The ideal central European base

GGBa: at the heart of Europe

The GREATER GENEVA BERNE area (GGBa) is at the strategic heart of Europe. It is also linked historically and culturally to two of the continent’s most dynamic industrial and scientific centers: the Upper Rhine (Germany and France) and the Rhône-Alpes (France).

These advantages, and Switzerland’s value as a test market, combine to make the country an excellent logistics hub for firms looking to develop their operations in Europe and beyond. This policy is well established in the region where:

• one in every two francs earned by companies comes from abroad;
• around 90% of foreign companies said they would decide again in favor of Switzerland if they had to relocate;
• the distribution infrastructure is among the most developed in the world.

The GGBa is easily accessible by road, rail or air – in line with the federal transport policy to improve Switzerland’s attractiveness to business. With 1.7km of roads per square kilometre, the country has one of the continent’s most densely developed highway networks. It is also at the crossroads of major, newly built routes connecting France, Italy and Germany.

Other logistical advantages:

• Rail: 19 out of every 20 passenger trains arrive at their destination within five minutes of their scheduled arrival time. Some 40% of goods are transported by rail in Switzerland. Connection to the European high-speed rail network (TGV and ICE) will make Switzerland the most important hub in Europe’s future high-speed network and shorten travel times to Paris, Lyon, Munich and Stuttgart.
• Air: The selection of airports and their proximity to city centers ensures that business travel need not be a headache. The journey from downtown Geneva to the city’s international airport is Europe’s shortest at just 4km, and numerous flag and low-cost carriers give access to the continent’s capitals. Berne-Belp airport boasts check-in times of only 15 minutes.
• Air freight is an important consideration for exporting companies. Geneva International Airport, Switzerland’s second largest, handled 48,894 metric tons of freight in 2008. The main products are chemical, pharmaceutical and hi-tech products, automotive components and perishables.