"thank you to our guide chris he was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable we had a great day seeing some sights unfortunately the ice cave seems to have melted away entirely, the tour guide was somewhat speechless about this, such a shame but the experience was still amazing even without this thank you"
Chamonix · Cable Car + Glacier Train · 10 Hours
Day Trips From Geneva
From Geneva to Chamonix and Mont Blanc in one ticket: the coach across the French border, the Aiguille du Midi cable car to 3,842 m, and the Montenvers mountain train to the Mer de Glace glacier.
From
US$247
per person (cable car and glacier train included; checked October 2026)
Free cancellation
Aiguille du Midi closed 2 Nov to 18 Dec 2026; the coach runs and an alternative is offered in its place.
- 4.7 / 5 1,152+ Reviews
- 10 Hours Geneva and Back
- Cable Car + Glacier Train
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Chamonix Day Trip Includes
The coach from Geneva and back, the Aiguille du Midi cable car, the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace and free time in Chamonix.
Highlights
- Enjoy a cable car ride to the Alps
- Ride the cogwheel mountain train to the glacier: Mer de Glace
- Discover the French mountain village Chamonix
- Relax with the views of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps
- Enjoy Mont Blanc: highest mountain of Europe
What's Included
- Transportation
- Cable car
- Train to the glacier
- Maps and explanation of the city
Good to know: Tour will take place every day regardless of weather conditions · Functionality of the cable car and train cannot be guaranteed · If any activities are not operating you will be offered an alternative but no refund. Transport will not be refunded in such cases · A visit to the caves is not guaranteed even if the train is open; a partial refund will not be granted if the caves are closed. · Please note that our partner doesn't provide clothings for children. · Due to maintenance works, some attractions will be temporarily closed: Aiguille du Midi (03.11 - 19.12). Alternatives will be offered. · Not suitable for: Pregnant women · Not Included: Lunch, Guide
How a Day Trip From Geneva Works
Pick the place, bring a passport for the French days, meet the coach in central Geneva, and dress for the altitude.
Pick the Place, Not the Coach
The day trips from Geneva split by where they go: Chamonix and Mont Blanc or Annecy across the French border, Gruyères, Montreux and the Lavaux vineyards in Switzerland, or Zermatt and the Matterhorn for the longest day.
Bring Your Passport
Chamonix and Annecy are in France. There are no routine checks at the border, but the listings ask you to carry a passport or an EU identity card, and you pay in euros once you cross.
Meet the Coach in Central Geneva
Most of these day trips leave in the morning from Place Dorcière, by Geneva's coach station. Your voucher names the exact meeting point and time.
Dress for the Altitude
The Aiguille du Midi terraces are at 3,842 m and Glacier 3000 at 3,000 m: cold and bright in every season. Take a warm layer, sunglasses and sun cream, even when Geneva is warm.
Photo Gallery
Chamonix and Mont Blanc
Photos from the day trip listing: the Aiguille du Midi, the cable car, the Mer de Glace train and Chamonix itself.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation; cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Four Day Trips From Geneva Compared
Chamonix with the mountain included against Annecy, Gruyères and Zermatt. Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
| Feature | MONT BLANC Chamonix, Cable Car + Train | FRANCE Annecy Half Day | Gruyères Tour | Zermatt Day Trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | US$247 per person | US$72 per person | US$189 per person | US$152 per person |
| Length | 10 hours | 5 hours | 8.5 to 10 hours | 13 hours |
| Country | France (passport) | France (passport) | Switzerland | Switzerland |
| Included | Coach, Aiguille du Midi, Montenvers train | Coach; guided walk by option | Coach, Maison Cailler, cheese dairy | Coach, Täsch shuttle |
| Not included | Lunch, guide | Food, château, cruise | Food, castle, train | Food, cable car by option |
| Free cancellation | Up to 24 hours | Up to 24 hours | Up to 24 hours | Up to 24 hours |
| Rating | 4.7 (1,152 reviews) | 4.6 (1,364 reviews) | 4.5 (197 reviews) | 4.8 (141 reviews) |
| Check Availability | See the Annecy Trip | See the Gruyères Tour | See the Zermatt Trip |
Other Day Trips From Geneva
More Days Out From Geneva
A guided Chamonix day, Annecy in half a day, Gruyères cheese and chocolate, Zermatt and the Matterhorn, the Montreux riviera and Glacier 3000.
GUIDED ALL DAYFrom Geneva: Chamonix, Mont Blanc & Ice Cave Guided Day Tour
Begin your tour in Geneva, you'll meet Niels and board the bus for Chamonix. Gateway to one of the highest peaks of Europe "the Mont-blanc".
HALF DAY, FRANCEFrom Geneva: Annecy - "Venice of the Alps"
Board our comfortable coach in Geneva and travel to Annecy, the enchanting “Venice of the Alps,” where crystal-clear canals, pastel houses, and stunning mountain scenery create a truly magical setting.
