What means of transport are available to cross-border workers between France and Switzerland?

The car: the majority choice, but increasingly questioned

Unparalleled flexibility…

According to the Observatoire des frontaliers 2022, 82% of cross-border workers still use their private car. The reason? It offers great freedom: departures at any time, access to areas poorly served by public transport, the ability to transport equipment or juggle atypical schedules.

…but with ever-increasing drawbacks

Yet the car has many limitations:

• Daily traffic jams at customs posts, especially in Geneva.

   

• High costs: fuel, maintenance, parking, insurance, Swiss vignette.

   

• Stress and fatigue associated with driving on sometimes long journeys (over 30 km for 52% of cross-border commuters).

   

• High carbon footprint, a worrying factor at a time of energy transition.

Bus and streetcar: ambitious projects in the Geneva region

Cross-border buses

Several bus lines link French towns and Swiss cities, particularly in the area near Geneva and Basel. Recent projects include

• Bonne – Annemasse: exclusive bus lane (since 2024), connected to the Léman Express.
• Thonon – Geneva: 23 trips a day from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in one hour.
• Gex – Ferney – Genève Cornavin: with bus line no. 60, you can get to Geneva from Gex between 6.03 a.m. and 8.45 p.m. in less than an hour.

NEW : in 2025, the Ecla residence is introducing a shuttle bus to link Archamps to Geneva!

Cross-border streetcars

Streetcars are booming in the Geneva region. Of note:

• Annemasse – Geneva: 4 stations on the French side, 25-minute journey.
• Saint-Julien – Geneva: scheduled to open mid-2024.
• Ferney – Genève Aéroport: scheduled to open in 2025.
• In Basel, a streetcar also links the Swiss city to Saint-Louis in France.

These projects promote fluid, fast, low-carbon mobility, with well thought-out connections to other modes of transport.

The boat: the solution for lake crossings between France and Switzerland

Lake crossings are a fast, comfortable and environmentally-friendly way for cross-border commuters living on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Regular services offered by CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation):

• Evian – Lausanne: 13 round trips a day, from 5.40 a.m. to 10.35 p.m.
• Thonon – Lausanne: same times
• Yvoire – Nyon: up to 22 round trips in summer

CGN monthly season tickets range from CHF 234 to 289. In the event of storms, passengers are offered an alternative solution.

How do you choose your mode of transport as a cross-border commuter?

Depending on where you work in Switzerland:

• Geneva: train or streetcar recommended, very dense public transport network.
• Vaud (Lausanne, Nyon): train preferred (from Thonon, Divonne).
• Basel, Jura, Neuchâtel: car or carpooling often essential.

Depending on where you live in France:

• Haute-Savoie (Annemasse, Thonon, St-Julien): train, bus and bike.
• Pays de Gex, Bellegarde: Léman Express with park-and-ride facilities.
• Doubs, Jura, Alsace: car or regional TER to Basel or Lausanne.

Depending on your professional profile:

• Sedentary position with fixed working hours: train or public transport preferred.
• Shift or variable working hours: car or carpooling.
• Mobile jobs (technicians, sales staff): car required.

Towards more sustainable mobility: what future for cross-border transport?

Local authorities and Swiss cantons are investing in collective, sustainable mobility:

• Development of public transport
• Subsidies and financial incentives
• Company mobility plans
• Integration of public and private services (e.g. Transports Idoux for freight)
• Ultimately, a reduction in dependence on the car seems inevitable, in favor of more economical, practical and ecological solutions.

Conclusion

Travelling to Switzerland to work from France today offers a wide range of transport options, adapted to different profiles and territories. While the car is still the dominant choice, it is losing its appeal in the face of the growing popularity of public transport, car-sharing and soft mobility in border areas.

By planning ahead and intelligently combining several modes of transport (train + bike, car + park-and-ride, etc.), every cross-border commuter can find a comfortable, economical and sustainable solution for his or her daily journeys.