Geneva 2013, fly or drive? What would you do?

[farrendahl]

Okay here is the quandry.

I've decided that next year come hell or high water I WILL be doing the Geneva motorshow next year, but how to get there? The obvious thought is to fly, simple nice easy flight out of Liverpool to Geneva, no muss no fuss, but and here is the thing it will be flying Easyjet and lets be honest here, they tend to be less than wonderful shall we say. So the other option, a 14 hour road trip from Cheshire to Geneva, think of it as my own personal Top Gear challenge (it'll be done in a MG ZT-T so the comparison isn't a daft one). My brain is saying take the flight option, it will be cheaper and less stressful, but my heart is saying, to hell with it drive, take the path less travelled and have a bit of adventure along the way.

So folks, what would you do?

[JasonJH]

Drive, Drive, Drive for me

Do you have a route in mind if you do choose to drive.?

[Whitean3]

I would fly, unless you know a secret about affordable parking in Geneva...

[farrendahl]

JasonJH said:

Drive, Drive, Drive for me

Do you have a route in mind if you do choose to drive.?

The obvious one springs to mind so Manchester down to Canterbury for overnight stay with my mother, then quick blip to dover, Chunnel through to france then from there through Reims and Dijon with eventual aim to end up actually in Lausanne (accomodation is marginally cheaper) rather than Geneva.

The other option may also be to stay in Lyon and then to drive over the border in to Geneva for the actual show itself.

I know it's quite possible to say fly in to Geneva first thing in the mornign, do the show and then fly back same day but would prefer to actually make a bit of a trip of it and stay out there for a few days.

[S10 GTA]

Fly. It's a no brainer. Hire a car when you are there if you really feel the need to do some driving.

[Chris71]

Unless you have a rare opportunity to drive something very interesting I'd agree with the above: flying is a no brainer.

The exhibition hall is in the same complex as the airport and it's one of the easiest places on the continent to day trip from the UK.

[farrendahl]

Chris71 said:

Unless you have a rare opportunity to drive something very interesting I'd agree with the above: flying is a no brainer.

The exhibition hall is in the same complex as the airport and it's one of the easiest places on the continent to day trip from the UK.

Oh I know, I guess it's just my insane head coming into play as it's been something I've been promising myself that I would do for the last 16 years so I want to make it memorable if you get what I mean, daft I know

Edited by farrendahl on Thursday 7th June 10:27

[louiebaby]

The show is normally in March isn't it?

You might want to save your holiday time for a trip when the weather might be better. You could get lucky, you might not.

I'd fly if I were you, and do a big trip in the summer months...

[Ranger 6]

Chris71 said:

Unless you have a rare opportunity to drive something very interesting I'd agree with the above: flying is a no brainer.

The exhibition hall is in the same complex as the airport and it's one of the easiest places on the continent to day trip from the UK.

This is good advice

We drive past Geneva to go skiing and the roads can be awful if it's French holiday time.

[farrendahl]

Of course in an ideal world PH would supply me with some tasty to drive out in and publish my article on the motor show from a Joe Bloggs, average bloke on the street perspective lol

[Roop]

Why the EasyJet flak...? They are cheap and efficient. It's 1h40 minutes on one of their '319s out of LPL and will cost you under a hundred quid for the round trip if you book in advance. It is, as they say, an absolute no-brainer. Spend the several hundred notes you will save on a hotel. Sod driving - it's no fun here until summer anyway...

[farrendahl]

Roop said:

Why the EasyJet flak...? They are cheap and efficient. It's 1h40 minutes on one of their '319s out of LPL and will cost you under a hundred quid for the round trip if you book in advance. It is, as they say, an absolute no-brainer. Spend the several hundred notes you will save on a hotel. Sod driving - it's no fun here until summer anyway...

The Easyjet flak is more coming from my own previous experiences with them on the 4 occasions I've flown with them. Don't get me wrong I know it's a budget airline, I'm not expecting anything but efficient clean transport from A to B with crew that are polite. On each time I've flow with them they have always managed to fall far below those expectations, which lets face it, aren't exactly high to begin with.