CHEESE + CHOCOLATEFrom Geneva: Gruyères Tour with Cheese & Chocolate Factories
There is no better temptation than the smell of chocolate. Enjoy a fantastic journey through chocolate traditions with a tasting of one of the most famous Swiss delicacies.
LONGEST DAYGeneva: Zermatt Day Trip & Matterhorn
Embark from Geneva or an unforgettable adventure along the stunning Lake Geneva to the majestic Swiss Alps.
LAKE GENEVA RIVIERAGeneva: Montreux, Chaplin’s World, Chillon Castle & Apéritif
Spend a memorable day in the charming Swiss riviera! Discover wonderful views of Switzerland, the Alps mountains and Leman lake. From Geneva, drive through the beautiful Swiss countryside.
SNOW ALL YEARFull-Day Trip to Riviera Col du Pillon & Glacier 3000
Discover the picturesque area of Les Diablerets (little devils) in the heart of the Alps Vaudoises at Col du Pillon. Made up of chalets, this village has an amazingly preserved heritage.
The Guide
Which Day Trip From Geneva to Book, and What Each One Gives You
Mont Blanc, a lake town in France, a cheese village, the riviera or the Matterhorn: pick the place first, then the way to get there.
The best day trip from Geneva for most first-time visitors is Chamonix and Mont Blanc, about 90 minutes away by coach in France, where the Aiguille du Midi cable car lifts you to 3,842 metres in front of the highest peak in the Alps. The day this page puts first does it all on one ticket: Swisstours’ From Geneva: Day Trip to Chamonix with Cable Car and Train, with the coach, the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace glacier included. It is from US$247 a person (checked October 2026), rated 4.7 out of 5 from 1,152 reviews, and was booked three times on 22 October alone.
Read the dates before you book. The Aiguille du Midi cable car closes every autumn for maintenance, and in 2026 it is closed from 2 November to 18 December (chamonix.com); the Montenvers train closes from 2 November to 4 December. The coaches still run on those days and the listings offer an alternative, but if your trip falls in that window, Annecy or Gruyères are the days that run in full. From 19 December the cable car is back, and the Chamonix day is the one to book.
Five places, and what each day trip is for
Chamonix and Mont Blanc, for the high mountains. Chamonix is the French valley town under Mont Blanc, reached by coach through the Arve valley. Besides the all-included day above, Velema’s guided Chamonix day with the ice cave option has a guide with you all day and is rated 4.9; Keytours’ glass-roof coach tour is the most reviewed day trip from Geneva; and Swisstours’ coach to Chamonix and back is the transport alone, with the cable car as an option. The Chamonix day trip page sets them side by side.
Annecy, for a half day in France. Annecy is a lake town with canals and an old centre, about an hour from Geneva. Keytours’ Annecy half-day trip is five hours with free time in the old town and a guided walk as an option, the cheapest day out here. The Annecy guide covers what to do with the time.
Gruyères, for cheese and chocolate. The medieval village of Gruyères sits on a hill above the dairy country of Fribourg. Keytours’ Gruyères tour visits the Maison Cailler chocolate factory in Broc and La Maison du Gruyère cheese dairy before free time in the village; see the Gruyères day trip page.
Montreux and Lavaux, for the lake. East along Lake Geneva, Keytours’ Montreux, Chaplin's World and Chillon tour combines the Chaplin museum, the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards and Chillon Castle; the Montreux guide explains it.
Zermatt, for the Matterhorn. The longest day: Keytours’ Zermatt day trip runs for 13 hours, with free time in the car-free village and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car as an option. The Zermatt guide compares it with going by train.
Pick the day that fits:
The high mountains
Chamonix, Cable Car + Train
10 hours: the coach, the Aiguille du Midi and the Mer de Glace train on one ticket.
Check dates →Half a day, in France
Annecy Half Day
Five hours: an hour each way and free time in the old town and on the lake.
See the Annecy guide →Cheese and chocolate
Gruyères Tour
The Cailler chocolate factory, the cheese dairy and the medieval village.
See the Gruyères day →The longest day
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
13 hours, with the Glacier Paradise cable car as an option.
See the Zermatt guide →Prices and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.
Where they go
Geneva is at the western tip of the lake and almost surrounded by France, which is why two of the best day trips cross the border. Annecy is about an hour south, Chamonix about an hour and a half south-east, both in France. Lausanne, Montreux and the Lavaux terraces are east along the Swiss shore, Gruyères is north of the lake in the hills, and Zermatt is far up the Rhône valley, three hours or more each way.
The French days: passport and euros
Chamonix and Annecy are in France, and France and Switzerland are both in the Schengen area, so there are no routine passport checks on the road. The listings still ask you to carry a passport or an EU identity card, and you can be checked. In France you pay in euros.
