If you’re planning to park at Geneva airport for several days, you’ve probably heard of parking P51. One of the world’s longest-stay parking lots at Geneva-Cointrin international airport. However, there are even cheaper and more convenient alternatives in private parking lots close to the airport. These offer not only competitive rates, but also additional services that can make your parking experience more pleasant and stress-free.
What exactly is the P51 parking lot?
Parking P51 is one of the most affordable options for long-term
long-term parking
at Geneva-Cointrin airport, like parking lot P26. Located at 1 Route de l’Aéroport, 1215 Meyrin, its GPS coordinates are latitude 46.2275 and longitude 6.1034.
The main features of the P51 parking lot are as follows:
- Partial coverage Although most of the parking lot is covered, it is not fully protected.
- Large capacity Spread over 6 levels, the P51 parking lot is very spacious.
- Away from the terminal 500 meters from the main terminal.
- 24-hour access The parking lot is open 24 hours a day, although some services are not available 24 hours a day.
- Partial online booking 305 of the 1,100 places available can be booked online.
- Various payment methods The parking lot accepts several methods of payment, which we will explain in greater detail below.
These features make the P51 parking lot a viable option, although it’s a good idea to compare with private parking lots to find the solution best suited to your needs.
What are the benefits?
Disabled parking spaces
Each floor of the P51 parking lot has two spaces reserved for the disabled, located close to the elevators for easy access. However, these places are not available for online booking.
Places reserved for electric vehicles
The P51 parking lot is equipped with parking spaces for electric vehicles, with CEE16 A tri (European 16 amp three-phase socket) and T23 (16 A single-phase socket) slow-charging sockets. The same goes for spaces for people with reduced mobility, these sites cannot be booked online.
Luggage carts
Luggage carts are available for passengers. This is particularly useful since the journey to the terminal has to be made on foot. To use these carts, you’ll need a token or coin.
What are its drawbacks?
Limited vehicle height
If your vehicle exceeds 2 metres in heightyou will not be able to access parking lot P51. In this case, you’ll need to go to level -3 of parking lot P26, which accepts vehicles up to 2m40 high. However, this area is not bookable online, which may pose a problem in terms of availability.
No shuttle included
The P51 parking lot does not offer a shuttle service.. The journey to the terminal, about 500 meters, must be made on foot. This distance can be difficult to cover if you have children, a lot of luggage or are a person with reduced mobility. The only exception is car rental passengers, who benefit from a shuttle service. For others, however, the journey can be inconvenient.
Complex payment terms
Parking at parking lot P51 involves several steps and payment options that can be confusing. There are several places to pay for your parking:
- At automated checkouts.
- To output terminals.
- At the main parking lot cash deskopen from 07:00 to 22:30.
A variety of payment methods are accepted:
- In CHF coins and banknotes.
- In Euros only tickets.
- Credit cards : contactless payment available with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PostCard.
- TWINT application can only be used at output terminals.
These different options can make the payment process complicated, especially as not all tills are open all the time, and certain restrictions apply depending on the currency or payment method chosen.
Online booking with many special features
Zones open for booking are called ResaPark.
Places available on reservation
The airport’s official website states that :
ResaPark parking lots fill up fast.
In fact, consulting the parking lot occupancy status in real time often reveals the absence of available spaces in parking lot P51. This can be a source of stress, as it doesn’t guarantee that a parking space will be available when you arrive, increasing the uncertainty before you leave.
Rates
Even if you have reserved your space in the P51 parking lot, it is important to note that the amount paid at the time of reservation is only an estimate. That’s right, although the reservation fee is CHF 10, the total amount payable will only be determined when you leave the parking lot.. You will then have to pay the difference between the initial estimate and the actual cost of parking. This adds further uncertainty to your travel budget. As the airport website states:
Please note that the reservation does not constitute a deposit, and that the total cost of parking is not included. Parking fees must be paid on your return, directly at the airport cash desks.
Entry and exit times
Entry and exit times at the P51 parking lot are defined by specific time margins.
- Entry: your reservation allows you to enter the parking lot up to 2 hours before or 4 hours after the selected time. If you arrive outside this time slot, your reservation will be automatically cancelled.
- Exit: you can leave the parking lot up to 4 hours before or 4 hours after the scheduled exit time. If you exceed this period, additional charges may apply, except in the case of flight delays or cancellations.
In short, arriving too early or too late in relation to your initial booking can result in penalties and make managing your schedule more restrictive.
