How to get from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere

Organising your own ski holiday in Val d’Isere can save a lot of money versus using tour operators. Everything can be tailored to exactly what you need using your own budget and priorities. Airlines flying to Geneva and hotels in Val d’Isere tend to provide easy-to-use websites which list their prices and availability clearly. But what about that vital bit when travelling from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere ski resort – the transfer?

We hear from a lot of people wondering how to actually travel between Geneva and Val d’Isere for a reasonable cost. It can seem confusing at first, and the options aren’t always straight forward. At Snowcompare we’re trying to make things simpler for independent travellers in this situation.

Here we focus on the pros and cons of available travel options from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere – which include:

• Private Taxi Transfers
• Shared Bus Transfers
• Trains
• Helicopters

Arriving in Geneva Airport

As one of the most popular airports in the region, Geneva sees thousands of skiers and snowboarders arrive and depart each winter. Although it is located in Switzerland, the vast majority of travellers are actually heading to the French Alps. Geneva airport is located just a 10 minute drive over the French-Swiss border. It has become the most popular airport for the fantastic resort of Val d’Isere due mostly to the availability of low-cost flights from all over Europe.

Holidaying in Val d’Isere

Val d’Isere sees a huge influx of international tourists over the winter months. The huge Espace Killy ski area will keep even the most ambitious skier busy for a full holiday. Those looking for more adventure will find an enormous range of off-piste skiing and snowboarding available when snow conditions are right – and with Val d’Isere’s altitude the snow conditions are some of the best in Europe.

Equally important for Val d’Isere is the fact that the apres-ski and night activities match the skiing. Whether you want to spray expensive champagne on people at La Folie Douce, party to famous international DJs at Dicks Tea Bar, or simply enjoy a quiet drink with some live music at The Morris Bar – Val d’Isere has entertainment for everyone.

Travelling from Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere

Although one of the busiest ski transfer routes in France, this is unfortunately not one of the quickest. Keen skiers will need to sit through approximately 3 hours of road travel from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere. The two most popular routes include taking the more direct road past Annecy lake or the slightly longer highway around. Although they vary in distance at 180km and 225km respectively, both routes still take approximately the same amount of travel time.

Val d’Isere’s location at the end of the popular Tarentaise Valley means you will pass signs for major resorts such as Meribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens before arriving at Bourg St Maurice. From here it is a 35 – 45 minute drive up towards your final destination. As you sit back and take in the beautiful scenery though the journey will fly by. And the amazing resort of Val d’Isere waiting at the end will make it all seem worthwhile.

Private Taxi Transfers

A great number of companies operate private transfer journeys from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere. If you are travelling as part of a group then these private car transfers will be the quickest and most convenient. Your driver will meet you on arrival of your flight and will head directly to your accommodation in Val d’Isere. Naturally though these are some of the more expensive journey types.

It is vital to book your private transfer from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere before you land in Switzerland. Not doing this means you will have to take a Swiss Taxi (the only license type allowed to take fares directly from the airport). As you can imagine, these are much more expensive than pre-booked transfers.

Snowcompare.com takes the guess work out of booking a private taxi from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere by showing you the prices and availability for the best fully licensed and insured companies in the area.

Shared Bus Transfers

If your group is smaller then a shared bus transfer will usually work out as a cheaper form of travel. There are a number of companies running these shared coaches from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere. Tickets are sold on a per-person basis and local competition has driven the prices of these tickets right down.

The majority of companies tend to operate on weekends when there are the most tourists needing the service. If you arrive during the week then shared transfers will be less readily available and you may struggle to find journeys with times fitting your flights. Sometimes private transfer companies will sell the empty leg of a pre-booked private journey as a shared transfer. This tends to create a cheaper transfer for groups, but may require a little waiting around so you fit in with their timetable.

Snowcompare.com makes searching for shared transfers from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere easier than ever before by having all the best companies available to book from one easy-to-use website.

Trains

Some travellers may choose to use the SNCF Trains as a transfer option from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere. The Geneva Train Station is connected to the airport and is a short walk from the arrival hall there. Tickets on the train are relatively cheap, and the timetable is fairly frequent.

Unfortunately the nearest train depot to Val d’Isere is actually at Bourg St Maurice which is at the bottom of the mountain. This means that those people taking the train option will still need to find themselves a transfer up the mountain. Taxis and buses do run this transfer journey, but you will need to arrange these in advance and be aware of the additional cost.

Helicopters

So you’re going to Val d’Isere – playground of the rich and famous. If you’d rather be quaffing Dom Perignon than sitting in a minibus then why not opt for a private helicopter transfer from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere. There are companies out there who will pick you up from your flight and get you to resort in just 30 minutes rather than the 3 hour time by road.

Of course, there’s a definite cost associated with this type of journey, but if you can afford it why not make the most of your holiday and transfer from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere in absolute style.

Things to be aware of

By far the busiest day on the roads from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere and vice-versa is a Saturday. For the majority of Val d’Isere chalets, hotels and apartments this is changeover day and the time when people are either arriving or departing from resort. This means that the single road down the mountain and through the valley can become extremely busy on Saturdays. This is even more true when the French have their national holidays (due to the vast number of cars on the roads).

It seems like a strange thing to point out in a ski resort, but snow can also be an issue to travel. Due to its altitude, Val d’Isere has one of the best snowfall records in the local area. Fantastic for skiing, but not great for transfer driving. Although it is most likely only to affect the roads in resort, any snowfall before or during your holiday should be considered.

Every March the Geneva Motor Show is hosted in the Palexpo Centre right next to the airport. This is an amazing, prestigious event showcasing the latest automotive developments and is fantastic for Geneva. Unfortunately, it can also cause extra traffic on the roads to the airport. If you are planning on getting to Geneva airport between 7am and 10am while the show is on then you should plan to allow extra time. The 2019 Geneva Motor Show runs between 7th and 17th March.

The Easiest Way To Book Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere Transfers

None of these travel issues should cause you to avoid using Geneva airport when travelling to or from Val d’Isere. Just plan ahead if you are travelling during busy times and allow extra travel time accordingly. Any experienced transfer company will know the busy dates and times, but just don’t be surprised if they suggest leaving super early to avoid the worst traffic. It really can be better to get out of resort before 8am in some instances rather than sit in traffic if you leave Val d’Isere at 10am.

Transfers going from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere are plentiful, but if you want to be sure you are getting a great deal with a fully licensed and insured company then why not search, compare & book the best Geneva airport to Val d’Isere transfers with Snowcompare.com