Train, Mobility, motorbike or car? Which is the best?

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Good Afternoon

I need help trying to decide what is the best solution for me to commute between the airport and the Lausanne area. I got married this year to a Swiss citizen who is now living and working in the area, but I am still working outside Switzerland.

My problem is that my wife is not living next to Lausanne station, and the time of the flight I am most likely to take arrives at 23:15 in Geneve. The last train I can take to connect in Lausanne is at 23:41, which could be very risky with the delays that could occur.

In the opposite direction there are also restrictions, since it is impossible to take a train early enough, where my wife lives, to take a flight at 06:00 in the morning.

Solutions currently on the table:

1. Train (Demi-Tarif) + Mobility when I can't catch a train. 40 to 60CHF from home to the airport.

2. Buy a motorcycle (I have European A+B license), and take advantage of the free parking at the airport and in front of the house.

3. Buy a car as it might come in handy in the future where my wife lives and for the children coming.

Doubts I have:

A. Can a non-Swiss citizen but married to a Swiss citizen register and drive Mobility cars?

B. Can a non-Swiss citizen buy and drive a Swiss registered vehicle?

C. Can a Swiss citizen (my wife) buy and register a vehicle even though she does not have a driver's license, so that I can drive it?

D. Apart from the expense of the purchase, gasoline, maintenance and macarron, what expenses would I have with the purchase of a vehicle?

E. Is there a parking space at Geneve airport that you can pay monthly at a discount for aviation workers?

Thanks for your help.

Antonio

2
Are you a legal resident? i.e. Do you have a permit?

3
No. Not yet. My wife is still updating her data with the authorities (consulate, etc).

Should I wait until I get the permit?

4
as soon as you are resident in switzerland with a swiss driving license (you have to convert it within a certain time), it doesn't matter if you're not swiss when it comes to buying a car.

If you are nothing more than a tourist in switzerland when you are there, having a swiss registered vehicle is likely not possible.

But you can use mobility, it's a private corp and they choose to allow non-residents to make use of the services according to their FAQ.

You just cannot go across the border with their vehicles if you are resident in the EU, but that's not relevant for you.

Tbh if you're planning on moving your residence to Switzerland soon, I would just use mobility and then buy a car after, in your name.

D. don't forget insurance, parking, switching and storage of the winter/summer tires (unless you do it yourself)

5
I see a later direct airport Lausanne train leaving at 00h11.

If you are flying from another Schengen airport without checked luggage you probably can get from the plane to the train in 15 minutes.

GVA has a strict curfew between midnight and 06h00 with exceptions granted only in exceptional circumstances. A delayed flight doesn’t normally qualify for an exception. You are more likely to be diverted than land after midnight.

6
The train that leaves at 00:10, does not have ant connection when arriving in Lausanne. She doesn't live near the station.

The same problem arises when I have to take the 6am flight...

7

Mobility is available for people with residence outside of Switzerland. Check the FAQ under Abroad label:

https://www.mobility.ch/en/faq

However, cars can be reserved only 72 hours in advance. I use mobility to avoid pulling luggage to the airport. But sometimes, I end up pulling it on old trains with steps and narrow doors because “no car available” for 1 way trips :confused:

If no car available when you want to book, you can call them and sometimes they manage to deliver one there after the app shows “no cars available”. Not sure if this solution is resilient enough or will just become a problem by itself.

8
With Mobility, I guess you would be using the "Return" mode where you return the car back where you took it from (i.e. at the airport), right? Otherwise the OneWay system doesn't seem to work for your situation (there is a OneWay station in the airport but only one in center Lausanne). How long will your stays be in Switzerland? Over a full weekend the Mobility rental could end up costing a bit... check their calculator

In Lausanne area there are "night buses" in some places, maybe you can park a car or motorbike at the limits as a sort of park-and-ride (don't know how/where you can find any such spot). Rent a parking space privately at the limits of Lausanne?

But otherwise yes, this sounds like an impossible schedule, especially if your wife doesn't drive and you can't have someone pick you up. Move family somewhere closer to Geneva? It would be a serious question to ask in this situation

9
Just saw that about "one way" mobility. Didn't known it worked this way. I thought it was a "normal" car sharing service. Not an option in this case...

Last option: buying a motorcycle...

I just figured that I won't be able to change my home address to Switzerland.

Am I even allowed to buy a vehicle?

Can my wife buy one, without having a drivers licence? If yes, may I drive it?