# Swiss vignettes no longer required?



## 96523

Pam and I have just come back from a couple of weeks in our m/h in central Europe. Our journeys took us into and out of Switzerland four times. 1. from Austria. 2. from Italy near Lugano. 3. again from Lugano but not the same one as 2. 4. from Leichenstein. We were never asked about a vignette and the usual officials who sell them simply were not there. Passports were looked at once. Does this mean that the vignette is no longer in use. 
Incidentally we came quite a long way through Austria without any special charge being asked for. We did not use the motorways however.
Pamalan


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## bognormike

Hi Pamalan,
two questions

1) is your van over 3500kg
and 2 ) did you use the autoroutes?

If you are under 3500kg, you need a vignette for autoroutes, but not normal roads. Over that you need to fill in a form at customs & pay the rate for the period in the country, and this is for ordinary roads as well as autoroutes. 
I wasn't aware of any changes. Perhaps you didn't go on the autoroutes, or were very lucky 8)


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## 96523

Our van is under 3,500kg and we did use the autoroutes (main ones) quite frequently. We have been in Switzerland in previous years and were then made very aware of the need to pay up but this time there seemed to be far fewer border guards and with the weight of traffic a couple of the times there was nowhere to park and nobody seemed to be bothering. 
It would be interesting to know if we were simply lucky but I doubt it.
Pamal


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## bognormike

looks like you were luck! Not like the efficient Swiss 8)


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## ianhibs

Or I just payed 40 swiss francs for nothing last week. I stopped at the border and asked about under 3500 kg. They extracted the money from me in the shake of a duck's tail.

Ian


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## Vennwood

Just got back from Kandersteg and on entering Switzerland we didn't get the option to "pay or not to pay" we were immediately filtered off and told to obtain a "permit" from the office. This was Basel and granted we are rather large at 8 mtrs
That said we did find out that the Swiss have a very orderly table for this sort of thing and in true Swiss fashion the table was very clear on MH's over 3500KG The daily rate was SF 3.75 par day or SF 58.50 per month or SF 650 per year. They also have a 10 day rate of SF32.50 I was given to understand that below 3500KG the rate would be the same as a car or caravan but this was not verified


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## MrRob

We (7 meters/4.2 ton) crossed in and out of Switzerland 4 times in March .... Tried to pay but were waved on by the Police ...... apparently when the office is closed there is no way to pay ...... traveling through the night might have some advantages but you do miss the view.

and the Austrians let us off as being less than 3.5 ton too ..... and we had a trailer  ...


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## Grizzly

MrRob said:


> and the Austrians let us off as being less than 3.5 ton too ..... and we had a trailer  ...


Be careful ! You don't get stopped by border control or whatever at the border in Austria; you have to stop yourself and buy a vignette at the first town after you cross.

If you are found travelling on motorways without one displayed on the windscreen then you are in trouble.

You were lucky in Switzerland though. We'd barely time to slow down before the guard slapped a sticker on the windscreen, neatly in my field of view, and demanded his 20 euros. I hope they're still used as we intend to get the full use of it this year.

G


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## rickwiggans

As G says, as you approach the Austrian borders there are signs telling you to stop at the next office, or garage or whatever, and buy a sticker. Incidentally, having lived and worked in Switzerland, I can confirm the vignette is alive and well. It is your responsibility to get one, and if they aren't on sale as you cross, you are supposed to go to the post office. 

Rick

Or course one of the problems is that the various systems are different - be easier to know what to do if there was some consistency. Some chance!!


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## MrRob

rickwiggans said:



> As G says, as you approach the Austrian borders there are signs telling you to stop at the next office, or garage or whatever, and buy a sticker. Incidentally, having lived and worked in Switzerland, I can confirm the vignette is alive and well. It is your responsibility to get one, and if they aren't on sale as you cross, you are supposed to go to the post office.
> 
> Rick


Austria was not a problem as it is made perfectly clear what you have to do by way af signage and they make it easy to buy what you need. The Payment Office was open even at 0200hrs so we did have a "sticker" for Austria (should have been a GoBox for 3.5T+). They were happy with paperwork from Iveco showing van left factory as 3500 kgs GVW despite my showing them a photo of Plated GVW of 4200Kgs (I didnt have the logbook with me) .... there was a blizzard out side the office at the time.

The Swiss on the other hand seem to close the payment offices at the boarders at night and do not make it clear what you OUGHT to do. I was simply waved on by the Police. We only spent one daytime in Switzerland and didnt move van till the small hours .... I now know what I ought to do next time  ... can you pay in advance if your passing through at night?


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## geraldandannie

When we crossed from France last week, there was a little man with a money pouch and some stickers, so we now proudly display our "07" vignette.

I wouldn't like to travel on Swiss motorways without one :? 

Gerald


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## bognormike

You can get a vignette from the swiss tourist office in London; I think they add on an admin charge as well, but at least you wouldn't get stopped at the border..............


