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This post will share the details of my Manchester to Geneva day trip.
For some odd reason, I had quite some free weekends at work in November.
While I had already planned my trip to Budapest, I suddenly had more free time than usual.
Naturally, I had to slot in a day trip.
I figured I could spend one day travelling and the other resting and preparing for the new week.
It doesn’t help that I recently joined a new Facebook group, Extreme Day Trips UK, and I’ve been incredibly inspired by the number of international day trips my comrades have been taking.
I thought I was the only one doing this after my trips to Belfast, Dublin and Cork.
Granted, I haven’t taken an international day trip from Manchester yet, but it was in the works when I joined the group.
After a few travel experiences, I decided that some countries are not worth more than a day.
Charged with that much inspiration, I decided to take the plunge.
After searching for available same-day return flights for my specific date, Geneva came up.
In a subsequent post, I’ll compile the best day trips you can take from Manchester in under two hours, focusing on cities with their nearby airports.
Without further ado, let’s get into the details.
Here’s How To Plan A Manchester To Geneva Day Trip On A Budget
Geneva is a city in the French-speaking part of the South West of Switzerland.
It’s known as the centre of international diplomacy due to the presence of organisations like the United Nations and the Red Cross.
I’ve previously been to Lugano, the Italian-speaking side of Switzerland, and I could immediately tell the difference.
Compared to Lugano, Geneva a lot felt more warm and welcoming.
Maybe it’s because it’s an international hub.
Either way, I felt like I could return on another trip.
Since I didn’t remember to pre-book a UN Guided tour, I have to go back.
Flights
Cost – £65.98/€76.02
I took an 8:10 am flight with EasyJet and flew back at 9:10 pm.
EasyJet has a base in Geneva, which enables them to operate multiple daily flights.
So, you’re guaranteed to get cheap same-day return flights, which is great for day trips.
Similar to Milan, it’s also a great base from which to travel to other parts of Switzerland and France.
The flight time is about 90 minutes or less, as morning flights usually have little to no delays.
For this particular flight, we arrived about twenty minutes earlier.
Airport Transport & Public Transport
Cost: CHF 10 for a day pass, including airport transfer
Honestly, don’t be like me and buy the wrong ticket.
You know, after travelling for a while, you’re used to certain things and think you can wing them, so you don’t do adequate research, which often costs you.
I usually like to research the public transportation system of any country I visit.
But for some reason, I left this till the last minute, so I researched on the flight.
Long story short, I wasted CHF 5 worth of tickets when I could have just bought a Day Pass.
So if you’re visiting Geneva for a day, I recommend you buy a Day Pass, which costs CHF 10.
Fortunately, Geneva has a centralised ticketing system, including airport transfers.
So, the Day Pass is what you’ll use from the beginning till the end of your trip.
Some attractions like the United Nations offices and Red Cross Museum are out of the city centre so you’ll need a bus pass.
A single ticket costs CHF 3 and CHF 6 to and from the airport.
With CHF 4 left, you can jump on any bus when you’re tired of walking.
The distance from the Geneva Airport to the city centre is about ten minutes, the shortest I’ve seen.
Ensure you’re taking the right train from the Gare Cornavin station, the main train station in Geneva.
Use Google Maps to direct you on the correct train to take or ask a staff member.
Attractions
Geneva doesn’t have that many major attractions, which makes it perfect for a day trip.
You can see everything, including the tours, on one long Summer day when there’s more daylight.
But if you visit during the Autumn or Winter with limited daylight, I suggest you take the earliest flight you can find.
This way, you have enough daylight to see the attractions.
You can also return home early if you find limited things to do when it’s dark or if you have a 9-5 like me.
With that being said, here are the must-see attractions:
- The Geneva Water Fountain on Lake Geneva: An impressive fountain in the middle of the lake with stunning light shows.
- The Flower Clock: An iconic 19th-century outdoor clock designed with seasonal flowers.
- Patek Philippe Museum: A museum showcasing the works of the Swiss watchmaker from the 18th century till date.
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire: A 19th-century art museum that is the largest in Geneva.
- St Pierre Cathedral: 4th century former Roman Catholic cathedral now converted to a Protestant Church.
- Reformation Wall: A monument honouring the Protestant Reformation’s key players.
- Museum of the International Red Cross: A museum showcasing the humanitarian works of the Red Cross.
- Palace of Nations: The headquarters of the former League of Nations now sits the Geneva office of the United Nations, which houses the head of several arms, including the WHO WTO, amongst others.
Experiences
After having a swell albeit short time in Budapest, I was itching to go on another River cruise.
So, the first thing I did after booking my return flight was to book a ticket for the Lake Geneva Cruise.
This turned out to be a great idea because there were so many people boarding the cruise.
It definitely would have sold out if I waited till the last minute.
While I slightly enjoyed the cruise, although the weather mostly ruined it, I wished I had booked a spot for the UN Guided Tours instead.
I got there wondering if they accepted walk-ins and immediately regretted booking the cruise.
This is the second time I’ve missed a UN Guided Tour.
I missed the first one in Vienna and then now this.
Anyway, this means that I’ll be returning to Geneva in 2024.
So, if you spend just 24 hours in Geneva, I recommend you book a Lake Geneva River Cruise or a UN Guided Tour, depending on your interest.
You can also do both in one day as they’re both an hour each.
Finally,
Everyone knows how expensive the Swiss franc is, so this Manchester to Geneva day trip is ideal to cut costs and stick to a budget.
One way to save money on a day trip like this is to pack your lunch and snacks from home or get a meal deal from Boots at the Manchester Airport.
This way, you can afford to spend more than necessary.
Also, pre-book tours and activities to avoid being overcharged for same-day/late bookings.
Switzerland has been and will always be a vibe, and I can’t wait to return.