Swiss Motorway Travel... (1 Viewer)

[hilldweller]

Can anyone point to the prices for MHs too heavy to buy the 3.5t vignette to travel on the Swiss motorways please.

 

[andycotterell]

Hi Hilldweller

I just passed through Switzerland three weeks ago in my heavier than 3500 Kg van so I have the prices to hand. I was expecting to arrange it at my first motorway stop inside the country (as you do in most European countries) but they insisted on sorting it at the border crossing. As far as I can gather, this is because you have to pay to go on all roads if you are above 3500 Kg; not just motorways.

All of these charges have to be paid in advance.

Daily charge is CHF 3.25 - you can choose the number of days.
Monthly charge is CHF 58.50 - you can choose the number of months.
1 year is CHF 650.
A ten day pass is CHF 32.50. The days don't have to be consecutive, you just have to enter the day(s) on which you will be on Swiss roads before you arrive.

Hope this helps.

Andy

 

[olley]

Hi according to another poster on another site, I believe he got his info from the Swiss embassy, you have to pay for everyday that you stay in Switzerland, whether or not you actually travel on the roads, ie sitting on a campsite.

Olley

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[hilldweller]

All of these charges have to be paid in advance.

Daily charge is CHF 3.25 - you can choose the number of days.
Monthly charge is CHF 58.50 - you can choose the number of months.
1 year is CHF 650.
A ten day pass is CHF 32.50. The days don't have to be consecutive, you just have to enter the day(s) on which you will be on Swiss roads before you arrive.

Hope this helps.

Andy

That's better value than I'll get buying a year long vignette !!

So that answers some doubts in The Italian Job, thank you.

 

[Brisey]

Hi Brian

Found this info elsewhere........

Vehicles up to 3.5 tons must buy a Vignette costing 40 Swiss Francs and valid for 14 months (1 Dec 2009 - 31 Jan 2011) caravanners/trailers have to buy two.

Payment is easy with Euros, Sterling, Credit Cards or Swiss currency accepted.
If you pay for the vignette with Euros or Sterling you will get Swiss Francs in change.

The vignette can be bought in advance at service areas on main routes approaching the border.

If your motorhome is above the 3500kg weight limit you will need a special permit for one day (3.25 SF), 10 days (32.50), one month (58.50) or a year (650.00). Just make sure you put the dates in for the days that you are travelling if you have the 10 day/monthly/yearly permit. There's a minimum charge so don't buy a one day pass.

The ten days don't have to be taken consecutively, so the pass is good for a return journey too, provided it's within one year.

Excellent value, as the motorways include the 10-mile St Gothard Tunnel through the Alps into Italy!

If you are travelling mid week be prepared to wait as you use the same counter as the truckers.

Hope this helps.

 

[JJ]

Hi there everyone... don't know if it is still the same as the last time I went there but my van (in those days an Iveco 60-10 home build) was "too heavy"... had to park up there and then as it was 10.15 pm... and after paying for the use of their motorway the next morning was told that I was not allowed on the roads on Sundays...

Not my favourite country...

JJ

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[hilldweller]

Hi Brian

Found this info elsewhere........

Vehicles up to 3.5 tons must buy a Vignette costing 40 Swiss Francs and valid for 14 months (1 Dec 2009 - 31 Jan 2011) caravanners/trailers have to buy two.

Payment is easy with Euros, Sterling, Credit Cards or Swiss currency accepted.
If you pay for the vignette with Euros or Sterling you will get Swiss Francs in change.

The vignette can be bought in advance at service areas on main routes approaching the border.

If your motorhome is above the 3500kg weight limit you will need a special permit for one day (3.25 SF), 10 days (32.50), one month (58.50) or a year (650.00). Just make sure you put the dates in for the days that you are travelling if you have the 10 day/monthly/yearly permit. There's a minimum charge so don't buy a one day pass.

The ten days don't have to be taken consecutively, so the pass is good for a return journey too, provided it's within one year.

Excellent value, as the motorways include the 10-mile St Gothard Tunnel through the Alps into Italy!

If you are travelling mid week be prepared to wait as you use the same counter as the truckers.

Hope this helps.

Ah - beware the minimum charge - so if anyone is doing this PLAN YOUR DAYS IN ADVANCE.


All can be avoided on the return by heading south, along the Med and up France, where we must not forget, you will be charged much more to use their motorways, though of course they have more than Switzerland.

Head north from Garda and you get to pay the Austrians their fees, we didn't last year and got away with it.

 

[Brisey]

Have just been made aware that you can buy the vignette on line before you travel, using the following link.

Link Removed

 

[Norrie]

Why the hell are these charges simply not added to the cost of fuel?????
Or am I missing something.......

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[hilldweller]

Why the hell are these charges simply not added to the cost of fuel?????
Or am I missing something.......

In the case of Switzerland you are, half a tank will take you from one end to 'tother so they'd get nowt.

The other argument being that may folk never travel on motorways.

 

[Norrie]

Ah.
Ridden through The Land of the Neutral (HA!) a few times and should have known. Makes perfect sense now.