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## Russholah

I went through Switzerland couple of weeks ago on the way to croatia, didnt have cash, so had to go inside to pay by card,it doesnt get stuck on your screen if you do it that way, so we just slotted it in the tax disc holder. you could then sell it maybe on ebay or something when you get back home, but maybe back that way in September.


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## bognormike

Interesting thought, Russholah; it's probably illegal not to stick it in your windscreen.......... :roll:


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## Grizzly

Has anyone successfully transferred the Swiss vignette from one van to another ? It's all designed to come off the windscreen in several little disconnected bits, presumably just so you can't transfer it or sell it on. Since you don't get a receipt you have no way of being able to claim another sticker within the year if you do write off the original.

Bit of a pain when you are changing van or have to replace the windscreen.



G


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## Rapide561

*Vignette*



Grizzly said:


> Has anyone successfully transferred the Swiss vignette from one van to another ? It's all designed to come off the windscreen in several little disconnected bits, presumably just so you can't transfer it or sell it on. Since you don't get a receipt you have no way of being able to claim another sticker within the year if you do write off the original.
> 
> Bit of a pain when you are changing van or have to replace the windscreen.
> 
> G


Hi

I had two - one on the car and one on the van. I tried to remove the one on the Corsa but it made a terrible mess.

I doubt very much I will get through on a vignette next time as they only cover upto 3500kg. I will be on the single trip thing or 10 trips for 32.50 francs in the tag axle.

Russell


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## Rapide561

*Vignette*



bognormike said:


> You can get a vignette from the swiss tourist office in London; I think they add on an admin charge as well, but at least you wouldn't get stopped at the border..............


Hi

This is correct. It is easier than maybe queueing etc etc. Note the vignette is only for vehicles utp 3500kg.

Russell


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## 96523

Having started this thread which seems to have been met with some disbelief, it may help if I spell out exactly what we did. We had been in Germany for a week or so and went into Austria at a small border post just west of Innsbruck. No border guards and nothing to tell us what to do but we had already gathered that we did not need to pay for a permit provided that we kept off the motorways which we did. In due course we left Austria and entered Leichtenstein and from there entered Switzerland and were waved through by the border guards, just short of Junction 8 on the A13/E43 which we used until south of Chur when it ran out as a motorway. We followed the E43 to Splugern where our TomTom took us over the fantastic Splugen Pass (hairpins in groups of 8,9 and 10 at a time.) At the top of the Splugen pass in heavy rain we crossed the border into Italy. Again we were waved through so on we went to Menaggio on Lake Como. Next day we went over the top of the ridge to Lugano and re-entered Switzerland just outside Lugano. The border post was in a tunnel. Again we were waved on urgently and when we tried to stop to ask about vignettes the border guard got a bit upset so off we went. Our aim was Baveno in Italy and we left Switzerland at the north of Lake Maggiore and again, we might as well not have existed.
Stayed in Baveno for a few days and then had to head home, so we went back into Switzerland through the border post where we had entered. No interest in us so off we wen up the motorway, the St Gotthard tunnel and the Sustenpass to Interlaken where we stayed for two nights.
We went by motorway to Basel and passed out into France at the big border post there. We were treated as if we were Swiss or non-existent.
We had not wish to avoid paying the toll but we were left with the feeling that it did not seem to matter.
We have a new Geist low profile motorhome 6 metres long. We do not have any windscreen material other than out Road Fund Licence and the Caravan Club badge.
Maybe we got away with it because we looked so unthreatening to the stability and security of the Swiss Nation.
Pamal


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## bognormike

Hi Pamal, that sounded like fun! You must just have been lucky..
It reminds me our trip round lake Geneva (Leman) in our first motorhome - Autocruise Starfire. We didn't have a vignette, and made sure we didn't go on the Swiss autoroutes. We entered from France on the edge of Geneva, and had a few pleasant nights in the site on the south of the lake. We then tried to get up onto the mountain on the south side of Geneva, which is in France; we'd seen the people hang gliding from the top & it looked a good place to go to see across the lake & beyond. We had a hell of a job finding the road up, and managed to do 5 border crossings before finding the road up, including 3 crossings at one control point - the guard looked a bit bemused when we kept going through! The views at the top were superb - north across Geneva and south to the Alps. 8)


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## eddied

*Swiss Vignette*

 
I too can confirm that the vignette is alive and well.
The confusion may arise when you are using a border crossing that is not on a motorway. In this case the vignette may not be on sale. If you are crossing at a motorway border point, you will almost certainly have to stop and pay up.
Be warned that if you are then stopped on a Swiss motorway without the vignette displayed, you will face a very heavy fine. Happened to me using the St.Louis/Basel crossing point at dead of night. Not a vignette to be seen - carried on to Gothard, and climbing up to Northern end of tunnel, a road block. No end of arguing the point that the vignette wasn't available at the border, told I should have stopped at first service area and bought one. The on the spot fine was in the region of Sfr.450
Don't try the trick of not sticking it to the windscreen either - same reult, although the policeman will give you the chance of sticking it on in front of him (if he's in a good mood that is!). Tried that last year, and was pulled over at entrance to Seelisbergtunnel.
Final point, have successfully transferred from one vehicle to another, you just have to peel off with extreme care, using a hairdryer.
saluti,
eddied


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## mgray

Can anyone tell me which figure the Swiss/Austrians use for GVW - having an American RV (Safari Trek) that weighs in at 7.48 tonnes on the plaque but the british logbook has it as a 3500kg Private Goods Vehicle - do I just present the logbook (or whatever they call the registration document these days) and smile??
Also anyone done the Gotthard and Brenner passes recently on the old (free) roads? If so how are the gradients (I don't like to heat up me brakes too much!)

