Routebook
Guides / Switzerland
CH

Driving in Switzerland

One vignette covers the whole year — there's no short-stay option. Headlights stay on everywhere, and there are no low-emission zones to plan around.

Rules current as of September 2026 — verify before you go.
Tolls & vignettes
One annual vignette, CHF 40 — no short-term option.

Even a single afternoon on the motorway costs the full CHF 40; there's no day or week rate.

Sticker or e-vignette, valid 14 months (1 Dec – 31 Jan the year after).

Buy near the end of the year and it already covers most of the next one too.

Fine for no vignette: CHF 200, plus you still have to buy the CHF 40 sticker.
Fine if ignored

The fine doesn't replace the purchase — you pay both.

Equipment
Dipped headlights on at all times.

Same rule on every road, in every season.

Winter tires aren't legally required, but you're liable if you cause an obstruction or accident without them.

Alpine passes above 1,000 m can close to summer-tire traffic first when conditions turn.

Snow chains required where signposted on alpine passes.

Look for the round blue chain sign near pass approaches in winter.

Low-emission zones
No low-emission zones nationwide.

Unlike Germany or Austria, no Swiss city restricts entry by emissions class.

Speed limits
Motorway 120 km/h · main roads 80 · built-up areas 50.
Fine if ignored

Speeding fines scale with how far over you were and can run into the thousands of francs.

Emergency
112 — EU-wide emergency number.

Works from any phone in Switzerland, even with no local SIM.

117 police · 118 fire · 144 ambulance.

Direct lines skip the general dispatcher if you already know which service you need.

Crossing into Switzerland on a trip?
Routebook flags this automatically on any day your route crosses the border.
Plan a trip
Also on file: Austria · Slovenia