Geneva Transport Card — Free Public Transport Explained (2026)

If you sleep in Geneva, you ride for free. Every overnight guest in a Geneva hotel, hostel, or registered short-term rental gets a free, unlimited public-transport pass covering all TPG trams and buses, the yellow Mouettes water taxis, the airport train, and the SBB suburban trains, for the whole length of the stay. The Geneva hotel tax funds it, so there is no separate cost, no per-trip charge, and no booking-portal upsell.

This is the full 2026 guide to the Geneva Transport Card: what it covers, what it does not, how the digital version now reaches you through the EasyCheckin email three days before arrival, how to use it without scanning anything, the edge cases (Airbnb, day-trippers, business trips), the money it saves versus paying per ride, and the small print on the cross-border tram line 17 to France. If you have stayed before, it is still worth a read before you travel. Pair it with the Geneva public transport guide and the airport to city center guide.

01 — Geneva Transport Card at a Glance.

• Cost: free for overnight guests in Geneva accommodation. It cannot be bought separately.
• Duration: the entire length of your stay, and the link arrives before you do, so it already works for the airport journey.
• Coverage: all TPG (trams, buses, trolleybuses), the Mouettes Genevoises (yellow water taxis), and SBB suburban trains within Zone 10, including the airport train.
• Format: digital (smartphone), personal and non-transferable.
• Funded by: the Geneva canton overnight visitor tax (CHF 4.25 per person per night in every hotel category, CHF 2.50 at campsites, already in your room rate).
• Replaces: the old 80-minute baggage-claim Unireso ticket, withdrawn 1 January 2022.

02 — Who Is Eligible.

Eligibility is broad and covers every paying overnight guest in:

• Hotels in canton Geneva, every star rating from budget guesthouses to 5-star palaces.
• Hostels registered with Geneva Tourism (Geneva Hostel, City Hostel Geneva, Hostel Geneva).
• Campsites in the canton (Camping Pointe a la Bise, Camping Vesenaz).
• Registered short-term rentals, most Airbnbs in Geneva canton with a valid touristic letting registration. The host has to be the one issuing the card, so ask before booking if you are unsure.
• Bed and breakfasts registered with the canton.
• Serviced apartments registered with Geneva Tourism.

The card is issued per person, including children. Each guest on your booking gets their own. Children under 6 already travel free on Swiss public transport, but the card simplifies inspection.

Who is not eligible:

• Day-trippers with no overnight stay in Geneva.
• Visitors staying unpaid with friends or family (no booking through registered accommodation).
• Cross-border commuters (covered by their own arrangements).
• Guests at unregistered Airbnbs. Geneva has regulated whole-home rentals through platforms since April 2018, but a listing that is not registered with Geneva Tourism cannot issue the card. Ask your host.

03 — What’s Included (and What’s Not).

Included (free for cardholders)

• All TPG trams within Zone 10: lines 12, 14, 15, 17 (new cross-border, Swiss side only), and 18.
• All TPG buses and trolleybuses within Zone 10, night buses included.
• Mouettes Genevoises: all four lines (M1, M2, M3, M4) across Geneva harbour.
• SBB (CFF) trains within Zone 10, including the Geneva Airport to Cornavin service.
• Onward travel within Zone 10: Versoix, Bellevue, Vernier, Carouge, Chene-Bougeries, all included.

Not included

• Cross-zone travel: Leman Express trains to Coppet, Nyon, Annemasse, Saint-Gervais, Evian, or Bellegarde need a supplemental ticket.
• Long-distance SBB: Lausanne, Bern, Zurich, Basel are separate.
• CGN lake steamers: the white paddle-steamer fleet (Geneva to Lausanne, Evian, Montreux) is run by CGN and not included. The yellow Mouettes are; the CGN steamers are not.
• Long-distance buses: FlixBus, OuiBus, BlaBlaCar buses to other cities.
• The French stretch of Tram 17: the new line to Annemasse crosses into France. The Swiss section is covered; the French section needs a separate French-side ticket, bought at the border or via the TPG app.

Bonus discounts the card unlocks

The Transport Card can also unlock offers at some partner attractions. Show it at the entrance and ask before you pay at places such as:

• Bains des Paquis (lake baths): discounted entry to the hammam and sauna.
• Geneva chocolate factory tours (varies by operator). For the sweet stuff, see our Geneva chocolate guide.
• Selected museum exhibitions (ask at the ticket desk).
• Selected restaurant promotions through the EasyCheckin partner programme.

04 — How to Get Your Transport Card (2026 Process).

