Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere Transfers
Sitting just over the border in Switzerland, Geneva may not be the first airport that comes to mind when planning a trip to Val d’Isere – but it’s one that is used by thousands of travellers each winter. Despite not being the closest airport to Val d’Isere (that would be Chambery), Geneva airport has some distinct advantages over its rivals.
Geneva airport has both a French and Swiss side to its facilities – with the majority of international flights arriving and departing from the Swiss side of the airport. Even though you are technically landing in a different country to Val d’Isere, it is only a short distance from the border with France and this causes only a very minor disruption.
The best thing about Geneva airport is its size. As one of the busiest international airports in the area, Geneva handles more flights than the other potential Val d’Isere airports at Chambery, Grenoble and Lyon. This means there are a larger number of low-cost flights available during the winter, and the likelihood of finding a convenient flight from your area is vastly increased. The whole experience of travelling via Geneva airport is quick and smooth 99% of the time, and it is largely unaffected by any potential bad weather delays or flight cancellations.
In terms of airport transfers from Geneva to Val d’Isere, there are a plethora of options available for skiers & snowboarders. Private transfers are available to be pre-booked for groups travelling at any time and on any date. The increased number of passengers going through Geneva also means that prices from Val d’Isere are often cheaper than those at Lyon or Grenoble (because companies have more chance of booking return customers once your journey has finished).
There are also more shared transfer options available from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere than from other airports. The increased number of passengers means companies can make fill more vehicles quicker and therefore shared transfers from Geneva tend to be cheaper and more frequent than elsewhere. Certainly, on weekends during the ski season you should be able to find shared transfers available. On weekdays it may be a little more difficult, but still possible with a little planning.
How to get from Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere
As with all the ski resorts in the huge Tarentaise Valley area, There are two potential routes we would recommend. The most direct route from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere involves travelling around the beautiful Annecy lake before joining the N90 at Albertville. From the airport it is relatively quick to join the A40/A41 motorway which brings you into France.
If you are looking to do the minimum amount of kilometres then come off the motorway at Annecy and go through the town before heading on to Albertville. This method takes you on single lane highways for a significant portion of the journey though and as such it can be slow going in places, and if there is any type of accident then the road can become very slow and even completely blocked.
The alternative is to carry on the A41 highway which brings you around past Chambery before heading on towards Albertville. This method is almost 40km further, but can actually be faster due to the much quicker speeds and flow of traffic available. Either way, you will eventually join the N90 valley road going past Moutiers and Aime. Signposts for other resorts such as Val Thorens, Courchevel and Meribel can make the journey seem longer – but with Val d’Isere sitting at the very end of the valley unfortunately it does have one of the longest transfer times in the area.
At Bourg St Maurice the roughly 40 minute climb towards Val d’Isere ski resort begins – on the mountain road shared by La Rosiere, Sainte Foy and Tignes. This road splits at the impressive Barrage de Tignes (Dam) and eventually arrives in Val d’Isere.
Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere Transfer Time
On a good day the journey between Geneva airport and Val d’Isere will take approximately 3 hours via the quickest (highway/motorway) route. Realistically, though during the winter months it is prudent to leave at least 3.5 hours for the journey no matter which way you go. Increased traffic and the potential for bad weather in the mountains could significantly increase this journey time and it is best to follow your transfer company’s recommendations at peak times as they know the area best.
Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere Transfer Distance
The most direct route between Geneva airport and Val d’Isere (via Annecy lake) is 174km in distance. As discussed earlier though, this may not always be the quickest route. Taking the longer highway route via Chambery means a journey of 223km, but can end up being quicker when traffic levels are higher during the peak winter dates.
The Cheapest Geneva Airport to Val d’Isere Transfers
For the most convenient transfers between Geneva airport and Val d’Isere we would always recommend booking a private transfer. Pre-booking a private transfer means you spend less time waiting around and can get straight on with your ski holiday. Although this method of travel can be more expensive than shared transfers for small groups or individuals, if there is a group of you then it can still be just as economic as well as way easier.
Using Snowcompare.com to find the cheapest private transfers from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere means that:
- A group of 4 people travelling on a weekday can book a private transfer from Geneva airport to Val d’Isere for £216.98 GBP (£54.25 per person).
- On a Saturday this same journey for 4 people rises to £284.91 GBP (£71.23 per person).
- For groups of 8 people travelling on a weekday the best priced private transfer is £263.21 GBP (£32.90 per person).
- On a Saturday a group of 8 people travelling from Geneva to Val d’Isere would pay £296.23 GBP (£37.02 per person).
- The cheapest private transfer price for a group of 16 passengers travelling together from Geneva to Val d’Isere at any time would be £600 GBP (£37.50 per person)
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