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DRIVING

No hose pipes in the boot: The little-known Swiss driving rules you must know

Every country has its own traffic laws that all motorists need to follow. But Switzerland has some decidedly strange ones you need to know before you hit the road.

Published: 15 February 2023 15:49 CET
No hose pipes in the boot: The little-known Swiss driving rules you must know
Switzerland has a wacky parking rule. Photo by Stanisław Gregor on Unsplash

You probably already know (and if not, then you definitely should) all about speed limits on Swiss motorways, as well as on main and secondary roads:

EXPLAINED: What you should know about speeding fines in Switzerland 

There is also a matter of always having a current-year vignette affixed to your vehicle’s windscreen for driving on the country’s motorways:

Swiss vignette: What you need to know about Switzerland’s motorway charge sticker 

Last but not least, you should also be familiar with weather-proofing your car before driving in snow:

Reader question: When must I change my winter tyres in Switzerland? 

All of the above rules are common sense, or at least they should be.

But leave it to the Swiss to come up with some other ones as well, some of which can…drive you crazy.

No garden hose or tools are allowed in the car

You may think this is a joke, but two people didn’t laugh at all when they were stopped by Bern police and, as recently reported by the Swiss media, fined 350 francs each for having a garden hose and other tools in their vehicle (but no Swiss Army knife in sight).

Apparently, tools found in a car without a plausible explanation regarding their purpose can be assumed to be intended for committing burglaries.

The two men had not done anything wrong; but as the police assumed — not yet.

It is not known whether the police jumped their gun (figuratively speaking) because the two individuals were Georgian nationals, one of whom lives in France.

Besides slapping them with a fine, the police confiscated and destroyed the screwdrivers, wrenches, flashlight, and a piece of a garden hose.


Alleged crime tools. Photo: Pixabay 

Don’t drive slowly

Wait, what?

You heard it right: driving too slowly could result in a hefty fine.

You may think you are being cautious, but police (and other motorists) may not see it quite this way.

Example: In 2022, a driver was stopped by police after they received an anonymous call that a car was driving too slowly on a steep mountain road.

The car in question was hauling an enclosure with a horse in it, so the man drove cautiously on a narrow and winding Julier Pass in the Swiss Alps.

Once he descended, the police gave him a 780-franc ticket for driving too slowly.

“I just don’t understand what’s going on in this world,” the driver remarked.

You must observe the zipper principle

No, not that zipper.

From 2021, the zipper principle is mandatory wherever two lanes merge into one on the motorway.

This means that each car traveling in the free lane must leave room for one vehicle to merge from a blocked lane.

This rule is intended to prevent vehicles from merging into the free lane in a decidedly un-Swiss chaotic and haphazard manner, disrupting the flow of traffic and possibly causing accidents.

Behind the wheel, keep your hunger in check

One widely reported incident involved a Zurich driver who was slapped with a 250-franc fine for eating a croissant while driving.

That’s because eating, or drinking hot beverages, is considered a risk to road safety, as it interferes with the driver’s control of the vehicle.

So if hunger strikes while you are driving, resist the urge to eat. Because the hefty fine you could get may be hard to digest.

Dangerous while driving. Photo: Pixabay

Don’t slam your car door after 10 pm

If you live in Switzerland, you have probably been forewarned that after 10 pm, not the slightest noise should be made anywhere in the country.

Throughout cities, villages, mountain peaks, and valleys, the eight hours between 10 pm and 7 am are sacred — the official national quiet time.

If you slam your car doors, either inadvertently or on purpose, and someone complains, you are in trouble. (Yes, you will be slapped with a fine).

It goes without saying that, by the same token, you shouldn’t be blowing your car horn at night either.

Be careful when re-parking your car

Say you were parked in a paid spot and your time is up.

You want to put some more coins into the meter to extend your time. Not in Switzerland.

If you want to remain in the same spot, you must first drive, even if short distance, and only then come back to the same spot and pay for it again.

We are not sure why that is, except maybe so that your life is not too easy.

These are some other road and driving rules you should know about:
 
EXPLAINED: How visitors to Switzerland can avoid driving penalties

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DRIVING

The roads and tunnels in Switzerland where drivers need to pay a toll

While you’re likely to encounter some of the most spectacular scenery as you drive through Switzerland, you may also experience an eye-watering fine if you’re unaware of the tolls that may apply. 

Published: 14 May 2024 09:50 CEST
The roads and tunnels in Switzerland where drivers need to pay a toll

Here is where you’ll need to be fully paid-up while driving through the alpine nation – and where further charges can apply. 

Mandatory motorway vignettes

Suppose you’re planning on driving on any of the country’s motorways or expressways (those designated on maps and signs with an A followed by a number). In that case, you’ll need to pay 40 CHF for a vignette each year – either displayed as a sticker on your car or tied electronically to your car’s licence plate. 

If you get caught without one—cameras are everywhere—you may be fined 200 CHF for each infraction. 

Thankfully, the Swiss make it very easy to obtain a vignette. 

They can be purchased at border crossings, post offices and petrol stations. You can also buy the e-vignette online here – Swiss authorities have warned motorists to avoid purchasing it from other sources, which add a markup. 

READ MORE: What you need to know about Switzerland’s motorway vignette

Tolls for tunnels 

While a motorway vignette will be enough to drive around most of Switzerland, there are exceptions where you’ll need to pay extra. 

The first is the Munt la Schera Tunnel which connects the Engadin valley in the canton of Graubünden with the Lago di Livigno reservoir that borders Italy. 

Initially constructed to move building materials, the three-and-a-half-kilometre tunnel is still privately owned by a local power company, so it is permitted to charge an extra toll. 

Fees vary depending on your kind of vehicle, whether you’re making a return journey, and the time of year—the current price schedule is available here. The toll is paid at either side of the tunnel. 

As a single-lane tunnel, the direction of travel alternates every fifteen minutes, so drivers can expect a short wait. 

Cyclists are not permitted to use the tunnel, although there are shuttle buses that can transport bikes. 

READ MORE: The new laws drivers in Switzerland need to know.

Two rail tunnels offer a car transport service for an additional fee. 

The first is the twenty-kilometre Simplon tunnel between Brig in the canton of Valais and Domodossola in Italy. 

The second is the fourteen-kilometre Lötschberg tunnel between Kandersteg in the canton of Bern and Goppenstein in the canton of Valais. 

Each journey takes about twenty minutes, and tickets can be purchased for the Simplon tunnel here and the Lötschberg tunnel here. 

The final toll tunnel—and arguably the most famous one—is the Grand-Saint-Bernard tunnel, which charges a toll and connects Martigny in the canton of Valais with the Aosta valley in Italy. 

Consisting of two lanes, the tunnel stretches six kilometres through the Alps. 

Much like the Munt la Schera tunnel, there is a schedule of fees, and the kind of vehicle determines prices, as well as whether you intend to return via the tunnel. Again, the toll can be paid at either entrance. 

Despite some recent media speculation, the Swiss Federal Council has opposed the idea of introducing further tolls on the Gotthard and San Bernardino tunnels. Instead, other strategies are currently being explored to combat the ongoing problem of traffic congestion.

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