Other useful information for children
Free public transport
From January 2025, public transport in the canton of Geneva (buses, trolleybuses, trains, trams and « mouettes genevoises » boats) will be free for young people up to 24 years old.
Your child must have a SwissPass card to benefit from free travel. Order the card free of charge on the SwissPass website with the child’s ID or passport.
How activate the free subscription?
- If you have received a letter from the « Office cantonal des transports »: activate the online subscription on TPG Shop or CFF/Unireso
- If you have not received a letter: take your child’s SwissPass card, your child’s identity document and the school certificate and go to a TPG agency or an CFF passenger centre .
Who can benefit from it? All children up to the age of 24, with or without a residence permit, and living in Geneva are entitled to this free subscription.
Places for parents with children
Do you have children under the age of 4 and you are looking for a place to go play with them, and meet other parents? Are you looking for information and advice on your child’s education or health? These addresses are open to all parents and their children regardless of legal status, and will welcome you for free, without an appointment and without any judgement:
- Espace parents-enfants
10 Rue du Temple, 1201 Genève
Tel: 022 418 99 12
Lunch is provided free of charge. - Le Cerf-volant
82 Boulevard Carl-Vogt, 1205 Genève
Tel: 022 329 58 90 - Le « 99 », accueil parents-enfants Charmilles
99 Rue de Lyon, 1203 Genève
Tel: 022 418 95 99
Closed during school holidays. - ‘Bientôt à l’école’ : Information sessions for parents of children who are about to start school (What will my child do at school? How can I make the transition easier? What will my role as a parent be?) At the same time, there will be activities for the children: games, stories in French, and opportunities to meet their future schoolmates.
The « Bientôt à l’école ! » program is offered in five municipalities: Ville de Genève, Lancy, Onex, Vernier et Thônex.
There are other places for parents and children in the City of Geneva and in other areas (Onex, Versoix, Bernex, Meyrin, etc.). For more information, you can download the brochure (in French) by the Bureau de l’intégration et de la citoyenneté here.
Public libraries
Geneva’s public libraries (visit their website in French or download the leaflet in English) offer a wide range of services to their users, such as: lending books in different languages, access to international newspapers, multimedia spaces, as well as activities for children, cultural events, or simply a quiet place to study, etc.
Find the library closest to you hereand check out the program: agenda.
These services are almost always free and are accessible to everyone (with or without a residence permit). You can register at a library by showing an ID card or passport.
Neighborhood centres (maison de quartier)
Community centers (« Maisons de quartier ») are spaces intended for the residents of a neighborhood. They offer a variety of activities and services: language or cooking classes, activities for children (including during school holidays) or for adults, and participatory projects to improve neighborhood life.
They are open to all residents of the neighborhood (with or without a residence permit), and a map of community centers is available here, there is surely one near you!
Culture – « 20 ans – 20 francs » card
The « 20 Years, 20 Francs » card offers discounts on many cultural and sports activities in Geneva. It is valid from birth until the day before one’s 21st birthday.
To purchase the card, you only need to present the child’s ID card or passport. A Swiss residence permit is not required. For more information, visit the website (in French): http://www.20ans20francs.ch/
Good to know: almost all museums are free on the first Sunday of the month!
Updated text on April 2025