bisnco Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Hi we are going on a 6 week tour through Belgium, Germany, Italy Switzerland and back through France, our motorhome is over 3.5t We will be staying in Interlaken (Switzerland) for 5 days. We will need to get from Germany to Italy via either Austria or Switzerland. can anyone explain simply what the rules are for both Austria and Switzerland. For example if we pass through Switzerland on 1 day and then drive to Interlaken on another day stay for 5 days and then drive to France on another day. Can I just buy 3 days worth of tolls. How easy is it, and are they roads suitable for a 7.74m motorhome, to drive through Austria to Italy without using motorways and hence the need for a go box, or how much will a go box cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I'm sure someone better qualified than me will come along shortly and help you with routes but if I can help with sites we visited quite a few in that area and I have listed some of them in the Sites section. If you want first hand info on any of them, in particular access for larger units then send me a PM. http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=22018&posts=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeddykay Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 If you use any motorway in Switzerland you have to buy an annual vignette costing (last year) about £30+. That's even if you only use a motorway for a few hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Hi, My vehicle is 3.5 tonnes so doesnt need a go box Over 3.5 does need a gobox and I am told it cost you a significant sum of money. Under 3.5 we bought a sticker at the border crossing from germany to Austria (10 day validity) and going from Austria to Switzerland had to get another sticker again at frontier,(Valid for 1 year) and had to pay in Swiss francs, so euro to swiss francs rate upped the cost a bit. Not much help for you though over 3.5 tonnes unless you can find a route totally avoiding motorways. I beleive the fine for not having box is very costly . good luck Enjoy your trip. tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 zeddykay - 2011-04-01 5:05 PM If you use any motorway in Switzerland you have to buy an annual vignette costing (last year) about £30+. That's even if you only use a motorway for a few hours! That only applies to under 3500kg. Over 3500kg you can buy a 10 day vignette & choose which days you use like a scratch card parking ticket. For Austria you will have to hire a "GO" box from the first service area costs a 5€ activation fee and I think it's a 60 or 65€ deposit costs per km varies depending on you emissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Welcome to the forum bisnco. If you keep off the motorways in Austria and Switzerland, then you don't pay anything. Same goes for France.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We were in Austria recently in a 3.7t van and decided to avoid the toll roads which we did easily enough as we were in Tirol which only really has the east/west main motorway. Travelling on the parallel main road was quite slow as for 30 miles there was what felt like no more than 1/2 mile between 50kph zones. The signposts are readily recognisible for motorway toll roads. We went through a few tunnels for whch we paid the usual fee separate to the gobox scheme. I downloaded and printed off a map from an Austrian gov't website which showed all the toll roads and kept it in the road atlas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 As has been pointed out you can buy short stay ticket if you are over 3.5 ton in Switzerland but personally if you are not in a hurry would not bother, their M/W are easily avoided. Austria you need a go box and their toll roads are far harder to avoid, they are not all M/W as we know them and some are not marked as such. Maybe best to try and pass Austria altogether or get a go box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Welcome to the forum. ;-) It's been discussed a few times on here, so a quick summary, and then some references. As you are over 3.5t... In Switzerland ...you will need (at cost) paperwork to permit use of any road, not just motorways. There are several options for this, and, surprisingly, for most people who holiday once a year and for a restricted time in Switzerland, it is cheaper than the vignette that vehicles less than 3.5t need for motorway use only. Paperwork should be arranged at the border; the customs posts are well set up for it, but there may be a queue at the busier crossing points. In Austria ....you will need a Go Box, but only if you use the motorway (and some expressways). This will not be cheap, and I understand the system is now even more complicated as the tolls are now emissions-based as well as mileage based. It is possible to cross from Germany to Italy through Austria without using the motorways, I've done it some years ago, and a comprehensive route listing has been posted on here relatively recently (I'll do a search). It is worth noting that HGV 3.5t limits are not considered to apply to motorhomes in Austria (i.e. the 3.5t limit signs accompanied by a pictogram of a truck/lorry) - other 3.5t limits are absolute. If you can ignore the disputed advice in the following you should find them useful in adding some detail of options: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=18425&posts=11 http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=21075&posts=13 http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19134&posts=25 ....and as for the toll-free route between Germany and Italy across Austria, I think there was another detailed description elsewhere, but Brian Kirby's description (in reverse) in the following post should give a very good idea: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=19458&posts=5 HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 My apologies bisnco. Robinhood's ref. to In Switzerland, is correct for over 3.5TDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisnco Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 I am extremely grateful for the detailed replies. My first instict is to avoid Austria, but we are going to Fussen so a route through Austria avoiding the tolls and go box requirements would be handy. A few more hours studying maps and the internet should sort it out one way or the other. A great forum I am so glad I joined, I have been a subscriber of the magazine for over 2 years, didn't realise how much help was out there thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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