To enter Switzerland foreign nationals must be in possession of a valid identity document recognised by the Swiss authorities. Citizens of most countries need a passport which is valid for at least 3 months past the duration of their stay in Switzerland. To find out which identity documents are recognized for citizens of a specific country, see the list by nationality (in french) of the Federal Office for Migration.
The conditions for entry to Swiss territory vary according to nationality. For citizens of certain countries, a visa is required (see also "What are the modalities to obtain a visa to enter Switzerland?").
You may be asked to furnish the confirmation of your inscription to a conference. In this case please refer to the question "Where can I get a confirmation of my inscription to a conference?" bellow.
As soon as you consider going to Switzerland, ask at the Swiss representation in your country of residence if you need a visa. Visas can normally be obtained within a few days, yet it is recommended that you submit your request as early as possible, since in some countries, the procedure may take considerably longer.
Check the list of Swiss representations abroad. For a visa request, contact the Embassy or the Consulate (but not an Honorary Consulate) in your country of residence.
The Federal Office for Migration publishes a list per country (in french) detailing if citizens of a certain country need a visa to enter Switzerland.
If you need to submit a visa request, you will always need a valid identity document (see also "Which documents do I need to enter Switzerland?"), a valid return ticket, and sufficient financial means to cover your living costs during your stay in Switzerland (in general, CHF 100.- per day are considered sufficient). Sometimes, you may be asked to provide a declaration of sponsorship, or you may have to proof the purpose of your stay in Switzerland, for instance through providing an invitation to a conference (see also "Where can I obtain a written confirmation of my inscription to a conference?").
For further information on the procedure for obtaining a visa, check the website of the Federal Office for Migration and the Delegate’s Guide.
Usually, you can get a certificate with the secretariat of the conference you will attend. For example, for the Human Rights Council, you should contact the Civil Society Unit of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, whose contact details you will find here.
For any conference organised within the United Nations, you may also contact the NGO Liaison Office of the UNOG, whose contact information is available here.
A valid travel document is essential for excursions to France and other neighbouring countries.
Switzerland is part of the Schengen space since March 2009. A person with a Swiss residence permit can thus travel without additional visas in countries being part of the Schengen space. Nevertheless it is essential to take the Swiss residence permit as well as a valid travel document when leaving Switzerland.
Along with Switzerland countries being part of the Schengen space are Norway and Island, as well as 22 of the 27 members of the European Union, the missing 5 being: Great Britain, Eire, Bulgaria, Rumania and Cyprus.
No, the Swiss residence permit allows you to pass controls without the need of a transit visa. This policy applies to the 25 members of the Schengen space as well as to Great Britain.
It is strongly advised to make sure that your insurance covers medicals fees abroad, in particular in Switzerland. Otherwise it is recommended to contract a complementary health and accident insurance for the duration of your stay in Switzerland. Do not forget to bring along a copy of your insurance policy.
In the context of a visa request, Swiss authorities ask foreign nationals to conclude a travel insurance if the coverage of medical emergency treatments is not assured otherwise. Among the costs that need to be covered are rescue operations, repatriation for medical reasons, as well as first aid and a stay in a hospital. The minimal coverage provided by this travel insurance needs to be at least 50’000 Swiss francs.
No specific vaccination is required for a stay in Switzerland. Immunisation against tick-borne encephalitis may be recommended in certain cases.
Index
Delegates with a small budget or wishing to meet other delegates should contact the Welcome Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations and Delegations which provides budget accommodation. The prices vary between CHF 25.- to CHF 35.- per night including breakfast. Please consult the website of Mandat International for further information.
You can also contact them to get information about other economical accommodation in Geneva.
MANDAT INTERNATIONAL
Welcome Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations and Delegations
31, chemin William Rappard
1293 Bellevue / Switzerland
Bus V - Bus stop "Valavran"
Tel. : +41 (0)22 959 88 55
Fax : +41 (0)22 959 88 51
E-Mail : admin@mandint.org
Website : www.mandint.org
We encourage you to book well in advance!
For other low-budget accommodation in Geneva please check the following websites: www.youthostel.ch, www.cenacle.ch, www.bnb.ch, www.cityhostel.ch
To get there, take bus “V” towards “C.S. La Bécassière" from the train station or from the UN and get off at the bus stop «Valavran ».
A free shuttle will take you in the morning to the UN and other international organisations, and back to the Welcome Centre in the evening.
For more information click here and see the section on 'Transportation' below.
Geneva hotels are generally very well kept. You should expect to pay about CHF 100.- per night in a standard hotel and more in a luxury hotel. A list of hotels provided by the Geneva Tourist Office is available here. You may also wish to visit their website www.genevetourisme.ch
Bus n°5 or n°10 – the bus stop is located next to the parking on the departure level. One journey to the centre costs CHF 3.- and lasts about 25 minutes. Please note that you have to buy the ticket before getting on the bus. Tickets can be purchased at the vending machines at bus stops (coins only accepted and no change given).