Cards are issued through the EasyCheckin email portal. Here is the current 2026 flow:

Step 1, book accommodation

Book any registered Geneva hotel, hostel, or short-term rental. Most platforms (Booking.com, Expedia, hotel direct sites, Airbnb with registered hosts) pass the booking through to the EasyCheckin system automatically.

Step 2, receive the EasyCheckin email (up to 3 days before arrival)

Three days before check-in, your accommodation triggers an EasyCheckin email to the address on the reservation. It contains a personalised link to register your Geneva Transport Card.

Step 3, fill in the online form

Click the link, confirm your name and your check-in and check-out dates, and on a multi-guest booking add the details of each travelling companion. Each guest gets their own card.

Step 4, save the digital card to your phone

The card arrives as a digital pass you can open in any browser. Keep it saved on your phone the way your accommodation’s email explains, so it is ready the moment an inspector asks.

Step 5, use it immediately

The card covers your whole stay, and because you receive it before arrival, you can use it on the airport train the moment you land, even before checking in.

If the email does not arrive: ask your accommodation to send the link again.

If you did not receive the email

Check spam. If it is still missing as your arrival nears, contact your accommodation directly: staff can find your booking and send the card to you manually. The system is well established, so this is rarely a problem.

05 — How to Use the Card.

This is one of the easiest passes to use anywhere. You do not scan, validate, beep, or insert anything.

At the tram stop, the bus stop, the Mouette pier, or the SBB platform, just board. There are no turnstiles, validators, or entry gates. Keep the card handy on your phone in case an inspector boards and asks.

What inspectors check:

• The name on the card matches a photo ID you can show (passport, driving licence).
• The dates on the card fall within your stay (arrival to departure).
• You are travelling in Zone 10, which your card covers.

That is it. Show the card, show ID, carry on. An adult caught without a valid card or ticket for the first time pays CHF 100 on the spot or CHF 125 if paid later, journey and processing fee included, but as long as your card is current, inspections are quick and friendly.

06 — How Much the Card Actually Saves You.

The Transport Card stands in for a CHF 3 ticket, valid for 60 minutes across trams, buses, trains and Mouettes, each time you set off on a new journey, multiplied by your trips and the length of your stay. The break-even is two trips a day, which most visitors clear easily.

Sample savings for a 3-day Geneva trip (2 adults, 1 child aged 8):

Trip	Paid per ride	With Transport Card
Airport to hotel (2 adults + 1 child, day 1)	CHF 7.50	FREE
Hotel to Old Town (lunch)	CHF 7.50	FREE
Old Town to Plainpalais market	CHF 7.50	FREE
Plainpalais to Carouge (afternoon)	CHF 7.50	FREE
Carouge to hotel (evening)	CHF 7.50	FREE
Hotel to UN (day 2)	CHF 7.50	FREE
UN to CERN	CHF 7.50	FREE
CERN to Eaux-Vives lakeside dinner	CHF 7.50	FREE
Eaux-Vives to hotel	CHF 7.50	FREE
Day 3, Mouette + 3 trips	CHF 30.00	FREE
Hotel to airport (departure)	CHF 7.50	FREE
3-day total	CHF 105	FREE

Even modest sightseeing of two or three places a day adds up fast. A solo business traveller on two nights with airport transfers and one meeting outside the hotel saves CHF 25-35. A family of four on a week-long trip can save CHF 250-400. The Geneva trip cost breakdown folds this into a full budget.

Compared with the alternatives:

• Standard CHF 3 tickets: valid for 60 minutes, changes included, with no daily cap.
• CHF 10 day pass per adult: worth it from four journeys a day, since three CHF 3 tickets cost CHF 9; the CHF 8 pass from 9am already beats three tickets.
• CHF 30 multi-day passes: cheaper than singles, but pointless once you have the Transport Card.

07 — Airbnbs, Short Stays & Edge Cases.

Staying in an Airbnb

An Airbnb host can only issue the Transport Card once registered with Geneva Tourism. If yours is registered, the host issues your card and the same EasyCheckin email arrives. Confirm before booking: message the host and ask, “Will I get a Geneva Transport Card for my stay?” If the answer is no, the place is not registered and you will buy your own tickets.

Single-night stays

Even one overnight (one night, two days) qualifies you. The card is valid from the morning you check in to the night you leave.

Day trip from Lausanne or Annecy

Not eligible, since there is no overnight in Geneva canton. Day-trippers buy a CHF 10 day pass or CHF 3 singles. For a sightseeing day, the CHF 8 pass gives unlimited Zone 10 travel from 9am until 5am the next morning; if you only need a journey or two, CHF 3 tickets cost less.

