Switzerland advice needed

[PanEuropean]

About the sticker (vignette) - as others have pointed out, you only need the sticker if you are going to use the motorways. The road network in Switzerland is constructed such that you can avoid the motorways if you want to, however, when you are moving around within the larger cities such as Geneva, Zurich, Basel, and Bern, it is an absolute PITA to stay off the motorways. In other words, it will take you forever to get across (or out of) one of these large cities without getting on a motorway.

The sticker only costs CHF 40 (about GBP 20), so, it's not that rough a tax, especially when you consider that it will cost you almost that much in road tolls to get across France once only on your way to Switzerland.

As for enforcement - I've only been stopped once for inspection in the 6 years I have been riding here (I kind of live in Switzerland), but, the whole society in Switzerland is based on the honor system, which means that if you think you will need a sticker, you are supposed to buy one.

If you have a Garmin GPSR on your moto, you can set it to 'avoid toll roads', and it will then keep you off the motorways where you need the sticker. But - it's a PITA not having the sticker.

Michael

 

[GSmonkey]

...get one on ebay for £15. When you get back, sell it on ebay for £15. Cost to you = £0

 

[red1200]

...get one on ebay for £15. When you get back, sell it on ebay for £15. Cost to you = £0

they disintigrate when you try and remove them from the bike...some kind of security thing, as the sticker is 'precut' with various lines so it tears into sections when removed.

Sell your screen with it on though hehe

 

[darklord]

Weeeellllll....

I wouldn't advocate it but I know a few people who suffer from the same disease as myself (carus bikus changitis) and thus would have to buy a ton of vignettes every year. Most of them used to (and probably still do) carry their vignette in their wallet instead of stuck on their bikes and, when stopped, show it to the police officer.

Normally you tend to get away with it, especially if you tell them that you had one or two stolen off the bike before...

Not that I would recommend this approach, no, not me...

 

[earthmover]

Last week the road was closed between Altdorf and Andermatt by a landslide, so we had to take a detour on the motorway through the tunnel to Interlaken. It would seem that the permit is only a problem if you actually get caught without it. We saw fewer police than you see in the UK, though my cousin assures me that if you do get caught, they are very strict.
Mark

 

[walti]

they disintigrate when you try and remove them from the bike...some kind of security thing, as the sticker is 'precut' with various lines so it tears into sections when removed.

Sell your screen with it on though hehe

According to a Swiss friend, the way around this is to pre-apply some clingfilm to the inside of the screen (the whole of it so there's no edges) then remove it and trim the cing film to the sticker, becomes a transferrable sticker then!

(don't blame me if this don't work though - I've not done it myself!)

 

[GSmonkey]

they disintigrate when you try and remove them from the bike...some kind of security thing, as the sticker is 'precut' with various lines so it tears into sections when removed.

Sell your screen with it on though hehe

...thats why I never stuck it to the screen, just carried it with me.

 

[red1200]

...thats why I never stuck it to the screen, just carried it with me.

wish i'd done that, took me ages to get the thing off! Although i didnt really have a choice as the bimbo (admittedly a very nice looking one) at the border just slapped it straight on the screen and relieved me of my francs

 

[Boris-of-oxlea]

B&B address

Last year no-one tried to sell me us one and we didn't buy one either, didn't know you had too, whoops!

Got the address of a cracking B&B overlooking Lake Neuchatel if anyone wants it.

Hi John, That B&B address maybe helpful & any other tips.

Cheers


France to Italy Via Switzerland (route help req'd)

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Hi All,

New here, and to my 04 GS. I'm off to Italy via Switzerland and would really appreciate some guidance as I'm leaving in 2 weeks!! Meeting the girlfriend in Italy (Turin) for a tour, then I'm off to find Greece and in to Bulgaria.
Not sure of good route just been looking at paper maps and trawling through some not very helpfull books. Someone has to write this bike book eh??

Ain't done anything like this since the Himalayas 20 years ago !! And that was hiking of course.

So I could do with remembering what basics I need and maybe a recommended place to find some great routes. How needy is the GPS ????
Once getting near the Alps from North France whats a good route in to Switzerland and Italy ?? Anyone.

Did some of Bulgaria when I last went over in a car and some hill walking. Good country for biking scenary, 3 mountain ranges, but the roads are poor in places, but ok with a GS I figure. I do like a bit of rustic village. I even bought a farm house up near the mountains for skiing,(but thats another story) so going to see the finished renovation.

By the way. Battery was running low easily recently, took it out and checked it. Bone dry !!! Only 5000 miles!! AND I recently had a bit of throttle stick !! ?? What's all that about. Other than that, other that dropping it outside Harrods at rush hour !! it's been great.

Thanks

Steve