(OT/PS I don't think Casey Moaner will return. Ever.)

 

[scotjimland]

In the case of Switzerland you are, half a tank will take you from one end to 'tother so they'd get nowt.

The other argument being that may folk never travel on motorways.

excellent point , so why doesn't the UK levy a charge on foreign trucks, ?

Many of them have long range tanks and buy no fuel in the UK so travel free on our Motorways.

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[lebesset]

not my favourite place either !
last time I went with a vehicle under 3.5T I refused to buy a vignette saying I would not use motorways ...it has been some years though ![ wonder if you can still do that ?]
boy were they mad when I stuck to my guns and said it was the law !
they examined every part of the vehicle , even measured it...triple checked all docs ! got in though!

 

[hilldweller]

excellent point , so why doesn't the UK levy a charge on foreign trucks, ?
Many of them have long range tanks and buy no fuel in the UK so travel free on our Motorways.

I don't know, but it must a real problem or else "they" would have done it long ago. It could be why road pricing keeps rearing it's ugly head, that would do it.

Anyway, how long can we keep paying for all these imports ? I opened the fridge today, well I had to, 'er indoors is up with the grandchildren, and saw I POLAND on a bag of tomatoes. Imagine the fuel bringing tomatoes all the way from Poland. I'd support "grow it here or do without" wherever possible, but they'd rather pay a farmer to leave a field growing wild flowers so a lesser spotted dick moth can chomp it's way through them.

Hmmmm, maybe I've stumbled on the answer, if we charged the Polish driver then he wouldn't deliver Polish tomatoes to us. End of the world as we know it.

 

[Norrie]

I've had the pleasure of riding through most countries in Europe now and Switzerland is the least friendly - to bikers anyway.
I don't know what all the fuss is about, Austria is just as picturesque and far more welcoming.
But Spain is the absolute daddy and I can't wait to go there in a MH.

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[Norrie]

........a lesser spotted dick moth......

Is that some sort of disease or affliction?

 

[scotjimland]

I've had the pleasure of riding through most countries in Europe now and Switzerland is the least friendly - to bikers anyway.

But Spain is the absolute daddy and I can't wait to go there in a MH.

Maybe Spain is friendly toward bikers but IMO it's not such a motorhome friendly country .. very few dedicated motohome stopping places ( aires) , expensive sites, not to mention the crime along the coast.. maybe ok inland..

France is THE motorhome country of Europe followed closely by Germany .. bottom of the pile .. UK and Spain

 

[scotjimland]

I don't know, but it must a real problem or else "they" would have done it long ago. It could be why road pricing keeps rearing it's ugly head, that would do it.

Well, if THEY had half a brain they would reduce VED on all UK registered trucks over 7.5t , then charge for a Motorway vignette , that way when the Polish trucks roll off the ramp at Dover THEY can slap a charge on to cover the cost of damaging the roads.. too easy I guess

Re tomatoes.. yes, must agree, it's criminal that we import stuff we can grow ourselves.. lettuce would you believe from PAKISTAN .. but who can we blame, who do we point the finger at .. only ourselves for demanding cheaper goods.. and the big supermarket conglomerates for toadying, all in the name of bigger a fatter proffits for shareholders..

oppss well off topic .. but it was a good rant

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[Pat4Neil]

Hi we went through Switzerland to get to Italy then Greece this year.
We are 4.200kg and had to buy the HGV vignette pass thing, the ten day one, you have up to a year to use it.

Unfortunately we had a trailer with a bike on it and had to buy the standard vignette for that. I think the total was 72 CHF. Which includes the Gotthard Tunnel.

We priced up all ways and this was the most straightforward and cheapest route for us.

Austria is a now go area because we would have had to have a go box.

Mont Blanc route worked out far too expensive.

We would opt to choose the Switzerland route again, this time we will not have a trailer so it would only be 32CHF for us, unless the Swizz wont to charge us for the scooter on the back.

You have to time Gotthard Tunnel right, on the way there was a 2 hour wait, coming back we hit the Italy side at what we thought was 6am, but in fact Neil hadnt changed the clocks back from Greece, so it was 5am :Angry::Angry::Angry: No wonder their wasnt much traffic and we sailed through. Best to avoid early Saturday and late Saturday as the Swizz like to shoot over to Italy for some shopping.

Regards Pat

 

[grumps]

Hi brian, andy is correct in his prices. We spent 7 days there back in may so purchased a 10 day viganette. You have a year to use the remainder. We bought ours at the border crossing, no problem.

 

[hilldweller]

But Spain is the absolute daddy and I can't wait to go there in a MH.

Italy for me

Pass an Italian car, especially an Alfa and then watch in the mirrors, it's his manhood challenged and he'll do anything to keep up. So you pass the next one, and look in mirrors. A lovely way to pass time in a lovely country.

Memory of Spain is crosswinds. Dangerous cross winds. Must be most of the time because we found the same this year in the MH but this time we did not have to call it a day.

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