Business traveller in for a single day meeting

No overnight means no card. Stay even one night at a Geneva hotel and you qualify.

Staying at the Lausanne or Evian end of the Leman Express

You do not qualify for the Geneva card; check whether Vaud’s or France’s equivalent applies at your accommodation.

Staying with friends in Geneva

Not eligible, as there is no paid booking. Buy your own day pass.

08 — Transport Card vs City Pass vs Swiss Travel Pass.

Three Geneva-relevant passes confuse visitors regularly. Here is the difference:

Pass	Cost	Covers	Best for
Geneva Transport Card	Free (guests of registered accommodation)	Zone 10 public transport	Overnight guests, link sent before arrival
Geneva City Pass	CHF 35 / 50 / 65 with transport, CHF 30 / 40 / 50 without (24/48/72h)	Transport + museums + tours	Serious sightseers
Swiss Travel Pass	CHF 254-787	Swiss trains, buses, boats & city transport	Touring multiple Swiss cities

Geneva Transport Card is public transport only, free, Zone 10. Best for any overnight Geneva visitor. Geneva City Pass is a paid sightseeing pass (CHF 30 for 24 hours, CHF 40 for 48 and CHF 50 for 72 without transport, or CHF 35, 50 and 65 with it) that bundles discounts and free museum and lake-boat entries, plus public transport on the with-transport version; best if you will hit three or more attractions. Swiss Travel Pass is a national rail and transport pass (CHF 254 for 3 days second class up to CHF 787 for 15 days first class) covering participating trains, buses and boats, panoramic trains (some reservations and supplements extra), urban transport in more than 90 towns and cities, and selected mountain routes; set it against the fares you actually plan to pay, since a stay mostly in Geneva rarely justifies it. Our Swiss Travel Pass guide and the Geneva Pass vs Swiss Travel Pass comparison do the math.

09 — Troubleshooting If It’s Missing.

My card shows the wrong dates

Contact your accommodation and ask them to send the card again with the right dates. The usual cause is a check-in or check-out change that did not sync.

I check out at 06:00, does my card still work for the 06:30 airport train?

It is meant to: the card covers the length of your stay and the airport train is included. If your flight leaves very early, ask at check-in that the card runs through your departure day.

10 — FAQ: Geneva Transport Card.

Is the Geneva Transport Card really free?

Yes. It is funded by the Geneva canton overnight visitor tax (already in your room rate) and issued at no separate cost to every paying overnight guest.

How do I get the Geneva Transport Card?

You get a personalised EasyCheckin email from your accommodation up to 3 days before arrival with a link. Click it, fill in your details, and the digital card lands on your phone.

Does the Geneva Transport Card cover the airport train?

Yes. The SBB train between Geneva Airport and Cornavin is included. Get your card before you fly if you can, so you can use it on arrival.

Does the Geneva Transport Card include the lake steamers?

It includes the yellow Mouettes across Geneva harbour. It does not include the CGN lake steamers (the white paddle-steamers to Lausanne, Evian, and Montreux).

Can I get a Transport Card if I am staying at an Airbnb?

Yes, if the host is registered with Geneva Tourism, which is what lets them issue the card. Confirm with your host before booking.

Does the card cover travel to Annecy, Evian, Lausanne, or Chamonix?

No. It covers only Zone 10 within canton Geneva. Travel beyond needs a separate ticket.

11 — Official Sources & Further Reading.

• Geneva Tourism, Geneva Transport Card (official site)
• TPG, Transports Publics Genevois
• Unireso, Zone & Fare Information
• EasyCheckin FAQ (Geneva Tourism PDF)
• Geneve Aeroport, Public Transport

This card is not the same thing as the free 80-minute ticket that a machine in Geneva Airport’s baggage hall used to print, which was withdrawn at the end of 2021. Our guide to what happened to Geneva Airport’s free transport ticket explains the difference, and what to do if you don’t qualify for the card.

12 — Related Geneva Guides.

Keep planning with the getting to and around Geneva pillar, the Geneva public transport guide, the Geneva airport to city center guide, the Swiss Travel Pass for Geneva, and where to stay in Geneva. On a budget? See Geneva on a budget.

The Geneva Transport Card is the most under-publicised travel benefit in Switzerland. Sleep in Geneva and you ride free: every tram, bus, Mouette, and airport train, for as long as you stay. Watch for your EasyCheckin email three days before you fly, save the digital card to your phone, and stop thinking about tickets.