Trains: Departures every 10 minutes, the journey takes 5 minutes. All trains stop at Geneva main station. Tickets cost CHF 3.- and can be purchased at the vending machines in the train station or at the ticket counters.
If you just landed in Geneva, you may take a free bus or train ticket at the vending machine inside the airport, where you pick up your luggage (before going through customs!).
Taxi: About CHF.-30 to the centre.
You may take a taxi with the company New Cab (tel. +41 (0)22 320 20 20), which has agreed to transport passengers to the Welcome Centre for a flat rate (CHF 28.-). When getting into the cab, do not forget to remind the driver that you are making use of the flat rate agreed upon with Mandat International.
Public transport: Bus n°5 or n°10, or the train to the Geneva train station in the town centre (see also in this section "How to get from the airport to the town centre?"). Then take bus “V” which stops in front of the train station. Get off at the stop “Valavran” (takes approximately 20 minutes) and follow the signs “Mandat International” (15 minutes walk).
For a map and more information click here.
.
Bus n°28 towards “Jardin Botanique”. Get off at either “Appia” for the Palais des Nations Pregny Gate (badges for the UN) or at “Nations” for a variety of other organisations.
Bus n°5 towards “Hôpital”. Get off at “Nations”.
The bus ticket costs CHF 3.- and the journey takes approximately 15 minutes.
A taxi will cost you approximately CHF 25.- for a 10 minutes ride.
Take any train towards Geneva airport from the Geneva train station (about 5 minutes), or take bus number 5 or 10 (about 20 minutes from the train station).
By taxi the journey will last about 15 minutes depending on traffic and will cost you around CHF 35.-.
General inquiries
Geneva International Airport
Case postale 100
1215 Geneva 15
Phone: +41 (0)22 717 71 11,
Fax: +41 (0)22 798 43 77
Tx 415 520 DAG
Information on arrivals and departures: 0900 57 15 00 (CHF 1.19 per minute from Switzerland).
For lost or damaged luggage, please contact the Lost & Found Office of your handling company. To find out which handling company corresponds to your airline, please consult the handling companies table.
Lost and Found of Swissport +41 (0)22 799 33 32 *
Lost and found of Dnata (Jet Aviation) 058 158 14 76
*For Swissport: If you have already declared a loss and opened a file, you may also call 043 812 87 77 to get information on the progress of your case.
A free shuttle is available in the morning to take you to the UN and other international organisations and at the evening to take you back to the Welcome Centre.
To get there, you may also take the bus 'V' towards "Gare Cornavin" and get off at either "Appia" or "Nations". The journey will take 13 to 15 minutes. Please consult the schedule of bus "V" from the 'Valavran' stop.
To get back, take bus 'V' at either of the two afore-mentioned stops and get off at 'Valavran'. Consult also the schedule of bus "V" from 'Nations' stop and from 'Appia' stop.
The public transport network (TPG) covers the whole town and allows you to move around fairly quickly. The network comprises buses, tramways and little yellow boats called “mouettes”. TPG tickets are also valid on trains as long as they run within the network, notably on trains between the airport and Geneva main station.
For a map of the network, click here.
Tickets can be purchased at the vending machines at most bus and tramway stops, as well as at TPG selling points, at the train station and at the "Rond-point de Rive" stop. Be aware that vending machines do not give change !
Tobacconists and TPG selling points also sell the so-called cart@bonus (CHF 20.-, 30.- or 50.-) which is a pre-paid card that allows you to buy tickets at vending machines without using cash.
Ticket controls take place regularly and controlled passengers without a valid ticket will have to pay a fine of CHF 80.- in addition to the price of a ticket.
Those who are staying in a hotel will be given a "Geneva Transport Card" (free travel on the Geneva network, valid throughout your stay) when they check in at the hotel.
Adult fares:
• Ticket ‘Tout Genève’ for the centre (yellow zone), valid 60 minutes: CHF 3.-
• Day pass for the centre (yellow zone), valid from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm: CHF 7.-
• Day pass for the centre (yellow zone), valid 24h: CHF 10.-
• 2-week ticket (yellow zone): CHF 35.-
• Monthly ticket (yellow zone): CHF 70.-
Click here for a map with fare zones.
Hotline: 0900 022 021 (CHF 1.19 per minute)
TPG selling points: At the train station and at the Rond-point de Rive stop. Opening hours weekdays from 7am to 7pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm.
