Switzerland
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From: Kiltokyo
Switzerland
A few of us have been discussing routes to and from Trento for Euromeet. Although I made the journey back in 2009 I took the German and Austrian route.I've heard bad reports about driving modified cars through Switzerland. So I was wondering if anyone has experience of travelling through Switzerland and whether it's more hassle than it's worth?
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From: Zurich
I'm from Switzerland, having a modified car. Well, I don't see why you'd have any trouble when your car is registered in another country, and is "legal" there. Your car doesn't need to meet swiss regulations.
But, your tires should have 1.6mm left as this is usually the first thing they check.
But the big problem in Switzerland is speeding, the low limits and the height of the fines. Outside cities it's 80 and they shouldn't catch you with more than 100 or it gets ugly. But on winding roads you should be somewhat ok with this I guess.
But, your tires should have 1.6mm left as this is usually the first thing they check.
But the big problem in Switzerland is speeding, the low limits and the height of the fines. Outside cities it's 80 and they shouldn't catch you with more than 100 or it gets ugly. But on winding roads you should be somewhat ok with this I guess.
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From: Kiltokyo
Hodri Thank you for you're reply 
When I was looking at the map the straightest route from Cherbourg to Trento is directly through Switzerland and I would be choosing this route to save time. But if 100kmph is the limit without attracting to much of the wrong attention I think it might be faster to route our way around it.
AE advice taken
When I was looking at the map the straightest route from Cherbourg to Trento is directly through Switzerland and I would be choosing this route to save time. But if 100kmph is the limit without attracting to much of the wrong attention I think it might be faster to route our way around it.
AE advice taken
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Hi Everyone, i'm also from switzerland.
The maximum speed limit on motorways is 120 km/h, on expressways it is 100 km/h, on main roads and minor roads outside built-up areas it is 80 km/h and in built-up areas it is 50 km/h. It is however possible that the allowed speed is lower, it is for example sometimes limited to 80 or 60km/h on highways because of construction works or bad air quality. Moreover, some roads are limited to 30km/h or even to 20km/h in built-up areas and to 70km/h outside built-up areas.
For more informations check this site here: https://www.ch.ch/en/driving-over-speed-limit/
In Switzerland, vehicles and trailers pay to use motorways and dual carriageways by buying a motorway sticker or ‘vignette’. http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en
if you note this points, i see no problems for a ride through Switzerland.
Greetings Phil
The maximum speed limit on motorways is 120 km/h, on expressways it is 100 km/h, on main roads and minor roads outside built-up areas it is 80 km/h and in built-up areas it is 50 km/h. It is however possible that the allowed speed is lower, it is for example sometimes limited to 80 or 60km/h on highways because of construction works or bad air quality. Moreover, some roads are limited to 30km/h or even to 20km/h in built-up areas and to 70km/h outside built-up areas.
For more informations check this site here: https://www.ch.ch/en/driving-over-speed-limit/
In Switzerland, vehicles and trailers pay to use motorways and dual carriageways by buying a motorway sticker or ‘vignette’. http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en
if you note this points, i see no problems for a ride through Switzerland.
Greetings Phil
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From: Zurich
No worries mate.
I just thought you wanted to drive through the mountains a bit.
It's a different thing if you only want to go straight through on the motorway. As Phil wrote, speed limit is 120kmph. You often go faster when flowing with the traffic on the left lane but you need to know where the cameras are (similar to France I'd say).
But you'd have to pay another 40 bucks for the sticker plus google maps says the fastest route is passing by Switzerland in the south and directly drive from France to Italy. So won't be worth it anyway.
But in reality, the fastest way is anyway though Germany and Austria as you can drive just way faster on the German Autobahn
I just thought you wanted to drive through the mountains a bit.
It's a different thing if you only want to go straight through on the motorway. As Phil wrote, speed limit is 120kmph. You often go faster when flowing with the traffic on the left lane but you need to know where the cameras are (similar to France I'd say).
But you'd have to pay another 40 bucks for the sticker plus google maps says the fastest route is passing by Switzerland in the south and directly drive from France to Italy. So won't be worth it anyway.
But in reality, the fastest way is anyway though Germany and Austria as you can drive just way faster on the German Autobahn
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From: La Massana, Principat D'Andorra
I drive through Switzerland a number of times each year and I've never found it a problem- even in my Atom this summer.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
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From: Kiltokyo
I drive through Switzerland a number of times each year and I've never found it a problem- even in my Atom this summer.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
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From: La Massana, Principat D'Andorra
Originally Posted by Welshman' timestamp='1388586599' post='22945291
I drive through Switzerland a number of times each year and I've never found it a problem- even in my Atom this summer.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
If you arrive at a border crossing into Switzerland and it's on a motorway - e.g. Basle - you will be stung Euro 40 for the motorway vignette. However, Austria is equally toll happy so there is no advantage to be gained from avoiding Switzerland on that score. If you want to avoid the charge either stay off the motorways or enter on a non motorway road, e.g. Waldshut at the base of the B500 or just North of Schaffhausen. You may still get asked whether you intend using their motorways and it's up to you what you tell them. If you subsequently get stopped on a motorway just plead ignorance as the non motorway border crossings are frequently unmanned so it is feasible that you weren't asked and so didn't know about the vignette.
As the Swiss residents have said don't do excessive speeds because the fines are high. Motorway limit of 120 kmh is 75mph and you'll have no problem with 85mph but I wouldn't stray over 90 for long periods. The Swiss are essentially law abiding and you'll see them sit at 120/130 kmh so if you keep passing them at 150 you will stand out. Look at for unmarked BMW 5 series saloons and estates - usually dark blue.
Switzerland has some wonderful pass roads to drive but your problem is that even by mid May many of the high passes could still be closed by snow. Swiss meteo offers pass reports. Assuming they are open my preferred route - avoiding toll roads would be Calais, Lille, Mons, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Saarbrucken, Bitche, Hagenau, Baden Baden, B500 to Waldshut, motorway past Zurich to Landquart, Davos, Fluelapass to Susch, Zernez, Ofenpass to Merano, Bolzano and then Trento. If you were lucky with the snow then you could play around with the last part of the route and take in the Stelvio and Gavia passes. Stelvio is grossly overrated as a driving experience IMO but it's still a must do pass if only to cross it off the bucket list. Fluelapass and the Ofenpass are much better driving experiences.
One road that shouldn't be adversely affected by snow in mid May is the B500 from Baden Baden to Waldshut. If you haven't driven it then take the opportunity: you'll find details here: http://www.bbot.co.uk/ride-reports/s...and-july-2010/
As for the fastest route I'd disregard whatever Google maps may say about going through France and then into Italy - that is rubbish. As Hodri says the fastest route is through France, Germany then Austria. Much depends on whether you want to use the French Peages (toll motorways) as that will speed you up but cost you.
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