Gatwick to Geneva Flight Time, and a Day in Switzerland
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The flight from Gatwick to Geneva takes about 1 hour 40 minutes, and on Wednesday 2 December 2026 a day trip costs £123.20 all in, with about 6.7 hours in the city.
The flight from Gatwick to Geneva takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. Switzerland is an hour ahead, so an 08:20 departure lands at 11:00 local time, and the 20:35 home gets you back to Gatwick at 21:15.
Short flight, train into town in 7 minutes, back at Gatwick by 21:15. It's about as easy as extreme day trips get. The only catch is the price of a sandwich once you're there.
How long is the flight from Gatwick to Geneva?
1 hour 40 minutes each way on the easyJet flights we priced. With the hour's time difference it looks like 2 hours 40 on the way out and barely 40 minutes on the way home.
That last bit is the nice part. Leave Geneva at 20:35 and you're on the ground at Gatwick at 21:15.
Can you do Geneva in a day?
Yes, and comfortably. Here are the best days on our board right now.
- Wednesday 2 December. easyJet out at 08:20, home at 20:35. £65.00 return, £123.20 all in. About 6.7 hours in the city, from 11:47 to 18:28.
- Sunday 6 December. easyJet out at 06:10, landing at 08:50. £67.00 return, £125.20 all in, and you're in town before 10:00. The one to pick if you want a weekend day.
- Wednesday 9 December. Same times as the 2nd, also £65.00 return.
See the day trip to Geneva from Gatwick
How much does a day in Geneva cost?
This is the honest bit. The flights are cheap, Geneva isn't. The trip page puts the day on the ground at £58.20 per person.
- A day's transport, including the airport train, £9.00
- Lunch, £19.20
- Dinner, £30.00
Transport is the bargain. The train from the airport takes 7 minutes and costs CHF 3.00, and a Zone 10 day pass is CHF 10.00 and covers the airport too. Food is where it bites, so if you want to keep the day nearer £100, have a big lunch and a light tea.
What can you do in Geneva for free?
Quite a lot, which helps balance out the lunch bill.
- The Jet d'Eau and the lakeside promenade. The fountain is the photo everyone takes, and the walk along the water is the best free hour in the city.
- Parc des Bastions and the Reformation Wall, a giant stone wall of reformers in the middle of a park.
- The permanent collection at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire.
- The exhibitions at CERN Science Gateway, if you fancy a trip out to see where they smash particles together.
- The Plainpalais flea market, on market days only.
If you want one paid thing, the Palais des Nations is CHF 25, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum is CHF 15 and closed on Mondays, and the towers of St Pierre Cathedral are CHF 7. The cathedral towers are the cheapest and the view over the lake and the old town is worth the climb.
What time do you need to leave Geneva?
About 18:30 for the 20:35 flight. The train back takes 7 minutes, and the trip page allows 120 minutes at the airport including passport control.
That might feel generous for such a small airport, but since 2025 the new entry and exit checks across the Schengen area can mean fingerprints and a photo on your first trip, and Switzerland is part of it. Better to have a drink airside than to be stuck in a queue watching the clock.
On the Sunday 6 December trip you're out of the city a bit earlier, at about 17:48, but you've had the whole morning from before 10:00, so it's the longer day overall.
Is Geneva worth it in winter?
Yes, if you plan around the light. On 2 December the sun sets at 16:52, so do the lake and the Jet d'Eau first, then the old town and the cathedral, and save museums and dinner for after dark.
Dress warm. It's a lake city in December and the wind off the water is cold. A good coat makes the difference between a nice walk and a miserable one.
Geneva or somewhere cheaper?
If money's tight, there are cheaper days out from Gatwick, and Faro comes in at under half the cost. But if you've always fancied Switzerland and thought it was out of reach, £123.20 for a full day, flights included, is a good way to see it without spending a fortune on a hotel.
Our day trip to Switzerland guide compares Geneva with Zurich and Basel, and you can see every option from day trips from Gatwick.
Everything above was checked on 31 October. Fares move daily, so look at the trip page before you book.
Founders see every Geneva date priced six months out, so you can grab the cheap ones before they go. It's £19.00 a year. Become a founder
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