Do you need a Vignette to travel the roads of Switzerland, and how can I obtain one?
To drive on Swiss motorways if I recall correctly one needs a Vignette based on what I have been reading I should be able to buy it at various places in the country.
I am renting a car in Frankfurt and my travels will take me through Switzerland for a day or 2 so it begs the question:
- Do car rental companies in Germany provide a Vignette for the car already?
or
- Can I buy or rent a Swiss Vignette from them?
Best Answer
In Germany there are no special vignettes - it's all free. But yes, as already written in the comments, in Switzerland you need a vignette. The vignette costs 40 Swiss Francs and will be valid for one year. There is only this one version. The vignette is only needed for motorways, not for the rest.
You can buy them at gas stations, or - most often - somewhere at the border. If you enter Switzerland, watch for some "Vignettes here" signs, or just go to the next gas station. The vignette has to be put onto the front windshield. If you just have it, but it is not stuck to the windshield, it is not valid.
Pictures about "Do you need a Vignette to travel the roads of Switzerland, and how can I obtain one?"
Can you drive in Switzerland without vignette?
You can drive without vignette in Switzerland. Just when caught without on motorways, you will have to pay a CHF 200 fine in addition to buying the vignette for an other CHF 40.How do I get a vignette in Switzerland?
In Switzerland you can buy the motorway vignette at filling stations, post offices, and at customs posts at the border. You can also get it online from the Swiss Post website.How much does a Swiss vignette cost?
Any car, motorcycle or trailer using the motorways will need one: the motorway vignette. The sticker is valid from December 2020 until 31 January 2022 and costs 40 francs. You can save money by keeping an eye out for special offers.How do you pay for toll roads in Switzerland?
You can buy one at most border crossings, gas stations and post offices in Switzerland and neighboring countries. We reccomend buying one online, which will save you time at the border as you can use the fast lane and not wait behind those buying it.Things to know before entering Switzerland by road - Border Control - Swiss Motorway Vignette
More answers regarding do you need a Vignette to travel the roads of Switzerland, and how can I obtain one?
Answer 2
Everthing is clearly explained in the Swiss Autobahnen site .
The vignette is required for most major highways, and costs 40 swiss francs. In can be bought at "post offices, petrol stations, garages, touring club offices (TCS) and Customs".
The time I used it I had rented a car in Frankfurt. As far as I recall, I got it at the border.
Answer 3
Edited
1: check with your car rental company about the vignette. Border areas will most likely provide a car with the vignette already affixed if they know you will be traversing Switzerland.
2: Renting a vignette is not possible. Buying one is simple
Previously
In Switzerland you need a vignette to use the motorways.
It costs 40 CHF and is available in numerous places. If you are driving into Switzerland, stop off at the customs and you can buy one there. Check the Swiss tourist website for more information.
Answer 4
Other answers have covered the options of buying a Swiss vignette, however there's one more option you can try.
When you get to the rental agency, ask if they have a car with a Swiss vignette in their inventory. While this may seem far-fetched, I've actually seen rental cars in Czech Republic with a valid Swiss vignette. Since they're valid for 14 months and no short-term options exist, any car that's driven into Switzerland in the past year would likely have one stuck on the windshield.
Answer 5
Buying a Swiss Vignette is actually very simple and it may be possible to obtain a rental car with Vignette already but usually that will only happen if someone had purchased one when driving to Switzerland.
Having said that to obtain a Vignette all one needs to do is purchase one at the border from the police officer.
Lanes while crossing the border are divided into 2 lanes left for the through traffic and right for the local or traffic that needs vignettes or have other business at the border. Driving to the right you will be greeted by a police office who will happily sell you a Vignette for 40CHF or 40 Euro.
Answer 6
When I last travelled to switzerland by car I was able to buy a Vignette in Frankfurt, at ADAC
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: George Becker, Athena, Andrea Piacquadio, veeterzy