Geneva Motorshow 2016
Discussion
Planning on (finally) going this year. Intend to fly over first thing and come home in the evening. I assume the show is just a short walk from the main airport terminal? Anyone got tips for doing this to save time / enjoy more? Which day is likely to be busier, Saturday 5th or Sunday 6th?
Use to go to the UK shows on press day, but have no connection to the motor industry anymore. If any one else has the means to get me and buddy in on press day, let me know
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Use to go to the UK shows on press day, but have no connection to the motor industry anymore. If any one else has the means to get me and buddy in on press day, let me know
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Edited by mdianuk on Monday 22 February 12:48
Some friends and I did exactly what you are planning for the first time last year. It's a great day out. Early flight from Luton returned back to Luton by 8pm.
We're heading out again on Sunday 6th this year (but from Manchester - Monarch out, Jet 2 return). Turn left out of the Geneva terminal and the show is less than 5 mins walk away. £11 entry fee not bad either. We ate from the fast food stands outside. I think a burger was about £8 and a Coke about £4. (Although I did manage to blag us nibbles on the McLaren stand) Don't forget it's not Euro's in Geneva!
As our flight arrived by 9am we were at the show as it opened. Was quiet this early, but by lunchtime it was very busy. Several people told us on the stands that the weekends were much busier than midweek. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.
We're heading out again on Sunday 6th this year (but from Manchester - Monarch out, Jet 2 return). Turn left out of the Geneva terminal and the show is less than 5 mins walk away. £11 entry fee not bad either. We ate from the fast food stands outside. I think a burger was about £8 and a Coke about £4. (Although I did manage to blag us nibbles on the McLaren stand) Don't forget it's not Euro's in Geneva!
As our flight arrived by 9am we were at the show as it opened. Was quiet this early, but by lunchtime it was very busy. Several people told us on the stands that the weekends were much busier than midweek. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.
Went last year on the Thursday I think, early flight and flew back early evening, It's right next to the Airport so easy access. It's is manically busy everywhere and difficult to get to see stuff. Access to many interesting stands is restricted i.e. Ferrari, Maserati, Mclaren, Lamborghini etc, I had access to some and even they were rammed
have been the last 2 years and going again this year. We always go on a Friday as I was told that a weekday is worth the day off work to avoid the weekend crowds. Our flight gets in just before nine so a leisurely 5 minute walk to the show followed by breakfast in the entrance means we can do the majority or the show before it starts to get busy around 11/12. The show is really busy from 12-2 and starts to quiet down again. If you have a late flight home I would recommend heading into town for lunch to avoid the crowds before heading back to show making sure you get a stamp to get back in. We are on the 6.30am from Luton on Friday 4th and flying back on the 4.05pm the same day.
Easy enough to get onto a lot of stands if you just ask politely; Porsche, Aston, McLaren, Pagani, Bugatti are always happy to do so, usually just ask that you wait around for 10 minutes or so for a couple of people to leave the stand. Lamborghini were happy to let me on the first year we went but the second year not so much.
Take your car keys and it usually makes them more accommodating such as Porsche have an area hidden away with drinks and another car usually and the same goes for Lamborghini.
Easy enough to get onto a lot of stands if you just ask politely; Porsche, Aston, McLaren, Pagani, Bugatti are always happy to do so, usually just ask that you wait around for 10 minutes or so for a couple of people to leave the stand. Lamborghini were happy to let me on the first year we went but the second year not so much.
Take your car keys and it usually makes them more accommodating such as Porsche have an area hidden away with drinks and another car usually and the same goes for Lamborghini.
Everythings overpriced in Geneva lol - just check how much a hotel costs. Yes you can fly in, walk to Palexpo from the airport (about 5 minutes walk), finish up, walk back to the airport and fly back home within a day easily if you're just there to peruse. I'l be there on Tuesday/Wedesday on press days.
Pretty much as others have said - weekends are really busy. The first public Friday is also a busy day. We're choosing to go on Friday 11th this year. The Palexpo is next door to the airport exit and well signed. We always buy entry tickets online from the show website beforehand. Places do accept euros when you are there - OK is not a fantastic exchange rate, but it saves having CHF if you don't need them otherwise. The show is always a good one, so enjoy it if you choose to go this year!
You should allow most of the day to see the show - well worth it. I'm just finishing off here in the UK prior to getting into my car to drive to Geneva. Well, to the french/Swiss border, actually , as it's much cheaper to get a hotel room & food in France than Switzerland. I'll be at the show this Thursday March 3rd.
