Car Rental at Geneva Train Station - Discovering Switzerland

Located right in the heart of the city centre, Geneva Train Station is the city's main railway transportation hub and one of the busiest in the whole of Switzerland. Managed by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), it serves an average of 600 trains a day, with more than 170,000 passengers arriving and departing on its platforms every 24 hours. Known locally as Geneva Cornavin Train Station (or Gare de Genève in the French language), it handles trains from all over the country (including regular InterCity, InterRegio and EuroCity services), as well as France (TGV and TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and Italy. It is also an important junction for Geneva's extensive public transport system, with numerous trams and buses passing its main entrance throughout the day and night. Officially inaugurated in 1858, the station has undergone major renovation work in recent years, reopening in autumn 2014 after being completely refurbished and extended. It is now a modern and welcoming station offering its many passengers a real shopping centre in addition to its main function as a station. It offers a wide selection of shops and restaurants and because of its very convenient location right in the city centre, a car rental from Geneva Train Station is the ideal starting point for exploring this beautiful city and its idyllic surroundings.

With its magnificent mountains as a backdrop, Geneva is a very historic and cultural city that visitors can easily explore by car. There's a large number of interesting monuments and museums to explore, most notably the famous Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, home to one of the most important art collections in Europe. In the heart of its historic centre, the Vieille Ville, you'll find plenty of relaxed bars and cosy cafés (the city has a strong French-style café culture). Some of the country's best restaurants can also be found in the hidden lanes and courtyards of this ancient quarter. For a spectacular view of Lake Geneva, we recommend climbing the 157 steps of the towers of the 12th-century Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, a Protestant church built in the Gothic and Romanesque style. Nearby, the Place du Bourg-de-Four is a lively spot and popular meeting place for enjoying a drink with friends on a sun terrace or savouring a cup of the city's famous hot chocolate. Next, we suggest a visit to the Philippe Patek Museum where you can learn more about the history of watch-making since the 1500s, followed by a selfie in front of the Jet d'Eau water fountain, the city's most famous landmark.

Renting a car from Geneva Train Station will allow you to visit the city and its many sites of interest in total comfort and at your own pace. Then, if you have enough time to spare, you can take advantage of its convenient central location by heading out of the city to discover many other amazing Swiss cities such as Lausanne, Zurich, Montreux and Gruyère, among others, before heading up into the Alps to enjoy some fresh mountain air and head-spinning views of Mont Blanc. Auto Europe has remained a strong leader of the car rental industry since 1954 by working in close partnership with major international car hire companies and trusted local car hire companies. You can now book an Auto Europe vehicle in 190 popular destinations around the world, including Switzerland, at the best rates on the market. We also guarantee a high quality of service and an extensive choice of vehicles, from city cars to SUVs and luxury cars. Please use our car hire rate comparison system to find the best deal for your next affordable car rental in Geneva, which you can find and book in just a few clicks through our state-of-the-art search engine.

Station Information

Ideally located in the city centre, Geneva-Cornavin Train Station is a major transportation facility with a growing number of annual passengers due to the city's increasing importance and appeal as a tourist destination. It was originally opened in 1858 and has since undergone a series of extensions and improvements, the most recent being in 2014. Thanks to its central position in the heart of Geneva, very close to Place Cornavin, visitors collecting their car rental at Geneva Train Station can enjoy many of the city's top attractions as soon as they arrive without wasting any time. The station is used by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) trains to and from many other Swiss cities and numerous trains pass through the station on their way to and from Geneva Airport. The station also handles significant railway traffic from France on the busy Lyon-Geneva line. Services from France also include TGV trains from Paris and the south of France, as well as regional trains (TER Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) from Lyon via Bellegarde.

Where to pick up a car rental at Geneva Train Station

There are a number of car hire companies at Geneva station or nearby on Rue de Lausanne. When you collect your car hire from Geneva Train Station, please make sure that you have your booking voucher, driving licence and international credit card (in the name of the main driver) which you will need for the deposit. To avoid any unpleasant surprises at the pick-up point, please read our article on credit cards and deposits. On your booking voucher, you'll find the contact details of the hire companies and all the terms and conditions of your rental. Below you'll find the contact details of the rental companies available on-site in and around the station. Please note that this information is given for guidance only and may change without notice.

	Dollar at Geneva Train Station Gare de Geneve Cornavin Geneva, Switzerland 1203 +41 22 716 19 90	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-noon/1.30-6pm, Sat 8am-noon/1-5pm and Sun 11am-3pm/3.30-8pm
	Hertz at Geneva Train Station Place de Cornavin Geneva, Switzerland 1203 +41 22 716 19 90	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-noon/1.30-6pm, Sat 8am-noon/1-5pm and Sun 11am-3pm/3.30-8pm
	Sixt at Geneva Train Station Rue de Lausanne 15 Geneva, Switzerland 1201 +41 22 908 04 60	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 7.30am-7pm, Sat 7.30am-4pm and Sun 8am-1pm/2-4pm

Station facilities

As a major international transport hub, Geneva's main railway station offers passengers a wide range of shops and both essential and non-essential services. If you're feeling hungry, you can choose from almost two dozen on-site takeaway and fast-food outlets, including Burger King, La Taverne, Prêt à Manger, Goodie Healthy Food, Sushi Shop, Starbucks Coffee and many more. You'll also find ready-to-wear boutiques, a florist, a newsagent/tobacconist, bookshop and chemist on the station premises. The popular Metro Shopping Cornavin (on level -1) is a thriving shopping centre with around forty shops, including Gex, H&M, Jeans & Co, Calvin & Klein, Tissot Swiss Watches, Swarovski and Yves Rocher. Here, you'll also find plenty of other good options to satisfy your taste buds in one of the many cafés and restaurants (including Café Thai, Läderach and Boulangerie Pouly). As for other important amenities, you'll have access to cash machines, a free Wi-fi connection (for up to 60 minutes with the option of reconnecting after 2 hours), a tourist information centre and post office.

How to get to and from Geneva Train Station

Because of its location, you'll have no trouble picking up your added-value car rental at Geneva Train Station in an instant before embarking on your travel itinerary in and around the city and the surrounding Lake Geneva region. The Swiss rail network is very well integrated, with numerous links to Neuchâtel, Bern, Basel, Zurich, St. Gallen, Luzern, Interlaken, etc. What's more, the station is also connected to numerous tram lines (13-16) and bus routes (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 19, 27 29, D, F, V and Z). For your added convenience, Geneva Airport has its own railway station and the journey time between the airport and Gare de Genève is just 6 minutes.

Parking tips

It sometimes be a little difficult to find a free parking space in the centre of Geneva, particularly in the Vieille Vill, the city's charming historic centre. Nevertheless, it's possible to find on-street pay parking spaces available for a limited time. Geneva has three parking zones: white, blue and yellow (please note that parking in spaces marked yellow is strictly prohibited). There are also a number of multi-storey, underground and surface car parks dotted around the city with the closest one to the station being the Place de Cornavin car park which has over 800 spaces. Don't forget that the local currency is the Swiss franc, so please make sure that you have plenty of the local currency if you intend to pay in cash.

Useful links

Geneva Train Station