Visitor information

Welcome to ITU – and welcome to Geneva!

From accessing the ITU building to finding a hotel and enjoying your free time in Switzerland, we’ve put together useful information and links to make sure your stay in Geneva is as smooth-running and enjoyable as possible.  Find out more in each category below.

A bird's eye view of the three buildings making up the ITU campus in Geneva

Wayfinding app

Download our inclusive app to guide you around ITU.

AudioSpot accessible guide to the ITU campus

Finding your way around ITU

ITU’s headquarters are made up of three interlinked buildings, Montbrillant, the Tower and Varembé.  The ITU circulation plan shows how the buildings are connected.

 Access is provided by RFID security photo badges issued during registration in the Montbrillant building.

There are three entrances:

  • The Montbrillant entrance (2 rue de Varembé, extension 6788 or 6789) is open from 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, entry and exit. This is where delegate registration takes place.
  • The Tower entrance (53, av. Giuseppe Motta, extension 5107 or 5108) is open Monday to Friday from 0700 to 2000 hours (exit 24 hours).
  • The Varembé entrance is accessible to security photo badge holders for exit only, 24 hours a day.

Office numbers in the three buildings begin with M, T and V, respectively.

  • Find the IT Service Desk in room V054 by the cafeteria or at ServiceDesk@itu.int.
  • Lockers are available in the Montbrillant and Tower receptions, and the Tower basement; access is provided using your security photo badge.
  • Cafeterias located at the top of the Tower building and between the Varembé and Montbrillant buildings are open Monday to Friday from 0800 to 1700 hours.
  • Toilets are clearly signposted around all delegate areas.

 You can book a small meeting room for your own use at room.management@itu.int.

Conference meeting rooms

Conference meeting rooms and other areas you may need to visit are located as follows:

Montbrillant Meeting rooms: H1, H2, K1, K2, L1, L2, M1, M2.
Other: Library (0900-1200, 1400-1700 hours).
Varembé Meeting rooms: A, E, G1, G2, G3.
Other: TIES helpdesk, medical services.
Tower Meeting rooms: Popov, C, D, T101, T103.
NOTE – Meeting room allocations are shown on the electronic boards and also listed here.

Contact details across ITU.

Post Adress

International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Place des Nations
1211 Geneva 20 Switzerland

General enquiries

Voice: +41 22 730 5111 (ITU Switchboard)
Fax: +41 22 733 7256
Email: itumail@itu.int

Radiocommunication Bureau (BR)

Voice: +41 22 730 5560
Fax: +41 22 730 5785
Email: brmail@itu.int

Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau (TSB)

Voice: +41 22 730 5852
Fax: +41 22 730 5853
Email: tsbmail@itu.int

Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)

Voice: +41 22 730 5435
Fax: +41 22 730 5484
Email: bdtmail@itu.int

Press Office (media only)

Voice: +41 22 730 6039
Fax: +41 22 730 5939
Email: pressinfo@itu.int

Languages

Email: languages@itu.int

Publication Sales

Voice: +41 22 730 6141
Fax: + 41 22 730 5194
Email: sales@itu.int

Membership Affairs

Fax: +41 22 730 6675
Email: memberstates@itu.int for Member States
Email: membership@itu.int for Sector Members, Associates & Academia ​

Library and Archives

Voice: +41 22 730 6900
Fax: + 41 22 730 5326
Email: library@itu.int

Information Services

Voice: +41 22 730 5554 (Administration) +41 22 730 6666 (Service Desk)
Fax: +41 22 730 5337
Email: ServiceDesk@itu.int  (TIES Inquiries) webmaster@itu.int  (Web Technical Questions) hostmaster@itu.int  (DNS Questions)

UN and Liaison Office

ITU is a specialized agency of the United Nations and maintains a liaison office with the UN in New York. Office DC2-2524, 2 United Nations Plaza – New York, NY, 10017
E-mail: wynhoven@un.orgursula.wynhoven@itu.int
Tel.:  +1 917 214 5584​

ITU security/Operations Hub:

0022 730 6788

Montbrillant Building (physical presence 24/7)
You can also contact ITU’s Head of Safety, Security and Resilience Division at +41 79 715 8477 and/or security@itu.int.

Police​: ​117
Fire​:​118
Ambulance​:​144

Medical facilities

ITU Medical Service:

022 730 60 60
Varembé building, first floor (V.16)
0830-1630 non-stop

Vermont: Grand-Pré medical centre
022 734 5150
9A rue de Vermont

Centre Médical de la Servette
022 795 2525
17 avenue De-Luserna

La Servette Dental Clinic
022 733 9800
60 avenue Wendt

SOS Médecins
022 748 4950
The doctor will visit your hotel/residence

Pharmacies

Pharmacie populaire
022 318 6912
67 rue de Montbrillant

Pharmacie des Colombettes
022 740 0160
1 chemin des Colombettes

Pharmacies outside normal opening hours

After 2300 hours, call 144 to find out which pharmacy is on special late-night duty

Safe and professional environment

Adhering to UN values of integrity, respect for diversity and professionalism, ITU events and conferences offer a professional and respectful environment, free of discrimination and harassment. The CEB-endorsed Code of Conduct to Prevent Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment, at United Nations System Events is now applicable to all ITU meetings, conferences and events wherever they take place. The Code of Conduct is available online.

If you have experienced or witnessed harassment or sexual harassment, you can seek advice and support, and report to ITU Ethics Office through HelplineITU@protonmail.com.  You can also contact ITU’s Head of Safety and Security Division at +41 79 715 8477 and/or security@itu.int.

