FAQ

Find below the answer to frequently asked questions. Should you not find the information you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact us.

Group bookings (12 visitors and more)

I cannot select the date of my choice. Is this normal?

If the date you want cannot be selected, it means that we cannot take any more groups on this date.

CERN receives twice as many requests as it has places available, so you are advised to book your tour as early as possible. Group (12 visitors and more) booking are opened 9 monts in advance and slots fill up in days.

Why do you ask if we have our own coach (group guided tours only)?

Some of the places visited on guided tours are a long way from the CERN Reception (up to 15 km away). It is therefore important to organise transport. CERN has a limited number of coaches/minibuses to transport visitors. If you have your own coach/minibus, we will use it during the tour to travel between the visit points. Please make sure that the driver is aware of this and is prepared to drive you. Please note that the use of private cars is not allowed. Only coaches/minibuses (with 20 to 50 seats) are allowed to bring tour parties onto our sites.

Can my group have lunch in CERN restaurant ?

You can request for your group to have lunch in one of CERN’s on-site cafeterias at the registration time. This request has to be accepted by CERN Visits service as we have limited capacity. You will be informed quickly of the decision.

If you omitted to request for this option, please contact us and provide your group booking reference number.

If your request has been accepted, and about 2 weeks before your visit, CERN Visits Service will assign you the restaurant and the time which suits the best your programme. You will be informed of the restaurant and the time your group has been assigned to at your arrival at CERN Science Gateway reception.

Please note that it is not possible to change the restaurant nor the time assigned to your group.
Refrain from contacting any CERN restaurants' management directly (unless instructed by us).

Cost for a meal in CERN restaurants vary from around 10 CHF to 20 CHF depending on the restaurant and the meal.
Payments are possible in cash in CHF and EUR (but change is always returned in CHF) or by most credit/debit cards.

Can CERN provide a risk assessment document or help to write one?

No. As the applicable laws differ from one country to another, CERN is unable to provide a standard risk assessment document. A medical service and fire brigade are based on the Meyrin site, and strict safety rules are in place to protect everyone working at or visiting CERN.

How can I cancel a group booking?

Connect to http://myguidedtours.cern.ch with your login, select the request and click on Cancel the visit in the Other actions menu at the top.

How can I make a change to my group booking: date, number of visitors, activities, use of the restaurants, language, etc.?

Please submit a request using the contact form, quoting the reference number of your request. This number can be found in the automated e mails that have been sent to you and on the myguidedtours.cern.ch website.

Do I need to provide a list of visitors' names?

Only if you have requested a guided tour as the visitors will enter the CERN fenced sites.

Once your guided tour request has been approved, you will be given access to a form available on myguidedtours.cern.ch to provide details of all the members of your party (first name, last name, nationality, date and place of birth).

If you have not requested a guided tour, the list of visitors is not required.

The form on myguidedtours.cern.ch does not accept certain names. Is this normal?

Make sure you enter only unaccented Latin characters, as shown in the machine-readable part of your identity document.

Do I have to fill in all visitors’ details in one go?

No. You can save the form and come back later to enter additional information. All visitors' details must be provided within 48 hours in the case of individual guided tours or at least 21 days before the guided tour in the case of group guided tours, otherwise visitors whose details are incomplete will be removed from the tour booking.

Can I modify visitors' details? Until what point? Can they be changed at any time?

Yes, you are welcome to inform us of any changes, up to one day before the guided tour. No updates are possible on the day before the guided tour as this is when we need to print visitors' cards. You can inform the Reception staff of any last-minute changes when you arrive.

What should I do if I have last-minute changes to visitors’ details that I am unable to inform you of in time?

As soon as you arrive at the CERN Reception, please inform us of any last-minute changes. You will be requested to provide details of all visitors whose information has changed or who are not attending. Please note that the time needed to provide this information may reduce the duration of your guided tour. You are therefore advised to inform us of any changes online, up to one day before the guided tour.

Can I add last-minute visitors?

No. Only the number of visitors registered on myguidedtours.cern.ch will be allowed to take part in the guided tour. Any visitors who have not been registered may visit the permanent exhibitions during the guided tour.

I do not know the identity of the coach drivers. What should I do?

This information is not mandatory before your arrival, but you will have to provide it when you arrive at the CERN Reception at the latest. Make sure that you have this information with you.

Am I authorised to use the CERN logo on the clothes worn by the members of my group?

No. The CERN logo is the property of CERN, and its use on any item produced by an external organisation is not permitted under any circumstances, including in the context of a school visit. However, the use of phrases such as “Visit to CERN, Geneva, Switzerland” is acceptable.

Is it possible to stay at the CERN hostel with my group?

Yes, but availability is limited. School groups visiting CERN may apply to stay in the CERN hostel if all the members of the group are at least 16 years of age and have already been registered for a guided tour by the Visits Service. Teachers will be responsible for the group throughout the stay and must remain in the hostel with the pupils at all times. One teacher is required for every 10 pupils. Bookings cannot be made more than 90 days in advance of the tour and are limited to a maximum of three nights. Please note that no bookings are possible in June, July, August or September.

For all hostel bookings, please contact: CERN Hostel once your guided tour has been confirmed by the Visits Service.

Is there any cheap accommodation available for young people in Geneva?

Many school groups use the Geneva youth hostel. You can also find hotels nearby on Google Maps.