Car Rental Geneva

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Geneva is a very cosmopolitan city located in western Switzerland; home to 178,000 residents. One-third of the city is made up of Genevois, one-third Swiss, and one-third non-Swiss (predominantly European). The average January temperature is about 2.6°C (36°F), and the average July temperature is about 23°C (74°F).

Places to visit include the Old Quarter, St. Pierre Cathedral, the headquarters for various international organizations and Le Jet d'Eau (the tallest fountain in Europe). The city is scattered with fountains, sculptures and frescoes (the government sets aside 2% of its construction budget to decorate the city). The city also has many parks, including Jardin Anglais, with a large clock made of flowers, and the Parc de la Grange, with many roses. For the shoppers there is a Swiss selection of jewelry, watches and designer goods.

Currency
The currency used in Geneva is the Swiss franc, which is divided into 100 centimes. Bank notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 francs. The coins come in 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimes and 1, 2 and 5 francs. Credit cards, such as Mastercard , Visa, Eurocard, American Express and Diners, are accepted by most hotels, restaurants and shops. ATM: Automatic Teller Machines are found mainly in banks, Cornavin railway station, the airport and some shopping centres.

Language
The tiny country of Switerland is divided into four linguistic areas: German, French, Italian, and Rumantsch speaking, representing namely 64, 19, 8 and 1% of all speakers respectively. Because of Geneva's proximity with France, French is main language, although a lot of people do speak English in Switzerland.

Driving in Geneva
Most of the roads in Geneva are good and rarely congested. There does tend to be extra low speed limits on narrow sections of roads, such as in the Old Town. Green 'A' road signs indicate international highways; blue indicates major international routes; and white indicates smaller routes. Chains and/or snow tyres may be required in winter, and after a heavy snowfall some routes may be closed. For road conditions call Tel: 163. Cars drive on the right. A national driving licence is sufficient documentation but Green Card insurance is recommended.The minimum driving age is 18 years. The wearing of seat belts both in the front and back seats of vehicles is mandatory.

Driving times to Geneva:
From Lausanne - 45 minutes
Berne - 1 hour 45 minutes
Zurich - 3 hours

Speed Limits

Legal Limit
The maximum legal alcohol blood limit for driving is 0.08.

Parking in Geneva
White markings signify unlimited parking. Blue indicates 90 minute parking. Red indicated 15 minute parking. Parking discs are mandatory and can be obtained from police stations. The main parking areas are situated at Rue du Mont-Blanc, Place de Cornavin and Rue Henri Dunant.

Tipping in Geneva
Tipping is usually not necessary since hotels, restaurants and taxis automatically add a service charge and government tax on bills. However, many people do leave a tip, especially in cafés, when they are pleased with the service or if they find the waiter/waitress attractive.

Visitor Centers
Geneva Tourism Information
Arrivals Hall of Geneva airport
Tel: (+41 22) 717 80 83

Cornavin railway station
Tel: (+41 22) 909 70 50

Rue du Mont-Blanc 3
Tel: (+41 22) 909 70 00

Pont de la Machine 1
Tel: (+41 22) 311 98 27

Helpful Contact Numbers
Here are some telephone numbers you may find useful during your trip in Geneva.

• Police: 117 (you have to insert 60 cts, which will be refunded)
• Fire brigade: 118 (you have to insert 60 cts, which will be refunded)
• Ambulance: 144 (you have to insert 60 cts, which will be refunded)
• To find a telephone number in Switzerland: 111 (10 cts per 4 seconds)
• Talking Clock: 161 (50cts)
• Weather forecast: 162 (50cts)
• Emergency breakdown service: Touring Club Suisse (TCS) Tel: 140