Environmental sustainability

ITU is committed to continuously improve its environmental impact.  Here’s how you can support us: ​​

  • ​ Bring your own reusable water bottle. The water in Switzerland is of very high quality and can be drunk from every tap. This is much more environmentally friendly than bottled water.
  • If you arrive in Geneva by plane, choose a lower-emissions flight. Direct flights are usually greener. If you wish to offset the emissions from your flight, use the ICAO calculator to calculate your emissions and offset here.
  • Recycle your waste at one of the many recycling stations. Badges can be recycled in the Montbrillant entrance area.
  •  Use online options instead of printing event information or exchanging business cards.
  • Switch off lights and IT equipment when not in use in both conference and hotel rooms and enable energy-saving features on your devices

Click here to learn more about ITU’s greening efforts.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact green@itu.int

Around Geneva

Getting to ITU Headquarters

From Geneva Cointrin airport: public transport in Geneva is frequent and reliable. You can buy bus tickets from the ticket machines at the airport bus stop or from the ticket machine located just before the customs control area in the luggage claim area. Buses run every 10 – 15 minutes until 1900, after which they are less frequent. The journey to ITU Headquarters from the airport takes 17 minutes.

  • Bus 5 (direction “Thônex-Vallard”, get off at Nations)
  • Bus 28 (direction “Jardin botanique”, get off at Nations)

More information

Taxis can be ordered online or by telephone (022 331 4133), or picked up at the 60 or so taxi ranks located around the city and at the airport. The fare from the airport to the city centre varies from CHF 30 to 35 and depends on traffic flow, time of day and number of passengers. Within Geneva, including the airport, the fare is shown on the meter.

The driver will make a small additional charge for luggage. The tip and VAT are included in the fare, but it is customary to give one or two francs extra.

From the railway station or city centre: frequent bus and tram services throughout the day for the 10-minute journey to the ITU buildings. The fare is CHF 3.00 for the ‘’Tout Genève” ticket valid for one hour.

  • Bus 5 (direction “Aéroport”, get off at Nations)
  • Bus 8 (direction “OMS”, get ​off at UIT)
  • Bus 11 (direction “Jardin Botanique”, get off at UIT)
  • Bus 22 (direction “Nations”, get off at UIT)
  • Tram 15 (direction “Nations”, get off at Nations)

Getting around Geneva

Many hotels and hostels offer a Geneva Transport Card gives free access to public transport in Geneva – ask your hotel for more information or check Genève Tourisme.

Geneva’s public transport system is operated by the Transports publics genevois (TPG) – the website provides details of timetables, routes and fares. Unless you have a weekly or monthly pass, you have to buy your ticket at the machine located at the bus stop in CHF and EUR, cash or card.

Various outlets, including TPG agencies and newspaper shops, also sell prepaid cards (tpgPay) to buy tickets from the machines at bus stops.

 Car rental and parking

 Most major car rental companies are represented at the airport. Parking is available at the Parking des Nations, adjacent to ITU.

Our travel pages provide details of booking hotels in Geneva, including a list of hotels where ITU delegates may benefit from special terms, a confirmation form and helpful information.

A list of shops and companies near to the ITU premises – no recommendation or preference is implied.

Bank

UBS, 17 chemin Louis-Dunant (opposite the Tower building):

Monday to Friday from 0830 to 1630 hours

Cash dispensers outside the bank are available 24/7

Post office

CICG branch office, 15 rue de Varembé:

  • Monday to Friday from 0800 to 1200 and from 1400 to 1800 hours
  • Saturday from 0800 to 1100 hours.

Montbrillant main office, 16 rue des Gares:

  • Monday to Friday from 0800 to 2000 hours
  • Saturday from 0800 to 1200 hours
  • Sunday from 1600 to 1900 hours.

Supermarkets

  • Coop, 90 rue de Montbrillant
  • Migros, 5 rue du Vidollet

Shopping

  • Balexert shopping centre near the airport.
  • Tax-free shopping at the SAFI store in the UN Office in Geneva campus Palais des Nations (for delegates and international organization staff): Monday to Friday from 1200 to 1830 hours.
  • Normal shopping hours in Geneva:
    • Monday to Friday from 0830 to 1830 hours (many stores remain open until 2100 hours on Thursdays)
    • Saturday from 0830 to 1800 hours
    • Sunday closed (except for petrol stations, newsagents and the airport shopping complex).ry

Dry cleaning

 

  • Atelier Pressing Quotidien, 59 avenue Wendt
  • En 5 Sec, in “La Tourelle” shopping centre
  • Pressing Inter, 37 rue de Moillebeau

Useful information

  • The voltage in Switzerland is similar to that in most other European countries, i.e. 230V/50Hz. Switzerland uses two types of electric plug: type C (two pins) and type J (three pins).
  • Religious worship
    Many faiths and observances are officially represented within the canton of Geneva. On Saturdays, the Geneva newspapers carry details of the various possibilities for worship.

Geneva

  • Cinemas showing films in French (VF) and in the original language (VO) include Pathé Balexert (on the first floor of the Balexert shopping centre), the Scala (23 rue des Eaux-Vives), the Rex (8 rue de la Conféderation, in the heart of the city) and the Rialto (33 boulevard James-Fazy, beside the main railway station).
  • Theatres:
  • Comédie de Genève

Switzerland

Tourism, transport, sport, culture, restaurants, accommodation