Are you planning a holiday or just passing through Switzerland?
Are you a carrier and don’t know the best way to pay tolls in Switzerland?
You still find all the information you need depending on the type of trip and your needs.
In the case of fellow carriers (trucks and buses), the process of paying road taxes in Switzerland is carried out directly at customs, at the first toll point where a card will be issued with the data of the declared car.
If you are a carrier and are interested in reading more information about how to pay the vignette in Switzerland, read the article to the end.
Where can I buy the Switzerland vignette?
In Switzerland, if you drive on motorways or national roads in class 1 and 2, you must purchase a vignette.
Similar to other countries such as Hungary or Bulgaria, the vignette for Switzerland can also be purchased online.
So, the Switzerland vignette can be purchased both online and in the 5 physical points that we will detail in the following sections.
Purchase vignette Switzerland from physical points
To purchase the Switzerland vignette from physical points, you have 6 points at your disposal, namely:
- Customs points
- petrol Stations
- Post offices
- Offices of road traffic authorities
- Tourist spots
After purchasing the vignette in Switzerland, the first step is to affix it to the windshield in a visible place so that the Swiss authorities can check its validity.
The price of the vignette in Switzerland does not include passing through the tunnels: Grand St. Bernhard Tunnel and Schera Mountain. A special fee must be paid here.
How to stick the Switzerland vignette correctly?
The vignette is attached to the inside of the windshield after the protective film has been removed. The place indicated for gluing it must be respected ad literam, otherwise risking significant fines.
Most often, the vignette in Switzerland must be affixed to the top of the windshield, on the driver’s side, or in the middle, behind the rear-view mirror.
A vignette already applied to the windshield becomes null if it is peeled off, it cannot be stuck on again.
Achiziție vinietă Elveția online
You can choose to buy your Switzerland vignette online to avoid the extra stress when you arrive in Switzerland.
Thus, you can enter here to purchase the Switzerland vignette online.
How much is the vignette for Switzerland in 2024?
For cars up to 3.5 tons there is a mandatory vignette for the use of highways which is unique, in the sense that you cannot opt for several validity periods.
The price of the vignette is 40 Swiss francs CHF (about 40 euros) and has a standard validity period of 14 months.
Vignette Switzerland – Good to know!
If you buy the Switzerland 2024 vignette at the Swiss customs points, find out that you can also pay in euros, pounds sterling or dollars, but only in cash (in the case of these currencies).
Switzerland Road Taxes for Trucks and Buses…
For vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes, the Swiss authorities apply a “federal” tax, this is generically called LSVA (“heavy duty vehicle tax”).
The calculation base for LSVA is calculated according to:
- the total permissible weight (hzG) of the vehicle or the combination of vehicles;
- the distance traveled, in km;
- the toll rate, depending on the EURO class;
You can check the 3 tax categories here.
Another tax that applies to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes is the PSVA. (“fixed-rate heavy vehicle tax”), this applies to passenger vehicles.
The road tax in Switzerland can be paid in the following ways.
- through an EETS unit on board
- using an identity card (ID card) and a processing terminal
- via the Emotach PRHVC on-board unit.
- Through fuel cards.
Switzerland road tolls for tunnels
Great Saint Bernard Tunnel charges apply based on vehicle type and number of uses.
| A pass | 29,50 CHF (~29.92 €) |
| Return (within 30 days) | 47,30 CHF (~47.97 €) |
| 10 passes (in 2 years) | 118 CHF (~119.67 €) |
| 20 passes (in 2 years) | 159 CHF (~161.25 €) |
Taxes for motorcycles and other types of vehicles can be found here.
For crossing the Munt to Schera tunnel, the prices are set according to the type of car, the period (December-April, May-November) and the day of the crossing (Saturday, Sunday-Friday).
| Monday | e-ticket | Sunday-Friday | Saturday |
| December-April | Two way | 35 CHF (~35.50 €) | 42 CHF (~42.59 €) |
| one way | 20 CHF (~20.28 €) | 29 CHF (~29.41 €) | |
| May-November | Two way | 25 CHF (~25.35 €) | 25 CHF (~25.35 €) |
| one way | 15 CHF (~15.21 €) | 15 CHF (~15.21 €) |
You can see the prices for the other types of vehicles here.
In which currency can the vignette for Switzerland be paid?
As we well know, Switzerland is not part of the European Union and is not even in the euro zone, the payment of the vignette is made in the national currency, namely the Swiss franc (CHF).
If you purchase the vignette at the Swiss customs points, know that you can also pay in euros, pounds or dollars, but only in cash (in the case of these currencies).
Do I need a vignette in Switzerland for the trailer as well?
Trailers with a total weight of up to and including 3.5 tons, towed by a motor vehicle, need their own vignette.
How much is a vignette fine in Switzerland?
Vignettes are strictly verified through three systems:
- Mobile and stationary controls carried out by the Federal Customs Administration.
- Fixed control stations on heavily trafficked road sections.
- Additional checks by cantonal police.
If you drive on Swiss roads without a vignette, the fine is 200 Swiss francs (~202 euros).
Attention – the fine for the Switzerland vignette can also apply if the sticker is not affixed correctly. In addition, in addition to the fine, you must also purchase a vignette afterwards.
I was caught without a vignette in Switzerland, what do I do?
Either you immediately pay the fine on the spot for not having the Switzerland vignette, in case you are “lucky” and were stopped in traffic by the control bodies, or you will receive the fine by mail to the address where you live. Payment is made following the instructions on the envelope.
