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How to travel by train from London to Geneva, Switzerland
Travel by train from London to Geneva in less than 7 hours by taking the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord then change to Paris Gare de Lyon for the onward train to Geneva.
Internationally famed for diplomacy, banking, watches, and chocolate, Geneva is a tiny city that casts a massive shadow. With the fine restaurants, great shopping and international vibe that you would expect in a compact city centre, the heartland of Protestantism has hustle and bustle and yet a wonderfully relaxed, open feel.
Flight-free travel from London to Geneva:
Journey Time: from 6 hours 37 minutes
Sample timetable: Depart London 09.22am, arrive Geneva 5.29pm
Changes: 1
Transfer: Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon
Frequency of Departures: 19/day
Carbon emissions: 18.9kg (flight would be 200.7kg)*
Car hire at Geneva Cornavin Railway Station: Yes
Tickets provided by Trainline, which allows you to buy tickets for multiple train operators in multiple European countries. It does charge a small booking fee, but offers several useful facilities, such as a free email alert service to let you know as soon as bookings open for your chosen route so you can snap up the cheapest tickets when they become available.
How to book train tickets as part of a package with accommodation
If you want someone to book the whole journey for you or combine it with staying in hotels en route, get in touch with the travel agent Byway through its page for booking enquiries.
On Board Eurostar
For ticket types (Standard, Plus and Premier) and information on what it's like on board, see our Guide to Eurostar
What's the journey like?
You have to change stations in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, which can take about half an hour on the Paris RER line (it's only two stops, though we recommend you leave at least 50 minutes for the entire transfer - you have about an hour and a quarter to get the connection). See our guide to How to transfer between train stations across Paris. At Gare de Lyon, you board a Lyria high speed train to 'Geneva Cornavin' station.
Miss your connection?
Don’t panic. Railteam’s ‘Hop on the Next Available Train’ service means that if you have missed your connection because of a delay on the preceding leg of your journey, you’ll automatically be put on the next available high-speed train. NB Remember to get your ticket stamped by your Train Manager.
Stopover in Paris 🏠
If you want to break the journey and stay overnight to see a bit more of Paris while you're travelling through, there are lots of lovely places to stay conveniently near the two railway stations (ie the station you arrive at on the Eurostar in Paris – Gare du Nord, and the station that you depart from Paris – Gare de Lyon).
Hotels close to Gare du Nord 🚉
Grand Hotel de Paris and Hôtel Kabanel are just a few minutes walk from Gare du Nord (and Gare de L'Est so also great if you're heading out east). Rooms from about €100 per night. For more hotels near the station, see Hotels near Gare du Nord
Hotels close to Gare de Lyon 🚉
citizenM Paris Gare de Lyon is one of 5 citizenM hotels in Paris that aim to provide 'affordable luxury' in central city locations. Billed as 'hybrid hotels', they're as much about places to work as they are to sleep, with the idea that you can meet local people in a smart, cozy environment. For more hotels near the station, see Hotels near Gare de Lyon
Green Traveller's Top Pick 💚
Mob Hotel is a particularly environmentally friendly and socially conscious hotel that's in the heart of St Ouen, just a few miles north of Gare du Nord and close to the Garibaldi metro station (line 13). The hotel is all about being socially engaged within its neighbourhood (the artistic creations of local craftspeople are everywhere), but it also has strong eco credentials, such as water jugs rather than plastic bottles, refillable toiletries and organic cosmetics in the rooms. The restaurant is fully organic with a seasonal menu that draws on produce from farming cooperatives or direct from local producers (they also make their own honey and beer).
Eco-certified hotels in Paris ✔️
If you're looking for other green hotels in the French Capital, then these have all been certified by an accredited ecolabel: Hotel Gavarnie (near the Eiffel Tower and Les Invalides Museum) | Hotel Le Pavillion (a former convent in the Saint-Dominique area) | Amélie Hotel (2-star) | Hôtel Malar (10 minutes from the Champs Elysees) | Hôtel Du Printemps, about a mile from Gare de Lyon.
On arrival in Geneva
Bienvenue à Genève! Lake Geneva meets the Rhone in the heart of the city, and the towering jet d’eau fountain forms a spectacular centrepiece, whilst the city is shouldered by mountains on both sides: the Jura to the north, and the dramatic Alps to the south. With fresh air, beaches, parks and a lovely historic centre – there’s far more to Geneva than just international business and politics.
Hotels in Geneva
More about Geneva
Almost all mainline international train services to Geneva arrive at the city’s Gare de Cornavin, on the northern edge of the city centre, with great bus, tram and suburban rail connections across the city and surrounding area. Some international trains (from France) pull into Gare des Eaux-Vives, just to the south-west of the centre, which also has good bus connections.
To book tickets on Switzerland's impressively well organised network of over 20,000 km of rail, bus and boat routes go to: Travel by train in Switzerland.
A compact metropolis, central Geneva is extremely walkable, but for longer journeys you can make use of extensive bus, tram, and suburban rail networks. TPG, the city’s transport operator, offers various downloadable maps of the Geneva transport networks (page in French), as well as a handy English language journey planner. Wikipedia also has a map of the Geneva tram network. The city’s transport is integrated, offering a range of tickets usable on all public transport in Geneva (transport zone 10): a single ticket is valid for an hour, or get a day pass.
Another transport option to consider is a bike: with miles of segregated cycling lanes and great cycle provision, outside of the icier winter months cycling is a great option for getting around. The Geneva tourist website offers information on cycling for visitors, and between April and October, the Genève Roule bikesharing scheme offers free cycle loans (you have to leave a deposit of 20 swiss francs) from six different pick up points across Geneva, for up to four hours.
Bon Voyage!
