updated 7.3.2025

1. Housing

HIP summer students organize their own accommodation. CERN Housing Service offers different accommodation options and practical advice.

It’s easiest to book a room at CERN hotel or Schuman residence. You can make a room reservation using the hotel and hostel booking form (CERN status: “USER”, Reason for visit: “Experiment / Project Collaboration”, CERN guarantor: “Taina Onnela”, “taina.onnela@cern.ch”). Room reservations can also be made by calling +41 22 767 4481 or contacting housing.service@cern.ch. Hotel room rates on CERN’s main campus range from 14 to 64 CHF per night. In Schuman residence, a basic level hostel in Saint Genis Pouilly, France, room rates range from 21.20 to 37.60 € per night.

We recommend reserving a room as soon as you’ve been accepted to HIP’s summer student programme. It’s difficult to get free rooms as summer approaches. You can modify and cancel your reservation free of charge 2 days prior to your arrival.

If you want to try to rent a furnished room or apartment in France close to CERN, you can search on Marketplace. The most popular residential area is St. Genis Pouilly in France, 2.5 km from CERN’s main campus.

For rooms in Geneva pay a visit to CAGI housing platform. In their housing types section, you’ll find some references and a directory of student residences to contact. You can rent a room and, in some student residences, conclude a sublease contract with the resident.

Rental prices for apartments in France and Switzerland: room in a shared apartment in France starting 650 €/month, in Switzerland 700-1200 CHF/month. In some cases, you must pay separately also for water, electricity, and heating, unless these costs are included in the rent.

The rental agreement should be accompanied by a statutory “Constat d’état des lieux”, an inspection of the apartment. It’s carried out and signed by both parties at the beginning and at the end of the lease. You should require a copy of this document for yourself. The handing over and return of the keys should always be done in the presence of the landlord or a trustee and confirmed in writing. Home insurance is compulsory in France, in Switzerland it’s recommended.

The landlord has the right to require a rental guarantee. In France it equals to max 2 month’s rent, In Switzerland to max 3 month’s rent. But the most common practice for landlords is to ask for 1 month’s rent as a guarantee. The rental guarantee is returned within 1-2 month of handing over the apartment if there are no material damages. Normally the guarantee should be paid at the same time as the first month’s rent.

ATTENTION! Be cautious, scams are frequent both in Geneva and in neighbouring France! Always get as many details as possible from the person or entity renting the accommodation. Check the housing location. You can ask for a video call with a tour through the apartment. It’s best if you do not make any money transfers before you have been able to visit the property and draw up a proper rental agreement. Finnish office assists in housing related questions and offers French translation help.

2. Get around

The main campus, CERN-Meyrin is in Switzerland, 5 km from Geneva Airport, 7 km from Geneva city centre and 2.5 km from Saint Genis Pouilly in France. The smaller CERN-Prévessin is in France, 4 km from CERN’s main campus.

To get to CERN from the airport  you can use public transport TPG or taxi.

A good means of transport is a bicycle, as the distances are not long. It’s possible to borrow a bike from CERN for the summer. Bicycle rental is 1 CHF /day. You can borrow a helmet, safety vest and lock from the rental company. Remember to use safety vest and reflectors when cycling in the dark!

Once you’ve got your CERN access card you can use CERN shuttle service. Circuit 2 has a stop next to Schumann residence in Saint Genis Pouilly.

Geneva Public transport TPG operates also in neighboring France with bus lines 68, 66 and 67. Ticket prices change according to if you travel in Geneva only or if you cross the Swiss/French border. A ticket inside Geneva costs 3 CHF. A ticket for cross-border journeys costs €4.70. The exception is the journey between 2 stops Saint Genis Lion- CERN, which costs 2 €.

On the CERN campus the addresses of the offices are abbreviated as follows: building/floor-room, eg Finnish office is “32/1-B20” (B stands for the wing of the building). You can find your way around using CERN map.

3. Registration and permits

The registration process is initiated by the Finnish office 1-2 months before your arrival to CERN and you will be able to activate your computing account. The process is completed during your first working days in the USERS office and you will get your CERN access card. Holders of a valid passport, together with a valid Finland student residence permit will allow you to stay in Switzerland and France up to 3 months. NOTE! Your passport and residence permit MUST be valid for another 3 months after the end of your trip.

4. Insurance

University of Helsinki’s travel insurance covers only persons who belong to the Finnish social security system and have an employment contract. If you do not belong to the Finnish social security system, you will receive a grant, calculated to cover the cost of your travel insurance. The insurance should cover both accidents and illnesses while in Geneva region, both at work and during your free time. We expect you to acquire the travel insurance yourself. Some travel insurance options: SIP Integral , Aon Student Insurance and Swisscare of Switzerland . If you need assistance, feel free to contact Finnish office.

5. Travel arrangements

Finnish office arranges flight tickets only for persons with an employment contract. If you are a grant beneficiary, please buy your flight tickets yourself. The grant covers also the cost of your flight tickets. If you need assistance, feel free to contact Finnish office.

6. Opening hours

CERN’s official working day starts 8:30 and finishes 17:30. Lunch hour take place between 12:00-14:00. Coffee breaks at CERN are held around 10:00 and 16:00.

CERN’s Restaurant 1 and Restaurant 2 are situated on Meyrin campus, and Restaurant 3 on Prevessin campus. Restaurant 1 is open 6:00-22:00 every day. For more information see CERN restaurants, cafeterias and vending machines.

Users Office is open on weekdays 8:30-12:30 and 14:00-16:00. Closed on Wednesday mornings. Kiosk / Post office is open on weekdays 7:30-16:00.

7. Other

The universal emergency number 112 operates in Switzerland and France. CERN’s internal emergency number is +41 22 767 4444.

Your postal address is your name + CERN / EP, CH-1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland.

The official languages ​​at CERN are English and French. You can cope well with English only. However, in the region, outside CERN, the main language is French, and it’s recommended to master some basics in the local language.

Food price level in Switzerland is higher than in Finland. In France, food prices are quite the same as in Finland. French and Swiss supermarkets are quite like the Finnish ones. The only difference is that you can buy strong liquors in all of them except in Migros stores.

A new educational and outreach facility Science gateway opened for the public in October 2023. In addition to restaurants, cafés, kiosk, and post office CERN also has a bank, and several clubs, such as Frisbee-, climbing-, and tabletop games club.

We hope this guide has answered some of your questions. In addition to Finnish office in 32/1-B20, you can get help from Users office, your experiment secretariat, your supervisors and your colleagues. Welcome to CERN!

8. Links

Housing links

Other links

Abbreviations

CERN Summer student and Student programmes