1. Which is the nearest airport?
2. How do I get from the airport to Chamonix?
3. Should I hire a car from the French side of the airport?
4. Will I need snow chains?
5. Is it easy to park in Chamonix?
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1. Which is the nearest airport?
Geneva is the nearest airport to Chamonix, a little under 100km by road and an easy drive within an hour. Many international airlines fly to Geneva, including easyJet, British Airways, Globespan and FlyBe. There are several other airports that are a little further away, including Turin in Italy (2 hours away, served by RyanAir), Chambery (1.5 hours away, RyanAir) and Lyon (2 hours drive, many airlines).
2. How do I get from the airport to Chamonix?
Perhaps the easiest and most efficient way to get from the airport is a private minibus transfer. Typically, the minibuses take up to 8 people and can be booked person by person, or privately by minibus. There is huge competition in this sector and it is worth checking the credentials of the operator you choose. Frankly, you get what you pay for and the cheapest is not always the right choice - there's nothing worse than waiting in the airport, or missing your flight on the return journey. For this reason, Mountain Base have chosen to work with Haute Transfer as our partners. One way trips cost from €25 per person, or €200 for a private minibus. Transfers from other airports are priced differently, but will be more expensive.
Car Hire is also a good option. There are many car rental companies operating from Geneva airport, so the best idea is to use a site such as CarRentals.co.uk, which compares the best deals. We recommend hiring from the Swiss side of the airport, as it is a long walk to the French hire cars and you are forced to drive through the centre of Geneva, rather than take the motorways all the way to Chamonix.
SAT Buses operate a regular bus service from the airport, which runs 6 times a day between 8am and 8pm (check the latest timetable), roughly every 2 hours. The journey is "scenic", to say the least, and takes over 2 hours compared to 1 hour in a minibus. A one way fare is €35, or €55 return.
It is possible to get to Chamonix by train, but it is not recommended as it involves at least 2 changes. The nearest main station is St Gervais/Le Fayet, from where you need to catch the local train to Chamonix itself.
Finally, you can get a private taxi, which will cost about €150 if booked in advance (or around €250 on demand from the airport) for up to 4 people.
3. Should I hire a car from the French side of the airport?
We recommend to guests to hire from the Swiss side of the airport. Athough the French side can be cheaper, there's a long walk to get the car at the airport and you cannot use the Swiss motorways without paying for a "vignette" (€40). This means you have to drive right through the centre of Geneva rather than easy motorway all the way to Chamonix.
4. Will I need snow chains?
Although it is rare that you actually need to use chains, they should be carried in the vehicle during the winter months. Sometimes, the police will close a road to all vehicles without chains or winter tyres, but more importantly, it is easy to get stuck in fresh snow or risk an accident. Although the majority of our properties are central Chamonix, some are further from the centre and up mountain roads.
5. Is it easy to park in Chamonix?
There are 3800 parking spaces in and around Chamonix, but the ease of parking varies considerably from low to high season. The free car parks are on the outskirts of town and 3 main pay parking areas in the centre, all of which are free for the first 30 to 60 minutes. The car parks are Place du Mont Blanc (east of centre, 240 places), Parking St Michel (north of centre, 330 places) and Parking Entreves (west of centre, 150 places). For south of the centre and for the Aiguille du Midi, there is the Grepon car park (700 spaces). Much of the street parking is free, except for the town centre itself.
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