Interesting train station but I felt that there was a big lacking of signage of where to go. We came from France and were passing our way through Geneva to get to Italy. Coming off of our train, we entered a customs area but we weren't sure if we were supposed to exit or find our track and there was no one to ask. I will agree that it may have been because we're novices and I was the only person with any European train experience and I have never had to go though customs to exit a train before and I didn't want to make the wrong move. Luckily, the area we were in had a board with track numbers and once we saw our next train and it's track number we were confident to go through the customs area. Which btw was nothing, just some armed people watching us walk past them. This station is packed so be wary and bon chance! read more

Gare de Genève Cornavin - View from our tracks. Beautiful! - Train Stations Near Me - Geneva, GE

The train station feels old. There are lots of shops and places to pick up food like Coop and Migros. The timing of the trains is awful. Two trains we trying to get to the airport were cancelled and you could not hear any announcements. They need to do a much better job here. read more

Gare de Genève Cornavin - Train Stations Near Me - Geneva, GE

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The Geneva train station is pretty bustling inside and outside, of course inside of where the trains are. There's lots of stores to grab something to eat or supermarket to get snack snacks. Outside is where most of the city buses stop so you can get just about any bus here across from the train station. There are also shops and restaurants. read more

7/15/2024 - A wonderful designed train station with several floors. This is located within walking distance of a shopping mall and many restaurants in the area all within .20 miles or about a 10 minute walk. Also, the Geneva Airport is only 8 minutes away and one stop away from this train station. Walking around here they have escalators and elevators. You still need to pay money to use the restrooms. Just pending the train to arrive in a few hours to leave here. I think you can do much the highlights of this city in 1 day. If you stay local. read more

Gare de Genève Cornavin - Inside the train station main monitor - Train Stations Near Me - Geneva, GE

Very busy train station with paid services for restrooms. Lot of shopping options, almost like a mall setting inside the station. Lot of displays to indicate the train arrivals and timings. There are a lot of restaurants and quick grab and go places. There are grocery stores like Migros and Coop to take care of the basic needs. read more

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With all these wonderful stations in Europe, it can get quite mind boggling at times, and this one is no different. Actually, I believe that it is one of the biggest in Switzerland. It definitely still retains its old granduer, as opposed to the ones that were knocked down and turned into some brutalist structure. It's pretty big actually, though not too confusing. However, I have discovered that there is a special platform you have to go to to get into France, which requires a security check, though not a major one (I suspect it has something to do with refugees). read more

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Surprisingly not a large station. Inside is very modern and clean. At the two entrances were a handful of grab and go food spots. A few more up the escalator to the platforms. The large computerized departure board is at the main entrance over the escalators. Departure platforms are posted 30-45 prior. Make sure when you're on the platform that your train is the one you see. Three trains came and went while waiting for ours. Surprised we didn't pass thru customs coming in or leaving. read more

Gare de Genève Cornavin - Train Stations Near Me - Geneva, GE

It's magnitudes bigger than the Lausanne station which makes navigating out of here a breeze comparatively. There are also far more food options, not to mention a lot more bus and tram lines to connect to the rest of the city from this central location. read more

This is not a bad station by general standards. It is not terribly large and therefore, relatively navigable. The architecture is really nothing special. However, the location is quite convenient and this makes it a very useful entry point for a visit to this lovely city. There are several hotels and restaurants within walking distance and many of Geneva's prime attractions are also reachable on foot from this facility. The amenities available in the station are reasonably diverse making it adequate in that respect. It also seems to be decently clean and tidy. In general, I would say this station is pretty good and serves its purposes well as a gateway to a very nice city. read more

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What's more reliable than a German train schedule? A Swiss one, of course. Cornavin isn't imposing by European standards, but it is one of the cleanest stations I've seen. Though departure boards aren't as helpful as they could be, the folks at the help desk and Starbucks are. Be aware when buying tickets at self serve kiosks: some are for local and regional journeys (e.g. airport, Lussane) and others inter-city and international (to Zurich, to France). If your intended destination doesn't pull up on the station search interface, go try another kiosk. read more

When I moved here in 2010, I was shocked that for a large, multinational, fast growing city like Geneva, the train station was so outdated, dilapidated, and dirty. There were food places, small grocery stores, and a separate shopping center underneath the Gare, but not much variety or options provided even then. However, things are changing. Hope is around the corner. In 2011, they started to renovate, and are still in the process of completing. The new section that has opened is beautiful. It is what I had expected originally. With the renovation have come different snack places and stores. Definitely a much better variety now. You don't want to just get out of the station now, it's a place you could linger and are tempted to try something. The ticket off is a bit crazy though. They have been trying different queuing systems in order to make it less chaotic. They closed off the middle doors, and you can only enter the ticket area from the farthest doors. When you enter you tell someone your issue, and you either go to the line to buy a ticket for today, or for issues you get a number. There has never been a time in my visits when the stations were all open. Less than half of them are typically open, even when you have a large line of people. If you have an issue, be prepared to wait for awhile. There is a reason they have so many chairs available to sit in. Which can never be a good sign. Where there is a chair, they expect you to wait. You then wait forever for your number to come up on the board and then go to that person with your question. Typically the service is very friendly, once you get a chance to speak with someone. read more

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I lived just minutes away from Gare Cornavin when I worked in Geneva for a summer, and it was such a convenience! I loved that all the trams and buses were so close to the station, and that I could get on the train within minutes. The station itself was being renovated when I was living there summer of 2011, so they were opening up all these shiny new terminals and a new ticketing office. There was one small food stand that sold 1 CHF croissants, which I thought was a steal compared to everything else in ... well, Geneva. The flower shop in this station is also quite nice with friendly and helpful staff. You can also buy an Orange mobile SIM card - the store is out the back and you may have to navigate the construction if that is still going on. read more

The Cornavin is busy, chaotic, run-down, and needs a good cleaning. You will definitely see some shady characters here. Keep your bags and belongings in sight! I was at this station after having traveled around Switzerland - the rest of the stations are clean, picture-perfect, so the Cornavin was a disappointment. I was, however, impressed by the friendly and helpful people working at the TPG office - getting a pass is super-convenient - they take your photo, and you are ready to go. Also, if you lose the pass, it is only a 5 Franc penalty. There is a large Migros here - reasonably priced for Switzerland. I thought it was a riot that you pass by an Erotica shop to get to the grocery store. I had a security guard help me to my bus - such a gentleman, he could tell I was taken aback by a shady guy, and he got me directions and made sure I was safely on my way. Not at all easy to find an ATM machine here - a kind woman walked me to the UBS bank branch and then helped me find a taxi. You can use your US credit card at Migros and at the TPG and SBB offices. read more

being refurbished and renovated, Cornavin is already improving and will certainly go up the rankings in the near future. restaurants and shopping, as well as services have already improved considerably, while there remain some challenging signage due to construction. excellent connections not just within Switzerland, but also to Milano, Venice, Barcelona, Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Paris and Biarritz. read more