Driving in Switzerland from the UK: what you need
Checked against official sources on 8 November 2026 · Sources at the bottom of this page
Driving your own car to Switzerland? You need:
- A motorway vignette (CHF 40, valid 14 months) Buy it on the official webshop before you go, or at the border. See below
- A UK sticker, unless your number plate shows "UK" with the Union flag GB stickers are no longer valid: remove or cover them
- Your photocard driving licence, logbook (V5C) and insurance certificate Still have an old paper licence? You need an international driving permit (£5.50 at a PayPoint) Hire or lease car from the UK? Take a VE103 certificate instead of the logbook
- A passport for everyone in the car See the passport rules for Switzerland below
- A warning triangle A hi-vis vest is advised: wear it if you get out after a breakdown
- Headlights on in the daytime, set for driving on the right Daytime running lights or dipped headlights are compulsory. Many newer cars adjust for the right from a menu setting, others need beam deflector stickers
- No radar detector in the car They're banned, even switched off
🛂 Passport checks and customs
Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU. You enter Schengen when you cross the Channel, so your passport is checked, and the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records your fingerprints, at Dover, Folkestone or your arrival port. Your passport must be less than 10 years old on the day you arrive and valid for 3 months after you leave. There are customs checks at the Swiss border: if the goods you bring in are worth more than CHF 150, you pay VAT, and you can't bring in meat or dairy products from Great Britain.
Check your passport for Switzerland →The motorway vignette
You need a vignette to drive on Swiss motorways and expressways (cars up to 3.5 tonnes). A trailer or caravan needs its own. It comes as a windscreen sticker or an e-vignette linked to your number plate.
Geneva: on high-pollution days, central Geneva only lets in cars with a Stick'AIR sticker (the French Crit'Air sticker is accepted), from 6am to 10pm. This applies to UK cars too.
Speed limits in Switzerland
| Road | Limit |
|---|---|
| Motorways | 120 km/h≈ 75 mph |
| Expressways | 100 km/h≈ 62 mph |
| Roads outside towns | 80 km/h≈ 50 mph |
| Towns and villages | 50 km/h≈ 31 mph |
Speed cameras are everywhere, and penalties rise steeply. A court case for speeding usually costs at least CHF 400, and going 25 km/h too fast in a town can mean losing your licence for 3 months.
Rules that catch UK drivers out
🚨 Extreme speeding means prison
Driving 40 km/h too fast in a town, 60 km/h too fast outside towns or 80 km/h too fast on a motorway can mean 1 to 4 years in prison, and the car can be confiscated.
📡 Radar detectors are banned
Carrying one is illegal: it will be taken and destroyed, and you'll be fined. Motoring organisations advise turning off speed camera warnings in sat-navs and apps too.
🍷 Drink-drive limit
0.5 g/l, or 0.1 g/l for drivers on probation. Over the limit means a fine of about CHF 600 to 800, and over 0.8 g/l you lose your licence.
📵 No handheld phones
Using a phone in your hand while driving is a CHF 100 fine.
🚑 Rescue lane and zip merging
Leave a gap for emergency vehicles in motorway queues, and merge in turn where lanes close.
👶 Child seats
Children under 12 who are shorter than 150 cm need a child seat. An unsecured child is a CHF 60 fine.
❄️ Winter driving Winter tyres advised
Winter tyres aren't compulsory in Switzerland, but if you crash without suitable tyres you can be held responsible, and your insurance may not pay in full. GOV.UK advises winter tyres and snow chains in winter.
Some mountain roads and passes require snow chains when signs show it, and many high passes close in winter. Check before you set off.
Breakdowns and emergencies
- Call 112, or 144 for an ambulance, 117 for the police and 118 for fire.
- On a motorway, stop on the hard shoulder with your hazard lights on, put on a hi-vis vest and wait behind the barrier. Never step onto the carriageway.
- Place the warning triangle at least 100 m behind the car, and use the orange emergency phones to call for help.
Hiring a car in Switzerland instead
- Hire companies usually want you to be 20 or over, and may ask for an international driving permit, so check first.
- Swiss hire cars come with a vignette. A car hired in France or Germany may not, so check before you cross the border.
- They may ask for a DVLA licence check code. Get one on GOV.UK shortly before you collect the car: it's only valid for 21 days.
FAQs
Do I need a vignette to drive in Switzerland?
Yes, to use Swiss motorways and expressways. It costs CHF 40 and is valid for 14 months: the 2026 vignette runs from 1 December 2025 to 31 January 2027. There's no short-term version. Driving without one is a CHF 200 fine plus the CHF 40 vignette.
Where should I buy the Swiss e-vignette?
On the official Swiss government webshop, where it costs exactly CHF 40 and is valid straight away. Other websites may legally charge extra for the same e-vignette. You can also buy the sticker at the border, petrol stations and post offices.
Do I need winter tyres in Switzerland?
They aren't compulsory, but if you crash without suitable tyres you can be held responsible and your insurance may not pay in full. Snow chains may be required on some mountain roads, as signs show. GOV.UK advises winter tyres and chains in winter.
Are speed camera apps legal in Switzerland?
Radar detectors are banned: they can be taken and destroyed, and you'll be fined. Motoring organisations also advise turning off speed camera warnings in sat-navs and phone apps.
How strict are speeding penalties in Switzerland?
Very. Fines for small excesses are fixed, but bigger ones go to court, usually costing at least CHF 400, and can mean losing your licence. Driving 40 km/h too fast in a town, or 80 km/h too fast on a motorway, can mean 1 to 4 years in prison.
What is the drink-drive limit in Switzerland?
0.5 g/l, lower than England, Wales and Northern Ireland (0.8). It's 0.1 g/l for drivers on probation and professional drivers.
More for your trip
Sources
Checked on 8 November 2026. Rules change, so check the official sources before you travel.
- GOV.UK: Switzerland travel advice, road travel · Emergency numbers · International driving permits · UK stickers · Insurance abroad
- Switzerland: Vignette (Federal Customs, BAZG) · Vignette and fine (ch.ch) · Winter tyres · Speeding · Alcohol · Child seats · Radar detectors · Breakdowns and rescue lane (ASTRA) · Customs allowances · Geneva Stick'AIR
- EU: Your Europe: road rules in Switzerland