Does everyone in Switzerland need a motorway sticker?

No. You only need a sticker if you are driving a car and if you are planning to use Switzerland’s motorways. A small number of people who only use local roads do not purchase a motorway sticker.

However, be aware that almost everyone does have a sticker so that they can travel around on Switzerland’s well-maintained motorway system.

Please note that different rules apply for heavy vehicles weighing 3.5 tonnes or above. These vehicles are not covered in this article.

What about tourists who are only in the country for a short time?

Even if you are only planning to drive through Switzerland on the way to somewhere else or just visit for a few days, you still need a sticker to use the country’s motorways. 

So if you are coming from Germany, Austria, Italy or France or anywhere else, and you will be travelling on Swiss motorways, you need a motorway sticker.

If you don’t buy a sticker and police stop you, you could be fined 200 Swiss francs (around €185). You will also have to buy the sticker.

What if I have a rental car in Switzerland?

Swiss rental cars will already come with a motorway sticker.

What roads are covered by the ‘vignette’?

Click on the map above to see an enlarged version.

You need a motorway sticker for Switzerland’s first- and second-class national roads (German: ‘Autobahnen’ and ‘Autostrassen’; French: ‘autoroutes’ and ‘semi-autoroutes’; Italian: ‘autostrade’ and ‘semiautostrade’. 

See the map above for more details.

These roads are marked with green signage as below.

If you wish to avoid these roads, your best option is to follow the blue signage, which signifies main (non-motorway) routes.

How much does a vignette cost?

The vignette costs 40 francs within Switzerland. If you purchase it elsewhere, it costs €36.50, 32 British pounds, 272 Danish krone, 157 Polish zloty and 945 Czech koruna.

That’s the current price.The government is mulling increasing it to 100 francs in the future to generate more funds to maintain and improve the road infrastructure.

READ ALSO: Could the cost of the Swiss motorway vignette rise to 100 francs?

Where can I buy a Swiss motorway sticker?

Within Switzerland, the sticker is available at petrol stations and at post offices. It is also available in other countries at petrol stations near the Swiss border. 

In August 2023, an electronic version became available.

You can purchase it in the digital form on the website of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAGZ). It will be displayed on your smartphone.

The government warns not to buy this e-vignette from other sources, as some may charge more than the official price of 40 francs.