Swiss Road Toll Vignettes

[Guest RonB]

Owners of heavy motorhomes contemplating a visit to Switzerland should be alert to the fact that they should not purchase a road toll 'vignette'. These are only legal for vehicles up to 3500kg in weight. A separate system operates for heavy vehicles. An earlier posting on this subject showed that there is some confusion about the Swiss toll charging system and even motoring and travel organisations could not get it right when surveyed. To make matters worse I find that the Swiss Tourist Office are selling vignettes over the internet without any warning about the weight cut-off point. I can well imagine that some owners will have already purchased these in error and now face the inevitable fines if or when stopped. They go on to further confuse the issue by stating that "anyone driving a vehicle on a toll road without an affixed valid vignette is liable to a fine of SF 100 - plus the compulsory vignette fee of SF 40." This is incorrect, again it does not apply to heavy vehicles. For clarity the basic road toll system works as follows; 1. Vehicles up to 3500kg receive a 'vignette' (windscreen sticker)and pay a one-off charge, currently SF 40. The vignette can be used at any time and repeatedly up until its set yearly period expires on the 31 January. 2. Vehicles over 3500kg operate under a different system. Owners need to report to the border Customs Office where forms will be processed and they will be given a copy. They will be charged at a higher rate and for the period they require. This period can be extended at extra cost at any Swiss Main Post Office on production of their copy documents. Charges are in the range of SF 32.50 for a week, SF 58.50 for a month,etc. For these vehicles A VIGNETTE IS NOT ISSUED. Watch it. Isn't life complicated? Ron

[Guest PeteC]

Something similar applies in Austria & according to another post is also to be introduced in Germany Sems we will have to travel to Bilbao to get to Spain & Portugal in furture

[Guest Neal]

Pete What's wrong with driving through France for Spain & Portugal? Simple system - pay as you go or use N roads. Or have they moved France since I last looked?? Regards Neal

[Guest Mike]

Where do you obtain vignettes for vehicles under 3500kg?

[Guest RonB]

Mike Before you go - Online through the Swiss Tourist Office website (myswitzerland.com). In Switzerland - At the border as you drive through,post offices,customs offices,service stations. All the best Ron

[Guest Pat]

When I was sending trucks to Swiss a couple of years ago they had to register at the border with the V5 credit card and permit a identity card was issued for the truck and we had to pay per kilometre traveled whilst in Swiss, but this was for trucks which were either delvering in or transiting Swiss en route to Italy but had to be under 26000kgs to do so!! Is this the sort of thing required now? Pat

[vaughan669]

The easy answer to Swssl Motorway tolls is don't use the motorways. Normal roads are quite adequate. I entered Switzerland via the Spugel pass summer before last and paid the SF40 for a vignette at the instigation of the border people. Total waste of money. I only travelled about 20 miles on the motorway and could have quite easily used ordinary roads. Much prettier routes as well. I don't use the toll roads in France or Spain. Far more enjoyable with easier access to Aires. Vaughan

[Mel E]

I enetered S recently on a motorway and was amazed that, as I was queuing for a vignette, the vast majority of cars were simply using the bypass lane (they had no vignette!). At the NEC a couple of weeks ago, the Swiss rep there was mortified I'd paid for a vignette. 'Nobody does', he said. 'They never check for them.' But we did use a reasonable amount of motorway. I guess you takes your choice . . .

[starvin marvin]

I agree with Mel E, on my trips thro' Switzerland on M'ways I've never bought one, and never been stopped. I did once pull into a m'way service area and saw men in uniform with clipboards checking vehicles and I quickly drove off. The first time I did it I was towing a caravan, so I saved twice, cos you should pay for both. Similarly I've never bought one in Austria or Hungary and so far I'm quids in. The trick is hold your nerve, and don't stop on the M'way.

[RonB]

Good grief! Lets keep a bit of perspective here, we are talking just £17.50 for over a years use if you are under 3500kg. It must be one of the cheapest tolls anywhere and simply not worth all the aggro to avoid it.

[Guest bil h]

bil says the Vignette he bought and stuck to the windscreen was impossible to move when he changed vehicles during that one year period Yes it can be removed but in a hundred tiny pieces !! BB

[RonB]

Pat - It might be for trucks, I don't know, but not for motorhomes if that is your question?

[passionwagon]

8-) For MH over 3.5 tonnes you will have to purchase a one day or 10 day or one month or greater large vehicle ticket. The 10 day costs 32.5sf. You purchase the ticket at the border offices. They will want to see the V5.It does not go on the screen but has the value that you only use each day by cancelling that day if you are on the road. Very good as you may well be on site for a couple of days. The tisket is for motorways and major trunk roads. You may well be able to navigate without using these roads but if a diversion takes you on to one then they will catch you-the traffic police wait at the entry to the diversion. ;-)

[RonB]

Again for the sake of clarity. Vehicles over 3500kg do not receive a ticket. You receive paperwork (Form 15.91) which is a copy of the documents you have previously filled in. You can buy any number of CONSECUTIVE days you like at SF3.25, or pay a reduced months rate of SF58.50, or a yearly rate of SF650. You can also chose to buy ten INDIVIDUALLY chosen days at a cost of SF32.50. However, the days are for the whole period you are in Switzerland whether you are on the motorways or not. In other words you cannot use a day just to get to your campsite, stay a fortnight, and then use another day to leave the country, you need to pay for the whole fortnight. Like Britain, it's not really a road tax but a general tax operation. The INDIVIDUAL payment option is really for people who need to come and go over the border at set times and saves them having to keep reporting to the border customs office on each crossing. Over twoyears ago, when this thread first started, I said things were confusing - nothings changed! Have fun. Ron.