In an effort to fight traffic and congestion, only cars with at least two passengers will be allowed to use the new lane that runs along the Thônex-Vallard border crossing into France.
For the next year, the carpool lane will be tested as an experiment. It will be open heading into Geneva between 6-9AM and then in the other direction between 4-7PM.
The pilot project is a joint initiative by the Geneva Department of Infrastructure and the Mont Blanc Autoroutes and Tunnel (ATMB), who say it could cut travel time by as much as 33%.
Above: The new initiative runs along the Thônex-Vallard border crossing between France and Switzerland.
Authorities say that the Thônex-Vallard border currently sees up to 22,000 vehicles cross on particularly busy days and 17,000 vehicles on normal days. This regularly creates congestion and delays.
READ MORE: Geneva and Zurich among world's worst for traffic: report
The lane runs for 550 metres on the French side of the border and 450 metres on the Swiss side.
Drivers who are caught using the lane without a second passenger on the French side of the border will be fined 22 Euros. Currently, the same infraction will not incur a penalty in Switzerland.
The carpool lane was opened on Monday 8th October and will be tested until September 2019.
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