Visa and travel information
Visa and passport requirements can change at any time. We highly recommend that participants check the latest requirements before travelling.
EU citizens and EFTA Member States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland)
You must have a valid passport or national identity card to enter Switzerland. You do not require a visa.
All other countries
You must have a valid passport and may require a visa. Check your passport and visa requirements using this online tool:
Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1)* (admin.ch)
If you require an invitation letter to obtain your visa, you will need to request it during the registration process. You will be asked to provide your nationality and passport number. As soon as your registration is approved and fully paid, you will receive your invitation letter by email.
Further information about travelling to Switzerland and entry requirements is available on the following websites:
Information on travel, including traffic information (ch.ch)
Information regarding entry into Switzerland and residence (admin.ch)
Getting to Geneva
By air: A large number of airlines fly into Geneva Airport or Switzerland’s other main cities, Zurich, Basel and Bern (all of which are less than one hour of flight time from Geneva, with multiple daily flights available). Public transportation from Geneva Airport into the city of Geneva takes less than 10 minutes.
Swiss International Air Lines, known as SWISS, is the national carrier of Switzerland. It serves more than 100 worldwide destinations in over 40 countries. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and a member of Star Alliance, the largest network of airlines in the world.
By car: For travellers arriving by road, Switzerland is linked to Europe's extensive motorway network. You need a pass to travel on Swiss motorways; this can be easily bought at any Swiss border or online before departure.
By train: The train network in Switzerland is well connected to most European countries. For example, travelling from Frankfurt, Milan or Paris to Geneva is possible in seven hours or less with the added advantage of being more sustainable than flying. Visit MySwitzerland for more information.
Local transportation
icon Public transportation
The large Geneva public transportation network is named UNIRESO. It is composed of buses, trams, trains and mouettes (transport boats) and allows for easy travel throughout the city.
Geneva Transport Card
Participants staying in an UNIRESO-approved hotel will be given a Geneva Transport Card. This card entitles you to free and unlimited public transportation for the duration of your stay. Find out more about this card here.
icon Taxi
For sustainability reasons, IUCN encourages participants to use public transportation. However, if required, taxis are readily available in Geneva. Taxis can be ordered by phone, stopped on the street or picked up in some 60 parking areas in the city centre, at the airport and at train stations.