What the price includes, and what is extra
Every fare here is per person and includes the coach from Geneva and back. What changes is the mountain. On the all-included Chamonix day, the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Montenvers train are in the price; on the guided, glass-roof and transport-only days they are options you choose when booking. Bought at the counter in Chamonix, a return on the Aiguille du Midi costs €83 for an adult, and the Montenvers train with the Mer de Glace gondola and ice cave €49.70 (chamonix.com, checked October 2026). Lunch is not included on any of the days here except the Gruyères tour with fondue, and entry to the Château de Gruyères (CHF 13 for an adult, chateau-gruyeres.ch, checked October 2026) is extra on the Gruyères day.
When to go
Day trips from Geneva sell all year. Searches for them barely move from month to month, peaking in October in Switzerland and January in the US, and each season has its day. In winter, Chamonix and Glacier 3000 are under snow and the lake towns are quiet; from May to October, Keytours runs a Gruyères day with the GoldenPass panoramic train down to Montreux; and in June to September the Montreux tour adds an old steam boat. Glacier 3000 closes for its annual maintenance in late autumn, and the Glacier 3000 day trip sells dates again from 7 November 2026.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say About the Chamonix Day Trip
4.7/5
from 1,152 verified guests
"Fantastic day, really well organised and the guide was spot on."
"Chris was an excellent guide. Clear instructions, helpful insights and great local knowledge. Highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in seeing the mountains but caution that lightheadedness at altitude is real and not for people with health, mobility or other issues."
"Really loved Antoine, our guide. The views were truly spectacular."
"I loved your staff and the company in charge. Thank you for all your understanding and for making it easier for me to understand in my language. The tour guide Amil provides excellent service and is very friendly."
"An excellent well organised trip. Not too long in transport. The visit up the top of Mont Blanc is spectacular. The ice caves are good but be aware there are many many steps to get down (and up again). Our guide Babis (?? Sorry) was outstanding and kept the trip interesting and entertaining."
"The guide made the day fantastic and great experience to boot"
"A group of us did this tour while on vacation and our expectations were exceeded! From the driver to the tour guide, the pace, the stops, the entire experience was amazing! I would definitely do it again if I’m ever back in France/Switzerland!"
Read all 1,152 verified reviews
See All ReviewsMont Blanc and the Mer de Glace in One Day
Swisstours' Chamonix day trip takes you from Geneva to Chamonix and back with the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace included. Rated 4.7 from 1,152 reviews, from US$247 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from US$247 per person (cable car and glacier train included; checked October 2026).
Check Chamonix Day Trip DatesCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Check each listing's cancellation terms: some dates are non-refundable.
Day Trips From Geneva FAQ
The questions people ask before booking a day trip from Geneva, answered in the first sentence.
Chamonix and Mont Blanc for most first-time visitors; Annecy for an easy half day; Gruyères for cheese and chocolate. Swisstours' Chamonix day with cable car and train includes the mountain; Keytours' glass-roof coach tour is the most reviewed. The best day trips guide compares them all.
Annecy, about an hour away in France, is the closest day out; Lausanne and Montreux are under an hour and a quarter along the lake. Keytours' Annecy half day takes five hours; the Montreux, Chaplin and Chillon tour covers the riviera.
From US$72 a person for the Annecy half day to US$247 for the Chamonix day with the cable car and the train included, on GetYourGuide in October 2026. The coach to Chamonix is US$96, the Gruyères tour US$189 and the Zermatt day US$152.
Carry one: there are no routine border checks between Switzerland and France, but the listings ask for a passport or an EU identity card. That applies to Chamonix on the glass-roof coach tour and to Annecy on the half-day trip. You pay in euros in France.
By road: about an hour and a half by coach, against three hours or more by train with changes. Swisstours' return coach to Chamonix is the transport alone; the Geneva to Chamonix guide covers the bus and train.
No: in 2026 the Aiguille du Midi cable car is closed for maintenance from 2 November to 18 December (chamonix.com). The coaches still run and offer an alternative; from 19 December the Chamonix day with cable car and train runs in full.
Yes, but it is about 13 hours, because Zermatt is car-free and more than three hours away. Keytours' Zermatt day trip includes the shuttle from Täsch, with the Glacier Paradise cable car as an option. See the Zermatt guide.
About an hour by coach or bus, or an hour to an hour and a half on the Léman Express train. Keytours' Annecy half day leaves Place Dorcière and returns five hours later.
Yes: Chillon Castle, the Lavaux vineyards and Chaplin's World fill a day, about an hour and a quarter from Geneva. Keytours' Montreux tour includes the Chaplin's World and Chillon entries. See the Montreux guide.
Chamonix from 19 December, when the Aiguille du Midi reopens, and Glacier 3000 for snow; Annecy and Gruyères run all year. Swisstours' Glacier 3000 day sells dates from 7 November 2026, after the annual maintenance.
Warm layers, sunglasses and sun cream, even in summer: the Aiguille du Midi terraces are at 3,842 m. A guest on the glass-roof coach tour this October advised very warm gear.
Yes, every day trip on this site has free cancellation up to 24 hours before, as listed in October 2026. Mountain lifts can still close on the day in bad weather; on the Chamonix day the operator then offers an alternative.
Still have questions? Email us at info@day-trip-from-geneva.com