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Driving in Switzerland

Home of Euro 2008 football with Austria

Key rules, regulations and things to know

Driving: Drive on the right and overtake on the left.

Speed limits: Urban areas: 50km/h (31 mph) other roads: 80km/h (50 mph) motorways: 120km/h (74 mph)

Motorways: A "vignette" (vignette routičere) must be displayed in your windscreen in order to use the motorways. If you hire a car from Geneva airport you can either rent via the French side or Swiss side. If you have rented on the French side and are going to be only driving in France, make sure you return the car without crossing the border and end up buying a vignette that will be valid for a year and you only use it for 10 minutes! It is easy to do.

The Vignette is for any vehicle (including motorcycles) and trailer up to 3.5 tonnes using the motorway (roads marked by green signs). must pay a motorway tax. It is valid for one year (1 January to 31 December) and can be bought at post offices, service stations, automobile associations, railway stations, border crossings and fuel outlets close to the Swiss border. Failure to display the vignette when driving on an autoroute/motorway will result in a fine plus the cost of the vignette. Find out more Here or Here

Federal Roads Office (FEDRO)

Seat Belts: Seat belts are compulsory for all occupants (front and rear) and from 1 April 2010 approved child seats became compulsory for children up to the age of 12 and measuring less than 150cm. Up until 31 December 2012 there is an exception to the rule for seats equipped with a two-point safety belt. Seats must be conform to ECE Regulation R44.03 or R44.04

Mobile phones: Can only be used with a hands-free system. Don't risk using one as you can receive a heavy fine in most countries and more important cause a serious accident.

Drink and Driving: Blood alcohol limit is 0.05 More information Here This is a very low limit, so it is best not to drink and drive in Switzerland.

Winter Tyre Requirement: Not compulsory, however, if you are involved in an accident, you as the driver may be fined for not using winter tyres -Snow chains: Are obligatory in some winter conditions

Helmets: Are compulsory for driver and passenger on all scooters, motorbikes, quad bikes and trikes.

Radar detectors: Are illegal

Headlights: Must be used in tunnels, theys should be on and dipped during daylight hours, especially on major routes

Warning / Emergency Equipment: Warning triangles - Each vehicle must carry a red warning triangle, however reflective vests are not obligatory at the moment.

The Alps cause many climatic variations throughout Switzerland. In the higher alpine regions temperatures tend to be low while the lower land of the northern area has higher temperatures and a warmer summer.

Disabled Parking: The Blue Badge is recognised in all European countries - More information Here

Touring Club Suisse - (TCS) Click on image on left to enter the site

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Information from holiday autos about Switzerland

Switzerland, with its unique French, German and Italian cultural differences has something to offer everyone. From dramatic landscapes, the highest mountains in Europe and its quaint country settings to historic castles and heritage - all of these located so close to one another. The most popular areas are: the Engadine, the Berner Oberland, the Valais and the Ticino. .

Don't be fooled into thinking if you don't own a pair of skis you shouldn't go. Switzerland has something for everyone, come rain or shine. Book cheap car hire in Switzerland and explore the land of clocks, glockenspiels and, of course, Heidi. Don't forget, if you book Switzerland car hire to drive on the right.

car hire in Geneva - Once you’ve bought your watch and checked out the world’s tallest water fountain, book Switzerland car hire and see what else Geneva has to offer. Drive to Lausanne and check out the Cathedrale Notre-Dame. You won’t see a man with a hunch but it’s impressive all the same. The Chateau de Chillon is well worth the car ride, with secret passages and medieval dungeons.

top driving tip - Geneva has ‘blue zones’, you’ll need to display a parking disc to park here.

 

Fact File - Switzerland - la Suisse - Svizzera - Schweiz

Switzerland offers snow clad slopes, beautiful green slopes, glaciers, breathtaking scenery and a health giving climate — this is Switzerland. In winter or summer the alpine slopes easily reached by cable car or ski chair lift are delightful holiday venues. During the warm months, carpeted with edelweiss and gentians and in winter alive and thronging with winter sports activities.

The country is bounded on the north by France and Germany, on the east by Austria and Liechtenstein, Italy in the south and France in the west. The lakes are also a converging point for visitors — Lucerne, Geneva (Lac Leman), Maggiore, Lake of Lugano and Thun, to name just some of them. Here holidaymakers find peaceful surroundings as well as a great many amusements.

The roads are good. You will need to buy a motorway pass (Vignette). There is also a good network of tunnels so you do not have to drive on the mountain roads with numerous hairpins that can become very treacherous in winter.

Four languages are spoken: German, French, Italian and Romansh. The capital is Bern and other major cities are Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Lauanne

Telephone Country Code: +41

Currency: — Swiss Franc Currency Conversion Here

Source jmlvillas.com - (some of this information has been provided by jmlvillas.com clients)

Questor Insurance's Travel postcard Guide to Switzerland Here

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Emergency Telephone number: pan-EU Emergency 112 Can be used in all EU Countries and it can be dialled from a locked mobile or a mobile with no sim card. We have driving guides for those countries marked in red below (plus other non EU member European countries).

Austria - Belgium - Bulgaria - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Ireland - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Malta- Netherlands - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden

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Drink Drive Laws - Examples of what can be drunk at present

It is not a lot and in some countries even to drink the glass on the right would be breaking the law if you drove afterwards in others a sip would be too much see "Wine" below

"Wine - even a sip will send you over the limit and invalidate your insurance in Parkistan, Cuba, Indonesia, Romania, Jordan and Nigeria, according to Rhinocarhire.com which produces a comprehensive guide." The A to Z of car hire - The Independent - August 2010

See this guide for further information

Finally, Don’t forget your excess cover and buy it before you set off

Excess charges could cost you up to Ł1,000 or more. Protect yourself by organising your insurance4carrental car hire insurance before you head to Europe.

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Other Country Information Guides

Driving in Austria

Driving in Belgium

Driving in Bulgaria

Driving in Canada

Driving in Croatia

Driving in Cyprus

Driving in The Czech Republic

Driving in Denmark

Driving in England

Driving in Europe (with detailed country guides)

Driving in Finland

Driving in France and Corscia

Driving in Germany

Driving in Gibraltar

Driving in Greece and the Greek Islands

Driving in Holland

Driving in Hungary

Driving in Iceland

Driving in Ireland

Driving in Israel

Driving in Italy Sardinia and Sicily

Driving in Jordan

Driving in Lebanon

Driving in Liechtenstein

Driving in Luxembourg

Driving in Malta and Gozo

Driving in Mexico

Driving in Monaco

Driving in The Netherlands

Driving in New Zealand

Driving in Northern Ireland

Driving in Norway

Driving in Poland

Driving in Portugal

Driving in Scotland

Driving in Slovenia

Driving in South Africa

Driving in Spain The Balearrics and The Canary Islands

Driving in Sweden

Driving in Switzerland

Driving in Turkey

Driving in United Arab Emirates UAE

Driving in The UK - England - Scotland - Wales & Northern Ireland

Driving in the USA

Driving in Wales

Worldwide Driving Guides Index

Driving Abroad - Advice from FCO — Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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