Geneva is the second most populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). It is situated where Lake Geneva (French Lac Léman) flows into the Rhône River, and is the capital of the Canton of Geneva. The population within the city limits is 198,979 (2017) and that of the metropolitan area — which extends into France and the Canton of Vaud — is about 946,000. Geneva is widely regarded as a global city, mainly due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the European headquarters of the United Nations, the Headquarters of the WHO and the Red Cross.

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Geneva Facts

Languages: Official language is French, but English and German are also spoken.

Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF)

Voltage: The electric current in Switzerland is 220 V. The electrical plugs have 3 (type C) prongs so an adapter will be needed.

Time Zone: Central Europe (Greenwich G.M.T + 1). Summer time + 1 hr (last weekend of March to last weekend of October).

 

Accommodation

Finding a place to stay in Geneva is challenging. There is a general shortage of apartments in the city, so even residents have a hard time finding accommodation. Many interns live in the city Ferney-Voltaire, in neighboring France. The F bus from Ferney-Voltaire to the WHO is only about 20 minutes.

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Check out accommodations used by past interns here. This is an ongoing project that is constantly being added to.

 

For complete information on accommodation, please see the 2019 Welcome Guide.

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Other useful links

 

Geneva Interns Association - Association of interns working at the UN, International Organizations, Private Sector, NGOs & CERN

Glocals.com - English community online to meet expats & locals in Geneva, join local activities and share information.

Geneva Angloinfo.com - Everything you need for life in the Lake Geneva region

Le News - Weekly Swiss News in English (Free, Le News is published every two weeks, on a Thursday)

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