Lancia Motor Club

General => General Chat => Topic started by: lancialulu on 26 August, 2012, 10:47:10 AM



Title: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: lancialulu on 26 August, 2012, 10:47:10 AM
We are thinking off going through Switzerland as part of our European trip this September.

I thought there may be some issues so can anyone advise of taking an "old" (ie pre catalyser) car into/through Switzerland????

thanks

Tim


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: SanRemo78 on 26 August, 2012, 11:07:17 AM
Don't take a Stratos (or anything else interesting/loud)..... Every time I've tried to cross the border they've wanted to stop me to check documents etc! only managed to avoid it on each occasion because there was a convoy and they didn't want to check all of us!

If you're travelling on their motorways you'll need a Swiss road tax vignette stuck to the inside of the screen too. I'm not 100% sure where to buy them - toll areas and service stations possibly but it may be easier to get one before you leave. There's usually a few available on eBay at discounted prices... I know it's tax avoidance but we don't ask the Swiss to buy a tax disc when they come here do we? And we still have to pay to tolls over there too.... Rant over.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/swiss-motorway-vignette-/271042894372?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item3f1b6a5a24#ht_500wt_1219

Guy


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: Sebastien on 26 August, 2012, 01:02:38 PM
Tim,

Following points regarding your trip:
1. Non catalysed cars: no problem in Switzerland. Contrary to Italy and Germany, no forbidden City zones.
2. Noise: of course a noisy car that does not comply with your local laws will also get in trouble here.
3. Motorways: Can be very busy at times, and following sections are just annoying, at any time: Basel - Lucerne - Gotthard, and Berne - Zurich
4. San Gottardo Tunnel: On week-ends very busy, and you can sometimes expect 2 - 4 hours wait - In the summer take the old road over the top
5. Swiss Road Tax vignette: Costs still 40 CHF this year. Can be bought easily at entrance in Switzerland, at customs.

How to avoid the San Gottardo:
A. Coming from or going to Como / Milano: Take the San Bernadino, travelling through Zurich / Chur
B. Coming from or going to Torino: Take the Grand St Bernard, travelling through Lausanne / Martigny / Aosta

Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: Jai Sharma on 26 August, 2012, 09:24:42 PM
I don't have any extra advice, but on a recent trip I saw a Fulvia on the road in Switzerland, on Dutch plates on sme kind of "rally" judging by the plates the car was wearing.



Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: peterbaker on 28 August, 2012, 02:58:30 PM
Zero tolerance towards speeding, speed cameras will get you. I got caught near Geneva 3kph over limit


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: Zagato on 04 September, 2012, 10:56:03 PM
I thankfully don't have personal experience of their zero tolerance

.... but friends of mine who live just over the border in Italy have assured me that the impounding of traffic law offenders cars is a regular occurrence ...  and whilst the car is taken away you are left at the side of the road to find your own way home!

Other than that .. it's a beautiful country ...


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: Sebastien on 10 October, 2012, 03:24:40 PM
Tim, I have seen on the Fulvia subforum that you are back from your Switzerland and Dolomites trip, with lots of mountain passes.
Any comment on the roads, and bad / good experiences?
Not too many caravans and mobile homes on the passes? No motorcyclists on the wrong side of the road I hope!
September is generally a good season for driving in Switzerland!


Title: Re: driving through Switzerland?? tips etc
Post by: lancialulu on 10 October, 2012, 05:01:09 PM
Seb

we only did one overnight in Switzerland. was rather crowded but passes were good fun. Dolomites were absolutely brilliant with one day just doing pass after pass. If you timed it right you could get clear runs and on the small roads were mostly empty. Lots of bikes of all types -never seen so many. On one major pass the hotel at the top said five bikers were killed every week in high season on that road. Not sure how much of an exageration that was and definately didnt have any close shaves or saw any accidents although a couple of cars complained of needing to take avoiding action, which I had to do with a merc cornering on its limits on a blind corner in Slovenia. Luckily there was a large shallow drainage gully I could escape on. Was not happy....

Want to go back to the Dolomites tomorrow....

Tim

PS a Swiss vignette is easy to buy at 30euros so unless one comes up much cheaper on ebay I wouldnt bother, and would buy on arrival.