Shared Transfers from Geneva Airport to Meribel Ski Resort

Geneva airport to Meribel

Meribel is one of the most popular ski resorts in France. Combining beautiful chalet-style buildings and great apres-ski with connections to the largest ski areas in the world makes it a favourite with tourists each winter. Although Geneva is not technically the closest airport to Meribel (that would be the much smaller Chambery airport) – it is definitely the airport where most people travelling on to Meribel will land.

There are two main ways to get from Geneva airport to Meribel. The shortest route is approximately 140km and takes you around the picturesque Annecy lake. With most of the roads being single lane highways though this route does get congested at busy times, and especially at weekends. A journey time of 2.5 to 3 hours can be expected. A longer, but quicker route between Geneva airport and Meribel can be found by taking the A41 motorway via Chambery. This adds almost 45km to the journey but can shorten the journey time closer to 2 hours on a good day. There are also more tolls to pay on this route.

Shared Transfers from Geneva Airport to Meribel

If you’re part of a smaller group, or you’re looking to save a bit of money on your Geneva to Meribel ski transfer then shared travel could be an excellent option. By sharing a vehicle with passengers going in the same direction you can keep the costs much lower than paying out for a private transfer to Meribel.

Admittedly, your journey time will be a little longer in the end, but the savings more than make up for this. If you’re travelling on your own or as a couple it’s definitely the most cost effective transfer option. Even for groups of up to five people you will save money by paying for just your own seat rather than the hire of the whole vehicle. Who knows, you might even make some new friends at the same time.

Shared ski transfers can generally be broken down in to three different categories:

Scheduled Bus or Coach Transfers from Geneva to Meribel

One of the most common shared transfer methods is a timetabled or scheduled shared transfer by large bus or coach. There are several companies who run established services like this between Geneva airport and Meribel (Snowcompare.com has the best ones available to search & book). Pick-ups from the airport and in-resort are at set times so you are free to book your tickets around your flight times.

These types of shared transfer tend to be the cheapest, with prices around 60€ per person for a one-way journey to Meribel. As a general rule the main vehicles are usually large coaches, and it may be necessary to change vehicles along the way. The service operates just as a normal coach would and they drop-off and collect from specific locations around each resort. They are a convenient budget option for shared transfers – but just keep in mind that there will be some waiting around, and make sure to check where your hotel is in relation to the bus stop so you don’t have to carry your suitcases too far.

Scheduled Minibus Transfers from Geneva to Meribel

The second type of shared transfers available from Geneva to Meribel are those run in smaller 8-seat minibuses by local transfer companies. They are scheduled to depart and arrive from the airport at specific times again so there may be some waiting around depending on your flight times. Prices are comparable to the large coach transfers and you only pay for the seat that you are taking.

The main two advantages that minibus shared transfers have is that they are generally much nicer, faster vehicles which cuts down the journey time. You will also stay in the same vehicle for the whole journey. The number one advantage though is that they will take you to your hotel door. Sure, you may have to go via the other passenger’s hotels first but you really can’t put a price on not having to traipse through the snow with all your luggage.

Ad-Hoc Shared Transfers from Geneva to Meribel

The third type of shared transfer available in Meribel is slightly harder to predict. Rather than working on a set timetable, these journeys are fitted in around when transfer companies have an empty vehicle available. For example, if a company has a private transfer from Geneva at 2pm then they may sell cheap tickets from Meribel to Geneva in order to arrive for approximately 1:30pm.

This is a nice way for companies to fill their empty vehicles and it can be a great way for passengers to get some really cheap transfer deals. The only issue is that the information regarding these journeys tends to be released just a week before they actually happen. So, if you hold your nerve, and get a bit of luck, you can find a great deal. But if you miss out then you may find yourself stuck for alternative options.

Whichever shared transfer option you prefer, we would always recommend booking your transport between Geneva airport and Meribel as far in advance as you can. Here at Snowcompare.com we work with the best shared transfer companies in Meribel – and we put them all on one website so you can your perfect shared transfer between Geneva and Meribel at the click of a button.