What do parking lot customers think?
In summer 2024, reviews of the P51 parking lot are generally positive. The Google page for Arena Park shows a rating of 4 stars out of 5 based on 589 reviews. However, this needs to be qualified by more detailed feedback.
Positive reviews
The majority of positive Google reviews are succinct and don’t provide much detail, but some points come up regularly:
- Practicality.
- Cleanliness.
- Easy access.
- Clear signage.
- Attractive rate with early booking.
These aspects show that, for many, the P51 parking lot meets expectations in terms of convenience and cost, especially when booked in advance.
Negative opinions
Negative opinions, on the other hand, highlight several drawbacks, some of which have already been mentioned:
- Often fully booked: difficulty in finding an available place.
- Very extensive: the parking lot can be confusing due to its size and 6 levels.
- Not suitable for large vehicles: height limitations and insufficient space.
- High cost: some customers find the rates too high.
- Lack of clarity in online rates: confusion over booking fee and final amount.
These criticisms highlight the challenges that users can face, particularly in terms of availability and clarity of pricing.
How much does it cost?
Parking P51 is presented as one of the cheapest parking options available at Geneva airport. In fact, it shares with P26 the lowest rates of the 4 long-term parking lots.
Parking time | Parking lots P36 and P51 |
Parking lots P20 and P1 |
---|---|---|
1 day |
CHF 30 | 38 CHF |
4 days |
81 CHF |
97 CHF |
1 week |
132 CHF |
237 CHF |
2 weeks |
237 CHF |
407 CHF |
However, we have seen that the online reservation system does not allow you to know how much the parking space will ultimately cost. That’s why private parking lots have developed. Located in the immediate vicinity of the airport, they offer cheaper rates, but with very good value for money.
What are the cheaper alternatives?
Arena Park is one of a number of private companies offering a cost-effective alternative to Geneva airport’s official parking lots. Our aim is to provide a cost-effective option without compromising service quality. Available 24 hours a day, our
cheap parking
guarantees peace of mind and maximum flexibility.
Transparent, competitive pricing
Arena Park offers transparent prices, with no hidden chargesThe new, easy-to-understand software allows you to plan your budget with confidence. From the moment you book, you know exactly what you’re going to pay, with no nasty surprises. Our sliding-scale tariffs are particularly competitive compared with the P51 parking lot.
Parking time | Parking P51 |
Parking Cointrin |
---|---|---|
1 day |
CHF 30 | 50 CHF |
4 days |
81 CHF |
90 CHF |
1 week |
132 CHF |
CHF 110 |
2 weeks |
237 CHF |
180 CHF |
Simplicity and flexibility
Booking a parking space at Arena Park is child’s play. All our places can be booked online, via an online booking platform intuitive and easy to use. You can reserve and pay for your place in just a few clicks.
Our reservation system allows you to :
- Select your parking dates.
- Choose additional services if required.
- Finalize your reservation with secure online payment via :
- Debit/credit card.
- PostFinance card.
- TWINT application.
- PostFinancePay application.
Unlike the P51 parking lot, Arena Park also accepts vehicles over 2 meters in height.
In the event of unforeseen circumstances, you can also book by telephone at least 3 hours before take-off, and modify or cancel your reservation up to 48 hours before vehicle pick-up. For more information,
contact us at
.
Private chauffeurs: shuttle and valet service
Because simplifying your life is our priority, Arena Park offers free shuttle services and valet parking. Our free shuttles run all year round, from 3.45 a.m. to 1.30 a.m. You can reach the terminal in just three minutes. What’s more, you don’t have to park your vehicle in our parking lot yourself. A valet is on hand to receive your vehicle on arrival and park it in its final spot.
Secure parking
Travel with peace of mind! Our surveillance cameras and our staff guarantee that your vehicle is safe.
Optional services
It’s our company’s “little extra”! If you’d like to return to a clean vehicle, leave it to us. cleaning. Here are our prices:
- Interior cleaning = CHF 90.
- Exterior cleaning = CHF 80.
- Complete cleaning = CHF 165.
The same goes for visual inspection of your vehicle for just CHF 20 guarantees your peace of mind during your trip: it’s a check-up that pinpoints any scratches on your bodywork, for example, and ensures that there won’t be any disputes when you pick up your car.
If this complete guide to parking 51 has answered all the questions you had in mind, mission accomplished!