Avis, I think). Tell the hire co you intend to go to France/EU just to be sure. There’s mention of the issue on this site:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/driving-abroad/car-rental-abroad/indexamp_en.htm
You simply request an EU plate on the Swiss side as they've stocked up with them to cover this rule. Should also check it's supplied with everything for French rules (Hi-Viz beside driver or passenger, warning triangle, breatherliser kit etc).
Swiss hire will likely have winter tyres in the winter already, but check. They have the sticker stuff for the Swiss motorway which the French hires won't, so from French side you'll have to go the long way round.
I used Avis on Swiss side and no issues with pickup/driving through France/Italy other than there is a fair walk with luggage or a bus transfer to collect the car which is a slight pain.
Often choosing fly drive with BA will give equivalent prices to separate hire, but with better baggage allowance (bike is counted a a hold piece rather than separate equipment) and often Avis preferred collection (ie go straight to the garage so no queue) although the latter didn't apply in Geneva. I always use the cheapest separate car hire xs policy and claimed once with no issues.
An EU citizen can’t drive a non EU (Swiss) registered car in the EU. So its illegal for someone from the UK to drive a Swiss registered car in France.
So if you travelling to France you need to hire it on the French side. EU registered car can be driven in Switzerland fine.
A Swiss non EU person is allowed to drive a Swiss car in the EU
This is the reason why the car you hire in Swiss Geneva will have German plates.