Olten
Olten is 219 km from Geneva Airport, about 2 hours 25 minutes by road across western Switzerland, with no border to cross. Widely known as one of the country's busiest railway junctions, the town on the Aare also has a compact old town, a historic covered bridge and easy access to Basel, Zurich, Bern and Lucerne. AirportsTransfers.ch can take you there directly from the arrivals hall at Geneva.
- Distance from GVA: 219 km
- Drive time: about 2 h 25
- Canton: Solothurn, German-speaking
- Signature sight: the wooden covered bridge over the Aare
- Best for: business meetings, rail connections, a central base for northern Switzerland
The road from Geneva
From Geneva Airport the motorway follows Lake Geneva to Lausanne, then turns north towards Yverdon and runs along the foot of the Jura past the lakes of Neuchâtel and Biel. After Solothurn it joins the main east-west axis of the country near the junction of the A1 and A2 motorways, just outside Olten. An alternative route via Fribourg and Bern takes a similar time, and your chauffeur will choose depending on traffic.
Most of the trip is on motorway through the Swiss plateau, a landscape of farms, forests and small towns with the long line of the Jura on the left. It is an easy drive at any hour, and for evening arrivals a transfer avoids changing trains with luggage late at night.
More than a place to change trains
Swiss travellers often joke that they know Olten only from the platform, because so many lines meet here. Step outside the station, cross the river and you find a pleasant small town. The old town sits on the left bank of the Aare, with narrow lanes, painted façades and the Stadtturm, a tall tower that survived when the old church around it was demolished.
The town's landmark is the wooden covered bridge, the Alte Brücke, which crosses the Aare between the old town and the station side. Walking across it, with the river flowing fast beneath, is the classic first impression of Olten. Riverside paths lead in both directions and are popular for evening strolls and cycling.
Culture is on a human scale: the art museum focuses on Swiss artists, and the town has an active literary and cabaret scene that surprises many visitors. The area around the station has also become livelier, with newer buildings, cafés and offices replacing old rail yards.
Food in Olten reflects its position between several regions: you will find hearty Swiss German dishes such as Zürcher Geschnetzeltes and rösti alongside Italian and international cooking, and nearby Jura farms supply cheeses and cured meats to local markets.
A business and logistics hub
Olten's central position, halfway between Basel, Zurich and Bern, has made it a natural location for company offices, logistics centres and training venues. Many meetings are held here precisely because participants from across Switzerland can arrive easily. For visitors flying into Geneva, a private transfer covers the longer leg directly, and companies can receive an invoice for the journey. If you have several appointments in a day, a chauffeur by the hour gives you flexibility between sites.
Where to stay and day trips
Hotels are found close to the station and in the old town, so most visitors stay within walking distance of both. From Olten, short trips open up a good part of northern Switzerland:
- Solothurn: a graceful baroque town with St. Ursus Cathedral and an Italianate atmosphere
- Aarau: the capital of Aargau, known for its painted roof gables
- Basel: art museums, the Rhine and the border with France and Germany
- Lucerne: the Chapel Bridge and the lake, under an hour away
- The Jura heights: viewpoints such as the Weissenstein above Solothurn
Tips for your visit
Olten is quiet in the evenings compared with the large cities, but it has a good choice of restaurants along the river. Weekday mornings see heavy commuter traffic around the motorway junction, so allow a little extra time for early meetings. If you are travelling on to another Swiss city after a stay in Olten, the same vehicle can continue there or bring you back to Geneva Airport for your flight home.
Booking a private transfer to Olten
On AirportsTransfers.ch you choose your vehicle, see a fixed price for it upfront and pay online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The chauffeur monitors your flight, meets you in arrivals with a sign bearing your name and waits at no extra cost if you land late. Options range from the Mercedes E-Class Business Sedan for up to three passengers and the S-Class First Class Sedan to the V-Class van for seven people with ten bags and the Sprinter minibus for teams. Request child seats in advance and declare skis or large items. For any question, reach us by phone or WhatsApp on +41 78 346 56 77.