Website: www.tpg.ch
The base rate during daytime amounts to approximately CHF 7.- and the meter rate is around CHF 3.- per kilometre. The fare may increase for journeys during the night or outside town. Mandat International has agreed with “New Cab” on a flat rate of CHF 28.- between the airport and the Welcome Centre (inform the driver before getting into the taxi).
• New Cab, phone: +41 (0)22 320 20 20
• Coopérative Taxi, phone: +41 (0)22 320 22 02
• Taxi-phone, phone: +41 (0)22 331 41 33
The train is a quick way to travel to main Swiss and foreign cities. If you need to travel more than once, do check if there are any special offers for frequent travellers.
Swiss Railway Company (CFF)
Cornavin station (in the town-centre)
Information and booking - Phone 0900 300 300 (CHF 1.19 per minute)
www.cff.ch
Special offers outside rush hours are available here.
• Europcar (airport), phone: +41 (0)22 798 11 10 - fax : +41 (0)22 788 36 70
• Hertz (airport), phone: +41 (0)22 717 80 80 - fax : +41 (0)22 788 24 05
• Avis (airport), phone: +41 (0)22 929 03 30 – fax: +41 (0)22 929 03 39
• Budget Rent-A-Car (airport), phone. +41 (0)22 798 22 53 - fax : +41 (0)22 798 99 78
• Allo Car, 32, rue de la Servette, phone: +41 (0)22 740 30 30 - fax : +41 (0)22 740 31 70
• ADA Car Rental, rue du Prieuré 12, phone: +41 (0)22 901 12 62
In Switzerland, traffic drives on the right hand side. Most road signs correspond to international signs. For the circulation on Swiss motorways, a motorway toll sticker is compulsory. The sticker is valid for one year, costs CHF 40.- and can be purchased at the border, at petrol stations and at post offices.
In Switzerland, wearing seat-belts is mandatory on front as well as back seats.
• Inside town and residential areas: 50 km/h (31 miles/h).
Be aware that in certain urban zones, the speed limit is fixed at 30 km/h (20 miles/h)
• Regional roads: 80 km/h (50 miles/h).
• Motorways: 120 km/h (75 miles/h).
Health issues
Health care in Switzerland, public as well as private, is in general of good quality. In case you need to consult a physician or to stay in hospital, you will either need to provide a deposit, or to furnish evidence of a health insurance valid in Switzerland. In case of an ambulatory treatment, you might be asked to pay the bill on spot, but you will receive a receipt sent to your home address which will allow you to claim a reimbursement from your health insurance.
- The Emergency Number 144, This is the emergency number to call for all of the medical emergencies.
- SOS médecins (home consultations in case of an emergency), Phone: +41 (0)22 748 49 50
- Hôpital Cantonal, Emergency Service (Accident and Emergency Department of the Geneva Public Hospi
tal)
24 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1205 Genève,
Phone: +41 (0)22 372 33 11/ +41 (0)22 382 33 11/ +41 (0)22 372 81 20
- Permanence de Vermont (close to the UN Building), rue de Vermont 9A, 1202 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 734 51 50, Fax +41 (0)22 734 66 29 - Permanence de Cornavin (close to the train station), rue du Jura 3, 1201 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 595 11 11, Fax +41 (0)22 595 11 00 - Permanence de Chantepoulet, rue Chantepoulet 21, 1201 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 731 21 20, Fax +41 (0)22 731 21 98 - Permanence médicale de Plainpalais, rue de Carouge 17, 1205 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 329 56 56, Fax +41 (0)22 329 52 31 - Permanence médicale de Carouge, av. Cardinal-Mermillod 5, 1227 Carouge,
Tel. +41 (0)22 309 46 46, Fax +41 (0)22 309 46 00 - Permanence médicale d'Onex, route de Loex 3, 1213 Onex,
Tel. +41 (0)22 879 50 50, Fax +41 (0)22 879 50 60 - Permanence médicale de la Tour, avenue J.-D.-Maillard 3, 1217 Meyrin,
Tel. +41 (0)22 719 61 11, Fax +41 (0)22 719 61 12
- Clinique dentaire de la Servette (close to the train station), av. Wendt 60, 1203 Genève
Tél. +41 (0)22 733 98 00, Fax +41 (0)22 733 91 83
Emergencies and all kinds of consultations 7/7
Web: www.malodent.ch - Clinique dentaire de Malombré, chemin de Malombré 5, 1206 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 346 64 44, Fax +41 (0)22 346 64 46
Emergencies and all kinds of consultations 7/7
Web: www.malodent.ch - Clinique dentaire de Genève, avenue de France 29, 1202 Genève or rue de la Terrassière 58, 1207 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 735 73 55
Web: www.cliniquedentairedegeneve.ch - ADENT(private clinic), chemin des Tulipiers 24, 1208 Genève,
Tel. +41 (0)22 700 81 00, Fax +41 (0)22 700 81 01
Emergency Service: 0800 101 800 (calls are free of charge).
