From Saturday, November 23rd at 7pm to Sunday, November 24th at 3pm, all rail traffic to and from Geneva’s Cornavin station will be completely interrupted.
Consequently, trains in the Nyon - Geneva/Geneva Airport - La Plaine/Bellegarde (France) - Lancy-Pont-Rouge/Annemasse (France) area will be significantly impacted.
A replacement system of buses and trams will be put in place, but journey times will be longer.
These are alternate routes to Geneva, according to national rail company, SBB:
What are the consequences for passengers traveling to or from Geneva Airport?
For travellers coming from French-speaking Switzerland and beyond, a direct bus service from Nyon station will connect to the airport via the motorway. The travel time is estimated at 30 minutes.
These buses will arrive and depart from the upper level of the Geneva Airport CFF station, next to the TPG line 5 bus stop.
For passengers departing from the Cornavin location, TPG bus line 5 will have increased service, and direct buses marked "Geneva Airport" will connect the central station with the airport.
Passengers located between Nyon and Geneva's central station can reach the airport either via Nyon (with direct buses to Geneva Airport) or by first taking a train to Coppet – where the Regio Express line remains active – and then continue by bus to Cornavin.
From there, passengers can use the bus line 5 to Geneva Airport.
For trains from Geneva’s Rive Gauche and Annemasse (France), the Léman Express will exceptionally operate up to Lancy-Pont Rouge, with service every 30 minutes.
From there, commuters can reach Geneva Airport by tram 15 to Cornavin, and then by bus 5.
For passengers on the La Plaine - Geneva line, trains will operate up to the Meyrin station. From there, passengers can take a bus to Geneva’s central station and then continue to Geneva Airport via the no. 5 bus.
Replacement buses will also be available from Bellegarde (France), providing direct connections to Geneva (via a different route).
In addition, the SNCF TER traffic and TGV Lyria will be interrupted between Geneva and Bellegarde (France). Alternative transport will be set up by bus.
These routes will apply for both outbound and return trips to Geneva Airport.
Given these disruptions to the regular traffic, the national rail company, SBB, recommends that all those heading to Geneva on November 23rd and 24th allow an additional 30 minutes for travel compared to a normal journey, and even 60 minutes for passengers on the Bellegarde-La Plaine-Geneva line.
Cars as well
Additional replacement buses that will be put into service around the central station requires freeing up of Cornavin square from all services, except for TPG.
This is how car traffic will be affected:
Motor vehicles
The Passage des Alpes will be closed to traffic, with the exception of buses and taxis which will be allowed to travel in the downhill direction (Montbrillant → Cornavin direction). There will be a detour via Quai Wilson, Avenue de la Paix, and Avenue Giuseppe-Motta. Access to the Cornavin car park from the Passage des Alpes is prohibited.
Cyclists and pedestrians
All pedestrian routes are maintained during the weekend. Cyclists can cross the Passage des Alpes in both directions; traffic in the uphill direction (Cornavin → Montbrillant direction) is on foot.
Taxis
The pick-up area initially located on the forecourt of the station on the Place de Cornavin has been moved to the underground car park of Cornavin, on level -1. This area is specifically designed during the weekend, with signage to access it.
Public transport
TPG lines 60 and 61 will make a turnaround at Place des Nations (access to Cornavin station will be via tram line 15). All other bus services are operating normally; lines 5 and 15 will reinforced, in particular to ensure the connection with the airport.
And there is more…
Change of track numbering
Starting on November 24th at 3 pm., some tracks at the Cornavin station will change numbers to prepare for the commissioning of the future underground station:
- Track 5 will becomes track 10
- Tracks 6, 7 and 8 will become tracks 5, 6 and 7, respectively
These changes anticipate the definitive numbering of the surface tracks from 1 to 7 and aim to facilitate the transition to the future underground station:
SBB media
READ ALSO: How will Geneva’s expanded train station benefit passengers?
More information about all these changes is available here (in French).
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