[K50 DEL]

For me it would be a no brainer, I'd be driving, a flight wouldn't even enter into it.

I love road trips and I love driving in general, Geneva's a reasonable distance away, though it would still be over too quickly for me.

Flying's for long haul and speed, if you have the time available to you then just drive!

[McHaggis]

At that time of year, fly.

Less daylight, damp roads (lower speed limits). The moment you drive on a Swiss motorway (though you could get to the expo without going on one) you will need a vignette (£££).

Fly, expo, train in to Geneva, plenty of other stuff to do.

Manotels are nice, good few to choose from.

[S10 GTA]

K50 DEL said:

For me it would be a no brainer, I'd be driving, a flight wouldn't even enter into it.

I love road trips and I love driving in general, Geneva's a reasonable distance away, though it would still be over too quickly for me.

Flying's for long haul and speed, if you have the time available to you then just drive!

It would cost a bomb tho. Fuel just to get to Dover would be more than a return flight. Let alone the cost of the tolls, more fuel, crossing etc.

[Dr Interceptor]

Fly.

Get dropped of by SWMBO at the airport, enjoy a beer or two in the airport lounge. Get on the plane, if you've booked BA, you might even get a complimentary beer. Arrange for your Geneva hotel to collect you from the airport. Check in at your hotel, then make your way downstairs to sample what your hotel bar has to offer. Ask the barman to book you a cab to the expo, and off you go. Once there, aim for the expensive stands, particularly those offering free bubbly (your best suit and a nice watch will work well here). Cab back to the hotel, beer, shower, beer, and off to a restaurant where you can enjoy a lovely bottle of vino with your cuisine.

[McHaggis]

Dr Interceptor said:

Fly.

Get dropped of by SWMBO at the airport, enjoy a beer or two in the airport lounge. Get on the plane, if you've booked BA, you might even get a complimentary beer. Arrange for your Geneva hotel to collect you from the airport. Check in at your hotel, then make your way downstairs to sample what your hotel bar has to offer. Ask the barman to book you a cab to the expo, and off you go. Once there, aim for the expensive stands, particularly those offering free bubbly (your best suit and a nice watch will work well here). Cab back to the hotel, beer, shower, beer, and off to a restaurant where you can enjoy a lovely bottle of vino with your cuisine.

Get home, join Alcoholics Anonymous...


And quick, cheap lunch here:
http://www.qype.co.uk/place/105239-Chez-Ma-Cousine...

Or less cheap but 4 types of Steak Tartare:
http://www.cafedubourgdefour.ch/

[farrendahl]

The other half has offered an alternative plan, one that satisfies my power mad, control freak tendencies but still offers the cheapness of flying.

Fly into Basel, stay in Basel for night one, drive to Geneva for motor show, stay in Geneva for one night, drive back to Basel stay one final night in Basel then return flight back home to Manchester. This may actually be the best compromise for me and would help to make it more than just a day trip (although an impressive one).

[Whitean3]

farrendahl said:

The other half has offered an alternative plan, one that satisfies my power mad, control freak tendencies but still offers the cheapness of flying.

Fly into Basel, stay in Basel for night one, drive to Geneva for motor show, stay in Geneva for one night, drive back to Basel stay one final night in Basel then return flight back home to Manchester. This may actually be the best compromise for me and would help to make it more than just a day trip (although an impressive one).

This would still be a very expensive trip! Trust me, the drive from Basel to Geneva is a very dull one down the motorway- kind of pointless if you ask me. The whole point of driving in Switzerland is to do all the lovely mountain passes- which would be closed in March. I live in Basel, and I'd be taking the train to Geneva- just as quick as driving, and more convenient.

[BoostMonkey]

McHaggis said:

Or less cheap but 4 types of Steak Tartare:
http://www.cafedubourgdefour.ch/

Go here the food is amazing, and around the corner is a bar/pub which serves meter's of ale with a tap at the bottom(not cheap though).

Also fly