Thanks


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## 109481

I am about to spend £20 on a vignette for me tip to Italy travelling through Switzerland
I googled to find a sales outlet and discovered that used ones are being offered for auction on EBay starting at £4.99
Are they transferable? and what would be the fine if they are illegal and I was caught using one
Happy Wheels
Skimbo


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## Grizzly

skimbo said:


> and what would be the fine if they are illegal and I was caught using one


Have you made a will ?

G


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## Bagshanty

When we did Eastern Europe in 1997, our windscreen was covered in these things, with their nasty aggressive adhesive. So before fitting I reduce the stickiness by sticking it to clothing, a few times. That makes it easier to peel off when no longer required.


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## Don_Madge

skimbo said:


> Are they transferable? and what would be the fine if they are illegal and I was caught using one
> Happy Wheels
> Skimbo


Hi Skimbo,

I personally would not chance it.  but that's me.

In Switzerland the law is black and white there's no grey areas.

Penalties are stiff but I think they have now done away with capital punishment for motoring offences, I could be wrong of course. 8O

Have a good trip. 

Don


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## Wupert

Grizzly said:


> Has anyone successfully transferred the Swiss vignette from one van to another ? It's all designed to come off the windscreen in several little disconnected bits, presumably just so you can't transfer it or sell it on. Since you don't get a receipt you have no way of being able to claim another sticker within the year if you do write off the original.
> 
> Bit of a pain when you are changing van or have to replace the windscreen.
> 
> G


Use warm air from a hair drier.


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## OldWomble

Grizzly said:


> Has anyone successfully transferred the Swiss vignette from one van to another ? It's all designed to come off the windscreen in several little disconnected bits, presumably just so you can't transfer it or sell it on. Since you don't get a receipt you have no way of being able to claim another sticker within the year if you do write off the original.
> Bit of a pain when you are changing van or have to replace the windscreen.
> G


Easypeasy - Carefully cover your screen with clingfilm then place the Vignette on the film. Peel it off and use/sell as often as you like!


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## 95897

Please excuse my ignorance. I have an Autocruise that was factory fitted with air-ride suspension which uprated the MGW from 3400 kgs to 3600 kgs (weight plate amended accordingly). Now what do I require for travelling through Switzerland and Austria whether on motorways or otherwise? Thanking you in anticipation.


Keith
Aaronsdad


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## Grizzly

Aaronsdad said:


> . Now what do I require for travelling through Switzerland and Austria whether on motorways or otherwise? T
> Keith
> Aaronsdad


For Switzerland, the vignette, bought at the border posts or online, see

HERE

For Austria you will need a GO Box on your dashboard as you are over 3500kg. This you can buy at service stations or shops near the border. it fits on your dashboard and communicates with overhead gantries as you travel along the motorways and deducts money accordingly. It can either be bought pre-paid or you leave a credit or debit card number when you buy it.

You only need the vignette and Go box if you travel on the motorways through Austria and Switzerland but it is not easy to do otherwise. As soon as you set wheel on the motorway in either country you are liable.

See:

HERE

G


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## Don_Madge

Grizzly said:


> Aaronsdad said:
> 
> 
> 
> . Now what do I require for travelling through Switzerland and Austria whether on motorways or otherwise? T
> Keith
> Aaronsdad
> 
> 
> 
> For Switzerland, the vignette, bought at the border posts or online, see
> 
> HERE
> 
> For Austria you will need a GO Box on your dashboard as you are over 3500kg. This you can buy at service stations or shops near the border. it fits on your dashboard and communicates with overhead gantries as you travel along the motorways and deducts money accordingly. It can either be bought pre-paid or you leave a credit or debit card number when you buy it.
> 
> You only need the vignette and Go box if you travel on the motorways through Austria and Switzerland but it is not easy to do otherwise. As soon as you set wheel on the motorway in either country you are liable.
> 
> See:
> 
> HERE
> 
> G
Click to expand...

Hi G,

Keith will have to buy a permit at the border as his van is 3600kg the vignette is only for vehicles up to 3500kg.

Don


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## Wupert

Grizzly said:


> Has anyone successfully transferred the Swiss vignette from one van to another ? It's all designed to come off the windscreen in several little disconnected bits, presumably just so you can't transfer it or sell it on. Since you don't get a receipt you have no way of being able to claim another sticker within the year if you do write off the original.
> 
> Bit of a pain when you are changing van or have to replace the windscreen.
> 
> G


Hair drier onto said thingy


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