Location guide

Geneva, Switzerland

Money: CHF (Swiss Franc). Card widely accepted. Tipping not expected but rounding up is appreciated.
Language: French. English widely spoken in hotels and watch venues.
Power: Type J (three-pin, recessed). UK plugs need an adaptor — pick one up at the airport.
Time: CET (UTC+1). One hour ahead of the UK.
Phone: Switzerland isn't in the EU, so many UK plans that include Europe don't cover it. Check with your provider before you go, or buy a travel eSIM.

Getting around

From the airport

The train from Geneva Airport to Cornavin takes under ten minutes and runs several times an hour. Collect a free ticket from the machine in the baggage hall before you clear customs — it covers the journey into town and the machine is easy to walk straight past.

If you are arriving late, the trains run until around midnight. After that, the taxi rank is directly outside arrivals; allow about twenty minutes to the hotel.

Trams and buses

They cover everywhere we are going. Your hotel will give you a Geneva Transport Card at check-in that covers public transport for the length of your stay; ask for it if it is not offered.

Taxis

Plentiful but expensive, and not always quick to flag down. Worth it late at night, less so otherwise.

What to pack

Layers

November in Geneva is cold and often damp rather than dramatic — single figures most days. The lake makes it feel colder than the number suggests, and we will be in and out of buildings all day.

Shoes you can stand in

Several of the visits involve gravel drives, stone courtyards and workshop floors. Comfortable and smart, not new and stiff.

A loupe, if you have one

Most venues will hand you theirs, but having your own means you are never waiting for it.

Good to know

Timekeeping

Our hosts are watchmakers. Arrive on the hour, not around it.