Tram line 18 in Geneva
Tram line 18 in Geneva runs between Grand-Lancy, Palettes in the southwest of the city and CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, near the French border northwest of Geneva. The route travels through Lancy, Carouge, Geneva city centre, Servette, Vernier and Meyrin. The complete journey takes approximately 53 minutes.
Starting at Grand-Lancy, Palettes, line 18 runs alongside Avenue des Communes-Réunies to Pontets before turning onto an elevated section through Trèfle-Blanc to Lancy-Bachet, gare.
From Lancy-Bachet, gare, the line follows Route de Saint-Julien through De-Staël to Carouge, Rondeau. It then continues through the centre of Carouge via Ancienne, Marché and Armes before crossing the River Arve on Pont de Carouge. On the Geneva side of the river, the line serves Blanche, Augustins, Pont-d’Arve and Plainpalais.
From Plainpalais, line 18 runs through Place de Neuve and Bel-Air before crossing the Rhône and continuing through Coutance to Geneva’s principal railway station at gare Cornavin. It then follows the Servette corridor through Lyon, Poterie, Servette and Vieusseux.
Beyond Vieusseux, the line follows Route de Meyrin through Bouchet, Balexert, Avanchets-Etang and Blandonnet. It then enters Meyrin, serving Jardin-Alpin-Vivarium, Bois-du-Lan, Meyrin village, Hôpital de La Tour and Maisonnex before reaching its northwestern terminus at CERN.
Below is a stop-by-stop description of the route of tram line 18 in Geneva. Times shown are an estimate of the time taken to travel between each stop.
The following icons are shown next to the name of the stop to indicate interchanges with other routes
- Interchange for other tram routes.
- Interchange on to bus routes.
- Interchange on to train routes.
- Interchange on to metro/subway/underground routes.
- Interchange on to boat routes.
- Interchange for airport.
Grand-Lancy, Palettes is a major tram and bus interchange located at the junction of Avenue des Communes-Réunies and Chemin des Palettes. The interchange was comprehensively rebuilt between 2021 and 2023 to accommodate the extension of the tramway towards Plan-les-Ouates.
The stop is also served by tram line 15 and provides connections to bus services.
Grand-Lancy, Pontets is a tram and bus interchange located on Avenue des Communes-Réunies near Chemin des Pontets. It serves the densely developed Pontets residential neighbourhood, with the Maison CIViQ community centre also nearby.
The stop provides connections to bus services.
Plan-les-Ouates, Trèfle-Blanc tram stop is located on an elevated section of tramway above the A1 motorway, near Chemin du Trèfle-Blanc. Its platform shelter features a mural created in 2017 by Swiss artist and illustrator Tami Hopf.
Lancy-Bachet, gare is a major transport interchange located beside Lancy-Bachet railway station, which opened in December 2019 as part of the Léman Express network. The adjoining Bachet-de-Pesay complex contains a major Transports publics genevois (TPG) tram and bus depot as well as the operator’s administrative headquarters.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus and rail services.
Grand-Lancy, De-Staël tram stop is located on Route de Saint-Julien, close to the Collège et École de culture générale Madame de Staël from which it takes its name.
The stop is also served by tram line 12.
Carouge, Rondeau tram stop is located at the Rondeau de Carouge, where Route de Saint-Julien meets Rue Ancienne and Boulevard des Promenades. The Rondeau was the southern terminus of Switzerland’s first tram line when the horse-drawn route from Place Neuve opened in 1862.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Carouge, Ancienne tram stop is located on Rue Ancienne in the historic centre of Carouge, close to the Théâtre de Carouge, one of the principal French-language theatres in the Geneva region.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Carouge, Marché tram stop is located on Rue Saint-Victor beside Place du Marché, the central square of historic Carouge. The square hosts regular markets and is bordered by the Carouge town hall, while the Musée de Carouge and the surrounding pedestrianised shopping streets are also nearby.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Carouge, Armes tram stop is located on Rue du Pont-Neuf beside Place d’Armes, a historic public square created during Carouge’s period under the Kingdom of Sardinia. Place de l’Octroi and the Pont de Carouge across the River Arve are also nearby.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Blanche tram stop is located on Rue de Carouge, north of the Pont de Carouge and the River Arve. It serves the surrounding residential streets on the southern edge of Geneva’s Cluse district.
The stop is also served by tram line 12.
Augustins tram stop is located on Rue de Carouge beside Place des Augustins, a landscaped urban square renovated in 2021. Immediately south of the stop is a turning loop retained for short workings and for reversing trams during service disruption.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Pont-d’Arve tram stop is located on Rue de Carouge near its junction with Boulevard du Pont-d’Arve. The Casino Théâtre and Maison communale de Plainpalais are immediately nearby.
The stop is also served by tram line 12 and provides connections to bus services.