Open 7/7
Website: www.adent.ch
In case of an emergency, call 144 to obtain the address of the pharmacy open throughout the night (there is a rotating system, and every night, it’s another pharmacy’s turn). It opens form 7pm to 8am, but you will be charged a surplus of CHF 10.- per customer. You may also want to consult the following two websites for contacts of pharmacies that open late in the evening: www.pharmacies-geneve.ch
or www.ge.ch/pratique
Switzerland is a relatively safe country. Still, you need to be aware of pickpockets, in particular in crowds and in public transport vehicles. There have also been cases of armed robbery, particularly near the train station.
Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you, and always keep a copy of your passport separately from the actual passport.
In case of any incident, do immediately inform the police.
- 117 Police
- 118 Fire brigade
- 144 Ambulance
- 145 Poisonings
- 140 Road service (break-down service)
- 143 “The helping hand” (Psychological help over the phone)
- 1414 Rescue helicopter
- Emergency Pharmacies: 1811 or 144 (ask which pharmacy is on duty)
- SOS Doctor +41 (0)22 748 49 50 or +41 (0)22 322 20 20
- SOS Nursery: +41 (0)22 420 24 64
- SOS Pharmacists: +41 (0)22 420 64 80
Control Centre (in case of emergency): 72900
Medical Service: 72520
Lost and Found: 71936
If you have lost a personal belonging, call Mr. Besse at 71936 (+41 (0)22 917 19 36 if you are calling from outside the UN). The Lost and Found Office is located on the 8th floor of building A.
Loss on the plane: contact the Lost & Found of the handling company corresponding to your airline. In order to find out to which handling company to contact, check the table of assistance companies.
Lost & found Dnata (Jet Aviation): phone +41 (0)58 158 14 76, gvalost@dnata.ch.
Lost & found Swissport: tél. 0900 775 775, gva.bags@swissport.com, www.mylostbag.com.
Loss in the transit zone (after the passport control if departing, or before customs when arriving) or at a security check-point : contact Swissport’s Lost & Found Office at +41 (0)22 799 31 11.
Loss in the airport or its surroundings (Swiss zone): at the Swiss Police during the 24hours following your loss at+41 (0)22 427 92 22, and later than that you may contact the Geneva Lost and Found Office at +41 (0)22 327 60 00.
Loss within the French sector of the airport : phone +33 450 40 69 05.
Loss at a train station or on a train of the Swiss railways : check the website of the Swiss railway company or call 0900 300 300.
Loss on a bus, tramway or boat : contact the Geneva Lost and Found Office, from the next day at 11am onwards.
In the city of Geneva : contact the Geneva Lost and Found Office.
Geneva Lost and Found Office
Rue des Glacis de Rive 5
1207 Geneva
Phone +41 (0)22 787 60 00
Email scot@etat.ge.ch
From Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 4pm
For information on what to do in case of loss of your credit card or Passport, read the corresponding section in the delegates guide.
Spring (March to July) and autumn (September to December) are subject to changes; showers of rain can be frequent, so it is best to bring warm clothes with you, e.g. a coat and a good pair of shoes.
During the summer (June to September) the weather in Switzerland is sunny and warm. It does rain from time to time and temperatures can fall.
During the winter (December to March) it is cold and snowfalls are frequent, therefore it is important to have a warm coat, trousers and a good pair of winter shoes.
The exchange rate is available in every exchange office and bank as well as in the press.
To convert your currency into Swiss francs, please click here.
To find out about Geneva exchange offices and banks as well as their opening hours, please refer to the delegate’s guide or to the website of the tourist office.
Inside the Palais des Nations, you will find two UBS (United Bank of Switzerland) branches as well as a post office, where you can change money as well.
You can also change your money in hotels but at a less advantageous rate.
The living cost in Switzerland is relatively high. You should anticipate a budget of at least 80.- to 150.- CHF per day.
Below some approximate prices in Swiss francs:
• A loaf of bread (500 g) between CHF 1.20 to CHF 2.20
• A litre of milk CHF 2.-
• A coffee/tea in a restaurant CHF 3.50
• A soda in a restaurant CHF 4.-
• A sandwich CHF 6.- to CHF 10.-
• A pizza in a restaurant CHF 18.- to CHF 24. -
• A night in a cheap hotel CHF 50.- to CHF 150.-
• Buses and trams CHF 7.- (day card)
However, if you have limited resources, staying at the Welcome Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations and Delegations will enable you to reduce the costs to about CHF 70.- per day.
The Geneva Tourist Office is located near to the train station.
Genève Tourisme
Rue du Mont-Blanc 18
1211 Geneva
Tel. +41 (0) 22 909 70 00
