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Geneva Airport sits on the border and has two exits. Most travellers only discover the second one exists once they are standing in the terminal, usually at the wrong moment. Here is what separates them, and why we pick up on the Swiss side.
1 · Why there are two sectors
Geneva’s runway runs along the border. Under a Franco-Swiss agreement dating from 1956, the airport has a French sector — long known as the “secteur France” — which lets you enter and leave directly on French territory without passing through Switzerland.
It is not a second airport, nor a second terminal. It is the same building, with an extra exit on the French side, reserved for certain flights and reached through a dedicated corridor. The large majority of international flights arrive on the Swiss side.
2 · Why we pick up on the Swiss side
Like almost every operator in the region, we meet you on the Swiss side. Three reasons, in that order.
That is where the flights land. The French sector handles only a fraction of the traffic. A flight from London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen or New York arrives on the Swiss side.
The pick-up area is built for it. The Swiss arrivals hall has a proper waiting area, with vehicle access a few dozen metres from the baggage belt. Access on the French side is more constrained.
It changes nothing for you. Leaving on the Swiss side to drive into France presents no difficulty: there is no systematic border check, and the road to the Alps starts there.
If your flight arrives specifically in the French sector, just say so when booking. We adapt, at no extra cost.
3 · Exactly where to find us
Once you have your bags, walk through the doors into the Swiss arrivals hall. Your driver is waiting there with your name. He is there before you: we track your flight in real time and the pick-up shifts by itself if the plane is late.
You get his first name and his number by message before you land. If the hall is busy — it will be on a February Saturday — call him directly; it is faster than scanning the crowd.
Waiting time is included: ninety minutes after landing for an international flight, at no extra cost.
4 · If you come out of the wrong one
It is not a problem, and it happens. The two sectors connect inside the terminal: walk back up and follow the signs. Allow five to ten minutes on foot.
Call your driver before you start moving. Depending on where he is parked, it may be simpler for him to come to you than the other way round.
5 · On the way home
For the return leg the question works differently: it is your airline that determines your check-in sector. Check your ticket. We drop you at the right door, not at the main entrance by default.
Allow the same road time as on the way up, plus a margin: on a holiday Saturday the descent from the Tarentaise can take forty minutes longer than on a Tuesday. We always propose a departure time that takes the day of the week into account.
Frequently asked questions
Is the French sector a different airport?
No. It is the same terminal building with an extra exit on the French side. There are not two buildings, nor two addresses.
Do I clear customs leaving the Swiss side to drive into France?
There is no systematic check on the road between Geneva and Savoie. Simply keep your identity documents to hand, as for any border crossing.
Where exactly does the driver wait?
In the Swiss arrivals hall, past the doors, holding your name. You receive his first name and number by message before landing.
What if my flight arrives on the French side?
Tell us when booking and we pick up on that side, at no extra cost.
How long will the driver wait?
Ninety minutes after landing for an international flight, included in the price. Beyond that we stay reachable and we work it out.
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