Plainpalais is a major tram interchange located at the Rond-point de Plainpalais, on the eastern side of the Plaine de Plainpalais. The adjoining esplanade is one of Geneva’s principal public spaces and regularly hosts markets, fairs and other events.
The stop is also served by tram lines 12, 15 and 17 and provides connections to bus services.
Place de Neuve tram stop is located on the square of the same name at the southwestern edge of Geneva’s Old Town. The Grand Théâtre de Genève, Musée Rath, Conservatoire de musique and the principal entrance to Parc des Bastions surround the square.
The stop is also served by tram lines 12 and 17 and provides connections to bus services.
Bel-Air is a major tram and bus interchange centred on Place de Bel-Air, immediately beside the Rhône. Its platforms are distributed between Rue de la Confédération, the southern part of the bridge leading towards the Île district and the surrounding streets. The nearby Tour de l’Île is the surviving tower of a medieval castle that once guarded this river crossing.
The stop is also served by tram lines 12, 14 and 17 and provides connections to bus services.
Coutance is a tram and bus interchange located on Rue de Coutance in the historic Saint-Gervais district, serving its densely developed shopping and residential streets. The street’s name derives from the city of Constance and its association with the Council of Constance, held between 1414 and 1418.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Gare Cornavin is Geneva’s principal railway station and a major interchange for regional, national and international trains, trams and buses. The original station opened in 1858, while the present main building resulted from a complete reconstruction undertaken between 1927 and 1931.
The stop is also served by tram lines 14 and 15 and provides connections to bus and rail services.
Lyon tram stop is located on Rue de la Servette at its junction with Rue de Lyon, serving the southern part of the Grottes neighbourhood and the densely developed streets north of Cornavin station. Rue de Lyon forms part of the historic route leading northwest from Geneva towards the French city of Lyon.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Poterie tram stop is located on Rue de la Servette at its junction with Rue de la Poterie, close to Parc Geisendorf. The street and stop take their name from a pottery factory that occupied part of the present park during the 19th century.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Servette is a tram and bus interchange located on Rue de la Servette near its junction with Avenue Wendt and Rue Hoffmann, in the centre of the surrounding district. The district developed around a former private estate named La Servette, whose name ultimately derives from the Latin silva, meaning forest.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Vieusseux tram stop is located on Route de Meyrin beside the Cité Vieusseux residential neighbourhood. The development occupies land formerly owned by the Vieusseux family, which included several prominent Genevan doctors, magistrates and writers.
The stop is also served by tram line 14.
Vernier, Bouchet is a major tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin at Carrefour du Bouchet, where several principal roads converge. The name comes from the former Bouchet estate and derives from a term meaning a small wooded thicket.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Vernier, Balexert tram stop is located beside Route de Meyrin on the southern side of the Balexert shopping centre. Opened in 1971, the complex now contains more than 140 shops together with a cinema, restaurants and other leisure facilities.
The stop is also served by tram line 14.
Vernier, Avanchets-Etang tram stop is located on Route de Meyrin and serves both the Les Avanchets residential district and the newer Quartier de l’Étang. The latter was largely completed between 2021 and 2023 and contains more than 1,000 homes together with shops, offices and leisure facilities.
The stop is also served by tram line 14.
Vernier, Blandonnet is a major tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin beside the Blandonnet business district. Bus services provide connections to Geneva Airport and communities farther west, including destinations across the French border.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Meyrin, Jardin-Alpin-Vivarium is a tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin beside the Jardin botanique alpin and the Vivarium de Meyrin. The botanical garden maintains collections of alpine plants and provides educational activities, while the neighbouring vivarium specialises in reptiles and amphibians.
The stop is also served by tram line 14 and provides connections to bus services.
Meyrin, Bois-du-Lan tram stop is located in the centre of Route de Meyrin near its junction with Rue du Bois-du-Lan. It serves the surrounding residential neighbourhood and the nearby Collège de la Golette, while its name comes from the Bois du Lan woodland to the north.
Meyrin, village is a tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin near its junction with Avenue de Vaudagne and Chemin de la Tour. It serves the historic village centre, with the Église Saint-Julien and the Meyrin-Village and Meyrin-Monthoux schools nearby.
The stop provides connections to bus services.
Meyrin, Hôpital de La Tour is a tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin directly outside the hospital from which it takes its name. Inaugurated in 1976, Hôpital de La Tour was the first hospital established on Geneva’s right bank and has since developed into a major multidisciplinary medical campus.
The stop provides connections to bus services.
Meyrin, Maisonnex is a tram and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin near Chemin de Maisonnex. It serves the historic hamlet of Maisonnex, whose modern development was closely associated with the establishment of nearby CERN in 1955.
The stop provides connections to bus services.
Meyrin, CERN is a tram terminus and bus interchange located on Route de Meyrin immediately outside CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, and a short distance from the French border. The CERN Science Gateway visitor centre and Globe of Science and Innovation are beside the stop. The tramway reached CERN in April 2011.
The stop provides connections to bus services.