If you want to get onto the high-end stands and don't have any "trade" ID then it helps if you are dressed relatively respectably. Battered trainers and torn jeans don't cut it. Other than that asking politely and being a bit patient on the busiest stands will work out. The in-show food is expensive but I compensate with a decent breakfast & then the promise of a nice dinner later when back in France. The Swiss charge about GBP25 for their motorway carnet for your car windscreen so unless you are going further into Switzerland than GVA it's not worth it. Park in France and catch the airport bus across the border. The EXPO show site is next door to the passenger terminal.
Hope you enjoy it; it's the best of the European shows, in my view.
If you want to get onto the high-end stands and don't have any "trade" ID then it helps if you are dressed relatively respectably. Battered trainers and torn jeans don't cut it. Other than that asking politely and being a bit patient on the busiest stands will work out. The in-show food is expensive but I compensate with a decent breakfast & then the promise of a nice dinner later when back in France. The Swiss charge about GBP25 for their motorway carnet for your car windscreen so unless you are going further into Switzerland than GVA it's not worth it. Park in France and catch the airport bus across the border. The EXPO show site is next door to the passenger terminal.
Hope you enjoy it; it's the best of the European shows, in my view.
You're welcome. Incidentally for cheapskates like me who are doing the stay in France - commute thru the border trick he bus from Ferney Voltaire over to Geneva Airport & the Palexpo halls is the Y service and it's a fare of 2 euros each way.
Helful hint: Watch for the location of the bus stop for the Y services on the way back into France at end of day. It's not the same place where you got off when doing the France-Swiss journey in the morning. The return Y service bus stop is on the slope at the end of Palexpo Halle 7, near to the IATA building. I'd forgotten this until I had to hunt for it earlier this evening...
Good show, as usual. I'm not planning to match Dan's Geneva-Rotterdam driving marathon en route home but I'll be headed back through France tomorrow & Saturday. Getting here via the last 30 miles of N5 road winding through the Jura mountains last night in sub-zero temps and snow was a bit sporting in an XK Coupe on standard tyres.
Helful hint: Watch for the location of the bus stop for the Y services on the way back into France at end of day. It's not the same place where you got off when doing the France-Swiss journey in the morning. The return Y service bus stop is on the slope at the end of Palexpo Halle 7, near to the IATA building. I'd forgotten this until I had to hunt for it earlier this evening...
Good show, as usual. I'm not planning to match Dan's Geneva-Rotterdam driving marathon en route home but I'll be headed back through France tomorrow & Saturday. Getting here via the last 30 miles of N5 road winding through the Jura mountains last night in sub-zero temps and snow was a bit sporting in an XK Coupe on standard tyres.
We were at the show on Fri, here's a link to my pictures.
Link: www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=520720
Link: www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=520720
Great show - for me Porsche was the highlight though that's a very personal view, just the most pleasant and friendliest place and a wonderfully high standard of cars on show - 911R, new 718's, Turbo S, Cayman GT4 and the rest - not as flashy as Lamborghini next door, but you can feel the quality and get up close. New Aston DB11 looks very promising; Bentley Mulsanne is a lovely car (much more so than the 'Chinese Gangster' Rolls Royce models on display) but the new radiator grille is somehow more Audi than Bentley; BMW M2, a must have; Alpina produce some stunning cars which look superb in the trademark light metallic blue; McLaren had a big impressive stand - I think that they are increasingly more impressive than Ferrari but they are going to have to do more to establish the brand among the public - but I still can't get my head around why you would want to pay more for a 570GT which is a slower car than the 570S without ceramic brakes; I thought that the JLR stand was a bit lacklustre, the F-Type SVR was certainly eyecatching, but the rest of it was like a forecourt and the hospitality suites, not that I would have been invited in, I only own three Jags - looked like a non-event.
I thought that the outstanding concept car was the Mazda RX Concept. If that comes out it will be a winner. On the Mazda front, they had a couple of MX-5 Recaro Editions. That is about the most comfortable small sports car I have sat in. The Alfa 4C could learn a few lessons. The Ford GT looked great, but the Mustang looked less good on the display than it had on the street when I drove one.
I will post some pics if I can master the technology.
Get your selfie taken with the nice girl from Firestone and you get free sunglasses!
I thought that the outstanding concept car was the Mazda RX Concept. If that comes out it will be a winner. On the Mazda front, they had a couple of MX-5 Recaro Editions. That is about the most comfortable small sports car I have sat in. The Alfa 4C could learn a few lessons. The Ford GT looked great, but the Mustang looked less good on the display than it had on the street when I drove one.
I will post some pics if I can master the technology.
Get your selfie taken with the nice girl from Firestone and you get free sunglasses!
Edited by cardigankid on Tuesday 8th March 15:54
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