Serving 15 million passengers and acting as a base for major Swiss airlines, Geneva Airport is one of the most important transport hubs in Switzerland with a network of flights to Europe and international services. It the local airport of the second most populated city in the country, Geneva, running along the Swiss-French border at a convenient and central location in Europe, five kilometres from the city centre. Also known as Cointrin Airport, it is one of the top-rated European airports with planes landing and taking off once every minute and a significant centre of travel.
Two passenger terminals are inside Geneva Airport, the main one being Terminal 1 that is newer, larger and serves the majority of flights, and this itself separates into five sections connected by a central hall. In the main lounge, there is a duty-free zone full of shops selling Swiss specialties like chocolate and watches, various restaurants from upscale dining to fast food and services like money exchange, computers and luggage storage. Free Wi-Fi serves Geneva Airport with many hotels in the vicinity, making life easier for visitors and providing comfortable settings in which to wait for a flight. Although there is only one runway at the airport, at 3,900 metres it is the longest in Switzerland and one of the longest in Europe, making it suitable for aircraft of all sizes.
Both train and bus services connect Geneva Airport to the city, both with stations within the building, and long distance buses run from France and specifically from popular ski resorts in nearby mountains. Taxis and limousines are available outside the main doors, and drivers can park at any of the several thousand spots around the airport.
The history of Geneva Airport dates back to 1919 when construction began on a field in Cointrin near Geneva, before slowly building up from a small and local air base to a major international airport. During WWII, authorities stopped all flights from Switzerland but expanded the airport during that time, and the new terminal opened just after the war in 1946 and linked it to the national rail system in 1987. Today, Geneva Airport serves 15 million visitors per year with an ever-increasing number of passengers, constantly inspiring developments to the building and its services.