jenninwv

I will be traveling from Sarlat to Geneva in November and was wondering if anyone has advice on the best way to go. I will have a rental car and could either drive to Geneva and return it there, or return it in Sarlat then take the train. However, the schedules that I've been able to find seem to indicate a 10-12 hour train ride whereas the driving time is 6-7 hours. Also, I'm traveling with 2 kids so there would be 3 train tickets to purchase. Another negative about the train is arriving in Geneva late in the evening. From Geneva, we plan to take a train to Zermatt so I'd rather not arrive late at night and have to deal with transferring to a hotel then going back to the station the next day (unless anyone can recommend safe inexpensive lodgings close to the station). If we drive, can anyone recommend places to stop over between Sarlat and Geneva that would be easy and kid friendly? Otherwise, I could just leave Sarlat in the morning and drive straight through. Suggestions??

Michael

Drive through the Auvergne on the autoroute, going via St. Etienne and Lyon, assuming that there is no snowstorm. Otherwise it is a much longer drive going around the Massif Central.

This site will give you time and cost:

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/

StCirq

Picking up a car in France and dropping it in Switzerland will cost you a boodle of money. And please don't take the train from Sarlat (if that's what you meant specifically). Use the www.sncf.com site to figure out the best connections - I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing starting in Brive or Toulouse would work best.

If you must drive, follow Michael's advice.

Carlux

It does seem like driving would be the best approach, but as St Cirq says, you would have to leave the car in France and then get to Geneva. That might still be the best option. Check for places you can drop off the car where you could get a train (For instance, from Annemasse, it's only a little more than an hour to Geneva.)

If taking the train, check the schedules from Brive la Gaillarde. (on http://www.voyages-sncf.com/) I was going to say don't choose Toulouse, which is 2 hours south of Sarlat, (that is, in the opposite direction to Geneva) but in fact there is a train that goes from Toulouse to Geneve by Lyon which takes only 7 hours, but leaves shortly after 7, which means an early start from Sarlat.

There are NO trains that leave from Sarlat. You would have to take a coach from Sarlat to Souillac, and then get the train north (or south) But unless you have a car from Eurocar, the only agency in Sarlat, you would have to leave it at a larger city anyway.

So, a number of complications, but doable in various ways.

ardithl

The Geneva airport has a French side. You could make your reservation to return the car there and avoid the out-of-country drop fee.

If you drive on Swiss autoroutes, you need to buy a windshield sticker, so, be sure to print directions to the car rental return that avoid those roads. (It is possible your car will already have the sticker; the car we picked up in Montpellier did.)

jenninwv

Thank you all. If I drive, I was planning to return the car at the airport in Geneva which allows me to avoid the expensive drop fees. It sounds like that will be my best option though I will also check the schedules and prices from Brive la Gaillarde, as Carlux suggested.

Michael

A search on sncf.com indicates that the fastest itinerary is via Paris.

ardithl

I also recommend looking into flying to Geneva from Bordeaux or Toulouse. EasyJet has cheap flights, but be sure to check the baggage fees also.

It's a long day by train or car.

La_Tour_de_Cause

I think driving is your best, least complicated and least expensive option, especially since you are allowed to drop you car in Geneva without extra fees. Do be sure to check about the vignette stickers if you actually drive in Switzerland. But with 3X train tickets and 3X airplane fares, plus the timing and connections and inconvenience factors, I would choose driving. I'm sure the autoroute fares and fuel costs will add up, but my vote is still with the car.