Is Geneva worth a day trip?

Only just: 2.8 hours in Geneva, 7 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more.

How long do you actually get in Geneva?

About 2.8 hours in Geneva. Landing to take-off is 5.7 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Geneva airport into town?

Train 7 min, CHF 3.00. A day ticket on local transport is TPG/unireso Zone 10 day pass CHF 10.00.

What does a day in Geneva cost, not counting the flight?

About £73 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 15:38. That allows 7 min to get back to the airport and 120 min there, including 30 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 17:45 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 40 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 30 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 2.8 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Geneva.
From Edinburgh, back by 19:00.

Switzerland·Thu 15 Oct · 2.8 hours in the city

2.8 hours

in the city

19:00

back in Edinburgh

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

2.8 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

5km

to the centreFrom Geneva centre (GVA)

Daylight

11.0 hours

07:51 to 18:52Sunrise 07:51, sunset 18:52

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Geneva once we allow 40 min for passport control on landing and 30 min extra before the flight home. First EU trip since 2025? Allow 20 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:50
Leave Edinburgh
easyJet, direct
12:52
In the city
Lands 12:05, 40min immigration, 7min from the airport
15:38
Leave the city
7min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
19:00
Back in Edinburgh
Flies 17:45

Leave EdinburgheasyJet, direct08:50
Land in Geneva2h 15min12:05
In the city40min immigration, 7min from the airport12:52
Leave the city7min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration15:38
Fly home2h 15min17:45
Back in Edinburgh19:00

Weather while you are there

12:0015°

13:0016°

14:0017°

15:0018°

16:0018°

17:0018°

18:0017°

Things to do in GenevaShow

All things to do in Geneva · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in GenevaShow

What a day in Geneva costs

On the ground only. We could not price the flight for this pair, so the day costs more than this.

£73/ on the ground, plus flights

Transport for the day£9

Lunch£24

Dinner£40

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Palais des Nations£23 (CHF 25)

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum£14 (CHF 15)

St Pierre Cathedral towers£7 (CHF 7)

Jet d'Eau and the lakeside promenade, Parc des Bastions and the Reformation Wall, Plainpalais flea market (Market days only), Musee d'Art et d'Histoire permanent collection, CERN Science Gateway exhibitionsFree

On the ground£73

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flightNo fare yet

We could not price this pair. Check the fare on the airline's site before you count on the figure above.

Getting to Edinburghfrom free Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

Report a problem

First 1,000 members

Become a founder

Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

Day Trips is live.

Try it for 14 days. Full refund if it's not for you.

Built by Josh and Samar

£19 today for your first year, then £19 a year for as long as you stay.

First 1,000 members

Become a founder

Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

Day Trips is live.

Try it for 14 days. Full refund if it's not for you.

Built by Josh and Samar

£19 today for your first year, then £19 a year for as long as you stay.

What you get

Unlimited searches
Save unlimited trips and places
Ask about any city, unlimited
Live fare for your exact date
All your saved places on one map
Your preferences: airports, days, flight length
Themes: 8 looks and your own colour
Every UK airport

Only for founders

£19 a year instead of £39.99, a saving of £20.99 every year
Your price never goes up, even if everyone else's does
Full refund within 14 days, no questions asked.

Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Edinburgh

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-30 minutes, then £14 (30min-1hr), but no shuttle bus, 10-min walk to terminal Source

Train

From Edinburgh city centre (via Edinburgh Trams, no direct rail link)£7.50 each way30 min
Advance single; On the day £7.50. First train 06:30, last train 22:52 Source

Coach

Lothian Buses Airlink 100 from Edinburgh£6 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Source
Lothian Buses Service 17 from Ocean TerminalPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From Edinburgh city centre£24-£29 one way~8 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £8.50
Multi-storey ground floor quick-stop: up to 10 min £8.50, then £1/min; local EH-postcode residents get 50% off the first 10 min Source
Terminal Parking£90
Same-day rate. Source
Long Stay Parking£60
Same-day rate. Source
Plane Parking£45
Same-day rate. Source

More parking

FastParkNo same-day price
Source
Mid Stay ParkingNo same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Secure Airparks Park & Ride£37.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 2 min. Source
Flying Scot Park & Ride£38.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 3 min. Source
Low Cost Park and Ride£38.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 5 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

Not ready to commit?

The cheapest day trips of the week, free, every Sunday. No spam, unsubscribe any time.

Ask about Geneva

Your hours, your budget, what you like. Answered from real costs and tips from people who have been.

Tips from day trippers

Nobody has left a tip for Geneva yet. Tap a place on the map to be the first.

Comments on GenevaShow

Comments

No one has been yet, as far as we know. If you have, tell the next person what made the day.

Day trip to Geneva.From Edinburgh, back by 19:00.

Day Trip Flight Details

Become a founder

Become a founder

Day trip to Geneva.
From Edinburgh, back by 19:00.