Do I need a swiss Vignette?

Bateman · Jun 22, 2005

I am off to the Alps next week and will be going to Andermatt via Chamonix, doing the passes around Andermatt, then heading up to Interlaken before heading back to Le Havre. I know the ignette is only about £20 but do I need to purchase one or is my route possible without using the expressways. The sections I am not sure about are the route into Andermatt from Chamonix, and the A2 heading north from Andermatt towards Interlaken?

notadrop · Jun 22, 2005

We tried going without but on trying to cross the border they refused us entry unless we bought one.!

100WattWarlock · Jun 22, 2005

You only need one to drive on the Motorways, this is a little known fact outside of Switzerland, so they will try to get you to buy one.
If however you can prove that you are not going on Motorways, then you should be ok, look for a smaller border crossing one that is on an A road, as you will be hard pushed to convince them of the above if you arrive at one of the larger ones.

Also make sure you stick it on the bike or screen, as if the Police want to be funny, they can book you for not applying it to the vehicle in question.

Hope that helps

Gas'd Off · Jun 22, 2005

I had to stop and ASK for one on entering the country and then didn`t see a copper for the whole journey through. Could have got away without buying one. I don`t know how bad the penalty is if they do spot you though.

MasterDabber · Jun 22, 2005

lukate said:
I don`t know how bad the penalty is if they do spot you though.

I think the penalty is drivers caught driving on the autobahn without a sticker have to pay a fine of 100 Swiss francs plus 40 francs for the vignette.

More info here
if you speak german.

Possu · Jun 22, 2005

Never been asked to buy one onentry to Switzerland & never checked on the way out?

Avoid the motorways & take some of the smaller roads.

The Phantom Pieman · Jun 22, 2005

Major boarder crossings are all on auroroutes ... hence why they demand you have a vignette !!

You can legitmately travel around Switzerland without one ( and I have done). If you get caught on the motorways it's 100 chf + the cost of a vignette.

But you will have to enter using smaller cross ... coming in from Cham will be fine. But getting from Cham to Anderamtt with going on motorways will be a ball ache ....

and it's only 18 GBP ... FFS !!!

Bateman · Jun 22, 2005

and it's only 18 GBP ... FFS !!!

I agree - I did think whether I may as well just buy one, after all its only the price of a takeaway on a Friday. But in the last couple of weeks, there have been so many "only £18" spent on all sorts of things, that the trip has suddenly gotten a lot more expensive. Its been fun planning though! Not so sure what my wife will think when she sees the credit card bills - after all, she only agreed to let me have 6 days away because it seemed fairly cheap. I must admit I have bought all sorts of cr*p I won't need - lots of maps, books, a video camera mount etc, but I guess, for me at least, a lot of the pre-trip excitement comes from buying all this kind of stuff.

Cheers

The Phantom Pieman · Jun 22, 2005

Hypothetically speack the vignette is meant to be attached to you bike ... but as the are ugly, most people attach them under the seat or behing a number plate. They just have to be on the bike.

In theory you could put it in your wallet and say, "i've got one, but my bike was wet / dirty/ can find a place to put it" if stopped.

You could also attach it to you windscreen using all weather clear tape ...

And then you could sell it when you left Switzerland.

But i didn't suggest it ,ok .....

andy malton · Jun 22, 2005

The Phantom Pieman said:
Major boarder crossings are all on auroroutes ... hence why they demand you have a vignette !!

You can legitmately travel around Switzerland without one ( and I have done). If you get caught on the motorways it's 100 chf + the cost of a vignette.

But you will have to enter using smaller cross ... coming in from Cham will be fine. But getting from Cham to Anderamtt with going on motorways will be a ball ache ....

and it's only 18 GBP ... FFS !!!

Got to agree with PP on this one the road to Andermatt from Cham is a real shite,it was 38c last time I done it and it's not nice if it's hot, and it is a very busy slow going single track road most of the way if I remember right.Buy the vignette it's worth every franc.

Bateman · Jun 22, 2005

And then you could sell it when you left Switzerland.

Thanks for this - you prompted me to look on Ebay and voila, there was one going for a tenner as a buy it now, so I did.

For anyone else looking for a Vignette, there is another two for auction on Ebay, still with the adhesive and backing film - just type in swiss vignette in the search

The Phantom Pieman · Jun 22, 2005

8 GBP saved ...

Well worth the effort

I hope it's a gold coloured one ...

Chisurz · Jun 22, 2005

Enjoy the motorways...

I went through Switzerland, including six or so of the passes (including a route through Andermatt - what problems?), in through one small pass, out through another, avoided all the motorways, didn't get asked to buy a vignette and didn't buy one...

As noted above, I enjoyed avoiding them. Much more fun...

The Phantom Pieman · Jun 22, 2005

Chisurz said:
Enjoy the motorways...

I went through Switzerland, including six or so of the passes (including a route through Andermatt - what problems?), in through one small pass, out through another, avoided all the motorways, didn't get asked to buy a vignette and didn't buy one...

As noted above, I enjoyed avoiding them. Much more fun...

There is no problem in getting to Andermatt with out using motorways ... but Cham to Andermatt .... thats 3 hours of you life you will never get back !

newboy · Apr 24, 2011

Funny isn't it...

I was walking the Chamonix-Zermatt route a few years back and on the way back I met a German biker and his wife...

He on R50 and she on an R75... a long chat ensued...

Got me thinking and back into bikes...

If it wasn't for me walking over the Col du Forclaz and stopping for chicken and chips ...

Back to OP... :hide

if it wasn't for us all enjoying the "long route" sometimes... we would only ever be on motorways

Sir James · Apr 24, 2011

................ http://rail.stc.co.uk/userdata_vignette.php?passid=5&frame=1&system=GB&affiliateid=45 ................

Rasher · Apr 24, 2011

From the Chamonix area it is a straight run up to Andermatt and few alternate routes, they are extending the main highway along that Valley (or were last August) you probably can take the back roads but they are not exactly the best Alpine Roads and it would be far easier just to go up the main road than try to work out how to avoid it.

Plus you will get there in a few hours and have time for a quick blat over the Oberalp / Furka before beer-o-clock

Do I need a swiss Vignette?

Bateman

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notadrop

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100WattWarlock

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Gas'd Off

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MasterDabber

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Possu

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The Phantom Pieman

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Bateman

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andy malton

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