Memmingen Airport
The drive from Geneva Airport to Memmingen Airport is about 482 km and normally takes around 4 hours 50 minutes, crossing Switzerland via Zurich and reaching Bavaria near Lake Constance. Travellers make this trip mainly to catch low-cost flights from the Allgäu or to reach southern Bavaria after landing in Geneva. AirportsTransfers.ch offers it as a direct private transfer with a fixed price and no changes along the way.
- Distance from GVA: about 482 km
- Drive time: around 4 h 50
- Border crossing: the route crosses the border into Germany around Lake Constance, sometimes briefly via Austria
- Airport type: regional airport known for low-cost routes
- Nearby: the Allgäu, Lake Constance and the Bavarian Alps
Why Memmingen?
Memmingen, sometimes marketed as Allgäu Airport, is a former military airfield converted into a regional airport in Bavarian Swabia. It is best known for low-cost flights to a wide range of European destinations, which can make it attractive for travellers coming from the Lake Constance area, southern Germany or even eastern Switzerland. A typical case is a group that spent a week in the western Alps, landed in Geneva on the way in and holds a cheaper return from Memmingen.
The airport also serves visitors heading into the Allgäu itself: rolling green hills, lakes and alpine villages, with the castles near Füssen within reach. For those travellers, being dropped directly in Memmingen or in a nearby town after a Geneva arrival avoids a long rail journey with several changes.
Route: across Switzerland to Lake Constance
The chauffeur follows the motorway from Geneva towards Lausanne and Bern, then on to Zurich. From there the drive continues north-east towards Lake Constance. Depending on traffic and roadworks, the crossing into Germany is made either near Kreuzlingen and Konstanz, or further east via the Rhine valley, passing briefly through Austria near Bregenz before reaching Lindau and the A96 towards Memmingen. Every option ends on German motorway through the Allgäu countryside.
The Zurich ring is the main bottleneck at peak hours, so a pickup that avoids it at the busiest times saves a good margin. A rest stop around the halfway point is usual on a drive of this length.
Train versus car
Reaching Memmingen by rail from Geneva typically involves several changes, for example via Zurich and a cross-border regional connection, and then a bus link to the airport, which is not on a main railway line. It can be done, but the luggage handling at each change and the risk of missing a connection make it stressful when a flight depends on it. A car takes you straight from Geneva arrivals to the Memmingen terminal, with no transfers to worry about.
Vehicles and what is included
Groups heading for a low-cost return often travel together, and a Van (Mercedes V-Class) with seats for up to 7 passengers and space for 10 bags or skis keeps the cost per person reasonable. For larger parties, a Minibus (Mercedes Sprinter) is available. Couples and solo travellers usually choose a Business Sedan (Mercedes E-Class), or a First Class Sedan (Mercedes S-Class) for extra room. The chauffeur meets you with a name sign, tracks your inbound flight and waits at no extra cost if the plane is late.
Many passengers choose this transfer because the ticket price difference justifies it once the cost is shared. A fixed price for the whole vehicle means that four or six friends travelling together divide the fare between them, which can bring the cost per person close to a rail journey with several changes. It also removes the uncertainty of tight connections in Zurich or at the border, which matters when a low-cost flight will not wait. Travellers arriving in Memmingen and heading for Geneva or the French Alps can book the same route in the other direction, with the chauffeur following their arrival.
Timing the onward flight
Low-cost carriers often close check-in and bag drop strictly, so build a comfortable buffer on top of the drive time. If your Memmingen flight leaves early in the morning, a late evening or overnight pickup in Geneva may be the calmest option; the service runs 24/7. Think also about weekend traffic towards Lake Constance in summer.
Booking with AirportsTransfers.ch
Choose your vehicle online, see the fixed price before payment and pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Enter the arriving flight number for tracking, ask for child seats if needed and declare skis or sports equipment at booking so the right vehicle is sent. For anything unusual, contact the team on +41 78 346 56 77 by phone or WhatsApp.
