City Information  Resa till värme länder - Biljett -  Queensway Travel
Airport
Geneva's Cointrin International Airport is only 5 km (3 miles) from the city centre. The terminal, which was built in 1968, is smaller than its Zürich counterpart but well equipped with the amenities expected in a city that caters to international diplomats, business travellers and wealthy expatriates from scores of countries. The airport is currently undergoing a major expansion programme, hoping to capture a greater share of long-haul traffic. To the annoyance of the local Swiss and international business communities, Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) continues to concentrate its long-haul flights on Zürich and to operate a much-criticised and often unreliable shuttle between the two airports. Having said that, the New York flight continues to operate directly from Geneva. Short-haul traffic, on the other hand, has been considerably increased by other carriers, including Easyjet and British Airways. Cointrin, which recently opened its new boarding hall, and also houses an enlarged shopping complex and a mainline train terminal, hums again. 

Airport to City Centre 
Taxis, which are generally immaculate, are available outside the terminal. The 15-20 minute journey downtown can cost between SFr32 to SFr35 minimum. While relatively easy to reach, traffic can be heavy at times, and so it can be quicker to hop on the No 10, which connects to Cornavin rail station every 5 to 7 minutes during peak hours, and every 10 to 12 minutes off-peak. It is important to note that in Switzerland, you must purchase your tickets before you get on the bus. More passenger-friendly ticket machines now make it easier to purchase your ticket, priced at a rather odd figure of SFr2.20 for a 20-min journey. This ticket is valid on any other connecting buses or trams if used within the hour of purchase. Alternatively, one can take the train, the terminal of which is a hop away from the arrival hall. The train fare downtown works in exactly the same way and runs every 12 minutes. 

Orientation  
It is worth poking your nose outside your hotel to discover the centre of Geneva. The historic Old Town (Vieille Ville) has a story in every corner. This was the centre of the Reformation (the 'Protestant Rome') where Jean Calvin and John Knox found refuge. Calvin's chair is still kept (roped-off) in the Cathedral. The building took an unconscionably long time to finish; stroll around it and count the major styles of European architecture that have managed to get a look-in. Geneva lies on the western shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). The city is split by the 'Petit Lac', which becomes the Rhône once more upon turning south on its way to the Mediterranean from the Swiss Alps. On the Right Bank (Rive Droite) is the main financial district of Quai du Mont-Blanc, also the location of many of the finest hotels. Further north is the Rectangle d'Or which contains the World Trade Centre. The smart residential neighbourhoods are Cologny, Vandoeuvres, Collonge-Bellerive, as opposed to the much more popular quarter of Eaux-Vives, from where one gets fine views of the Jet d'Eau - the 140m fountain that spouts out of the lake in summer and autumn. In pragmatic Swiss style, the fountain began nearly a century ago as a result of over-production of water, but they liked it so they kept it. Southwest of the Old Town are the districts of Jonction and Plainpalais. 

Getting Around             - Lågpris Flygbiljett -   Queensway Travel
Geneva is compact and getting around on foot is quick and easy. Taxis are just so expensive that it would prompt even the most extravagant to walk. If pressed for time, going to the United Nations Building or World Trade Centre, taking a taxi may be advisable though the bus service is efficient and reliable if one plans ahead. Taxis cannot be hailed randomly though they may stop late at night if one tries. They usually queue on ranks outside the main railway station, large hotels and tourist sights or can be summoned by telephone. They arrive very promptly when ordered, and there is no surcharge to an already expensive meter charge. 

What to see  
Lake Geneva (Lac Léman): With its eye-catching Jet d'Eau, the lake is almost as famous as the town. If you have time to kill, there are cruises to Montreux, Lausanne and Evian, or evening dinner-dancing cruises. 
Cathédrale St-Pierre: In the Old Town, where Calvin galvanised the faltering faithful and helped kick-start the Reformation. Begun in the 12c, the interior remains wholly Romanesque and Gothic, although the austere Calvinists stripped the original building of its Catholic trappings. 
The Palais des Nations: Allow at least two hours to tour the European headquarters of the United Nations. There are videos, books and magazines highlighting the work of the UN - successes and failures. The building is a blend of art deco and classical styling. Tours are available throughout the year costing SFr8.50. Buses 8 and F stop outside. 
The International Red Cross Museum: Founded last century by Henri Dunant, the Red Cross is one of the last remaining Swiss institutions that has kept its reputation intact, and the museum is a spectacular and moving tribute to man's inability to stop fighting. You can even see the prisoner of war card of one Capt Charles de Gaulle, who went on to bigger things once he got out of prison. Guided tours are available and recommended. 
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire: An encyclopaedic museum that has a diverse collection of archaeology, fine arts and applied arts. Largest collection in Switzerland of Egyptian antiques. 
Ethnographic Museum: Vast collection of 60,000 objects reflecting the diversity and creativity of traditional cultures from every part of the world. 

Where to walk 
Make the most of the parks, water and mountain views by walking along the Quai du Mont-Blanc, bordering the lake. Start at the Botanical Gardens and work your way south, crossing the Rhône and ending up at the Jardin Anglais, which has good views of the Jet d'Eau. This park has been creatively landscaped and includes a flowerbed made in the shape of - surprise, surprise - a clock. 

Language  
Despite paying lip service to the need to bridge the so-called röstigraben (roast potato divide) with the German-speaking area of the country, Geneva and other French-speaking cantons continue to show barely disguised hostility, or at best plain indifference to the notion. A major problem remains the difficulty of non-natives in mastering the various local variants of the Swiss-German dialect, ever more strongly emphasised to underline the country's difference from neighbouring Germany. 

Swiss Bankers  
Geneva's notoriously discreet bankers are becoming increasingly sensitive in public about international media attacks over their alleged money laundering, their part in allegedly retaining wartime deposits or being a repository for huge illegal assets, often from Third World countries. They claim that the banks have, in fact, over-compensated the wartime deposits and that every effort is currently being made to avoid dealing with doubtful depositors or political regimes bent on milking public assets. Nonetheless, Swiss banking secrecy laws are being maintained. 

Made in the City 
With all its superficial chic, it is quite easy to forget that Geneva is not, in fact, a smart suburb of Paris, but thoroughbred Swiss. It is a rich, cosmopolitan city, home to the European headquarters of the UN (of which Switzerland is not a member) as well as many other international organisations (WTO, ILO, WIPO, ICRC - the list goes on and on). Heads of state are three-a-penny, and a lot of the lakefront property is owned by VIPs from foreign countries, alongside the impressive dwellings of the native Genevois. In case you do forget that it's not Paris, you just have to look up to catch a glimpse of the perpetual snows of Mont Blanc to the south. No more than one third of Genevois are natives and the rest are foreigners, many of them working for international organisations, and a lot of them go home for the weekend. Weekend nights in winter can be a bit, well, dead (see from our list how many restaurants close on Sat and Sun), as the serious money goes off up a mountain, or to the Riviera, or to Paris, Milan - even London.