Switzerland in 2026 - Bike on trailer or just go by car?

[KMD]

Thanks for putting this (Switzerland - GPX) up Richard, me and Our Lass are planning a road trip in Switzerland next year and this is a great resource.

Not sure whether to trailer a bike or just take a car.

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Thank you.

I have started you a fresh thread, as hopefully others will have some ideas, too.

Richard

 

[Wapping]

Welcome.

I guess the question is: How long are you planning on being away for an, not least, how long in Switzerland?

Trailering a bike might work if you stop in one location, say Andermatt, and ride out each day. A ‘road trip’ suggests driving from A to B to C to D…if so, go by car.

Switzerland, lends itself to a ‘road trip’. Why? Let’s say you want to go from A, to B, to C, to D, to E. In most countries you could find yourself in B and think to yourself: “I won’t go to C next, I’ll go to F”. Or you might say: “I’m in B, but I think I’ll now go to H instead”. In Switzerland, it’s not so easy to do and / or it’s sometimes impossible. Why? Because there are bloody big mountains in the way! More often than not, you are in the valleys or travelling out of the valley via hairpins or tunnels.

If you plan on staying in one place for several days, find somewhere on a crossroads or at least a T-junction. Why? Because that gives you the best flexibility. If you stay in a place which has only one road in and one road out, your only choice is turning left or right each morning. This is what makes Andermatt popular as a base.

 

[squid]

Thanks for putting this (Switzerland - GPX) up Richard, me and Our Lass are planning a road trip in Switzerland next year and this is a great resource.

Not sure whether to trailer a bike or just take a car.

=====

Thank you.

I have started you a fresh thread, as hopefully others will have some ideas, too.

Richard

Switzerland has amazing trains, another consideration. I have been many times both by car and bike.

If going by bike I split up the journey with a couple of stopovers through France as I hate motorways on the bike.
Going by car I usually stop once in France then blast it. I am 5hrs from Dover though.

We usually go for a week and once there do a few days on the roads and a few days hoping between cable cars and trains. I have been all over but nothing compares to Lauterbrunnen valley for jaw dropping scenery and atmosphere. You have a number of must do days from there.

 

[Oldrat]

Just a thought to add to your planning, if by some strange chance, your trailer is over 750kgs, it needs to be registered with it’s own number to use it in Europe

LINK

 

[glenn2926]

Just a thought to add to your planning, if by some strange chance, your trailer is over 750kgs, it needs to be registered with it’s own number to use it in Europe

LINK

Not true really. The trailer and towing vehicle need to be legal in The country they are registered. I took a tri axle 3.5t trailer through Holland, Belgium and France behind my Navara. It was all up just over 2.6t with a brewery on it. No problems whatsoever.
Don’t be put off by people making their own rules up. Towing a trailer abroad is no problem at all.

Just have a look at U.K. registered artics. Same plate on trailer as unit.

 

[SBD]

Why not just go by bike?

Hotels are plentiful, if not necessarily cheap, and the schlepp down there can be broken up by interesting places to visit.

 

[Oldrat]

Not true really. The trailer and towing vehicle need to be legal in The country they are registered. I took a tri axle 3.5t trailer through Holland, Belgium and France behind my Navara. It was all up just over 2.6t with a brewery on it. No problems whatsoever.
Don’t be put off by people making their own rules up. Towing a trailer abroad is no problem at all.

Just have a look at U.K. registered artics. Same plate on trailer as unit.

Register your trailer if you want to take it abroad​

From today (28 March 2019), if you have a trailer and you plan to use it abroad, you may need to register it by using our ‘Register your trailer to take it abroad’ service.

The rules changed recently, hence my post.

LINK

I dunno about commercials though.

 

[glenn2926]

Register your trailer if you want to take it abroad​

From today (28 March 2019), if you have a trailer and you plan to use it abroad, you may need to register it by using our ‘Register your trailer to take it abroad’ service.

The rules changed recently, hence my post.

LINK

I dunno about commercials though.

• non-commercial use trailers travelling internationally and have a gross weight over 3,500kg

Non-commercial trailers that have a gross weight of 3,500kg or less can be registered voluntarily, but there is no legal requirement to do it.

As above. From the DVSA website you quoted

Just how many U.K. caravans have you seen either different number plate to the car whilst touring abroad? I would guess at none. Why? Because it’s not required.

 

[Istanbulian]

• non-commercial use trailers travelling internationally and have a gross weight over 3,500kg

Non-commercial trailers that have a gross weight of 3,500kg or less can be registered voluntarily, but there is no legal requirement to do it.

As above. From the DVSA website you quoted

Just how many U.K. caravans have you seen either different number plate to the car whilst touring abroad? I would guess at none. Why? Because it’s not required.

Just be aware that if you use the Autobahn, you will need a road tax vignette for both your towing vehicle and the vehicle on the trailer. DAMHIK

 

[KMD]

Why not just go by bike?

Hotels are plentiful, if not necessarily cheap, and the schlepp down there can be broken up by interesting places to visit.

Arthritis unfortunately. For the last few years I’ve been trailering the bike to places like Austria and the Dolomites. Once the pain sets in on the bike it’s there for the day. When I mentioned it to Our Lass yesterday she said ‘why don’t you just get another MX5 and take that?’

 

[Guru Gora]

I did a bike trip in the car this year.

It was brilliant to be honest.

Similar routing to bike trips of old.

Alps etc.

In an open top car it was great.

Having done about 4 tours a year for eons now, I really enjoyed the change

Either way sure you’ll have good time


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