Driving to Switzerland from the UK

A road trip to Switzerland is an epic adventure, whichever way you look at it. The Swiss Alps offer some of the most exhilarating landscapes in the world, and if you’re there in the summer there is the chance to drive on truly awe-inspiring mountain roads. How does it feel to be at the top of the world? Drive to Switzerland and find out.  What’s more, its easy to get there from the UK with LeShuttle.

Is it possible to drive from the UK to Switzerland?

Yes, if you have experience of driving on the Continent then driving to Switzerland should be on your ‘to-do’ list. You can travel with LeShuttle across the Channel in just 35 minutes, and start making the journey south from Calais through France. Switzerland is a small country – not much bigger than Belgium – so most of your journey will be through France. You will not find driving in Switzerland to be much different than in France, other than you won’t have to pay tolls! 

How long does it take to drive from Calais to Switzerland?

You can drive to Basel from the LeShuttle terminal in Calais in around 7 ½ hours, but obviously your journey time will be longer if you are driving further south, especially down into the Alps. Switzerland is one of the most dramatic countries in the world for driving, so the important thing to do is take your time and make the most of your road trip. 

The Gotthard Pass

Is driving to Switzerland expensive? 

Many people prefer to fly to Switzerland, but for a family this can be costly. Plus, if you want to fly and drive in Switzerland you will have to hire a car, and this has become even more expensive in recent years. So you could be looking at a price between £1000-2000 for a fly-drive holiday, before you’ve even considered accommodation. Add in the time of check-ins and passport control and possible flight delays, and driving is a much less expensive and possibly even quicker alternative. The only costs you will have is fuel, tolls and the vignette charge. The vignette is a sticker that permits you to drive on Swiss motorways, and can be bought at the border, at service stations and post offices. 

The most direct route to Switzerland

From the LeShuttle terminal in Calais, the quickest driving route takes you down the A26 motorway, past Arras and Reims. Reims could be an ideal overnight stopping point, with its stunning gothic architecture and reams of champagne houses, but if you wanted to break the back of the journey then why not press ahead to Strasbourg or Colmar on the A4 and A35? Colmar is a delightful place, perhaps the quintessential Alsace town with half-timbered pastel coloured houses and cobbled streets, straight out of a fairytale. From there it is just an hour’s drive or so to the Swiss border. 

Places to stay in Switzerland

The beautiful city of Lucerne

Lucerne

Perhaps the most beautiful of Swiss cities, Lucerne lies almost perfectly placed – not just geographically in the centre of the country, but in an idyllic spot on the shores of Lake Lucerne and in the shadow of the Alps. You will be utterly entranced, whether exploring the medieval old town, with its covered ‘Kapelbrücke’ bridge and wealth of historic buildings, or taking the cogwheel railway up to the top of Mount Pilatus, affording sensational views and the opportunity for some exciting activities like tobogganing and tree walking. 

Zurich

Switzerland’s largest city still has an intimate feel, and is easily walkable. Located in the picturesque surroundings at the top of Lake Zurich, the river Limmat runs through the city and its waterside location gives it a relaxed atmosphere, especially in summer when the sunbathers and swimmers are out in force around the lake. Zurich is home to many exceptional museums and art galleries, including the world-renowned Kunsthaus. Make sure you see Chagall’s modernist stained glass windows in the Fraumünster church. You’ll find eating out expensive, even for Switzerland, but then Zurich is a centre for world banking!

Bern

Another absolutely glorious Swiss city, Bern is much smaller than Zurich but is actually the country’s official capital. The old town is nestled in a bend of the river Aare, and was given UNESCO World heritage status for the way it has retained its historic character. The special sights of Bern include the Zytglogge, the 13th-century clock tower, the 6km stretch of medieval arcades which now house some very modern shops, and the Bärenpark, a secure enclosure in the middle of the city for a community of bears, one of the founding symbols of Bern and still one of its unique attractions.

The best drives in Switzerland 

The Hotel Belvedere on the Furka Pass

Almost everywhere you drive in Switzerland, especially as you near the Alps in the south of the country, you are guaranteed jaw-dropping views. Here are some of the most exhilarating places to take your car in this beautiful land of mountains, valleys and lakes.  

Furka Pass

For hairpins, switchbacks and astonishing scenery, they don’t come much better than the Furka Pass. A 22-mile stretch of alpine road that links the towns of Gletsch and Andermatt, you wind up to the 2,430m scenic viewpoint of the Hotel Belvedere for an incredible panorama of the Rhone Glacier and the Andermatt valley. James Bond fans may recognise this pass – it was the scene of a car chase in Goldfinger. There is a tunnel through the mountains, by the way, but hey, that would just be boring! 

Appenzell to St Moritz

The 124-mile route from Appenzell to St Moritz is a journey of rolling hills and fairytale alpine villages. The soundtrack is tinkling cowbells and gurgling streams, and the background ever more spectacular landscapes. You pass through the town of Maienfeld, the inspiration for the Heidi stories, with its lush mountain meadows and vineyards, drive over the dramatic gorge of Salginatobelbrücke, into the high peaks of the Swiss National Park and finally the hubbub of the ski resort of St Moritz, a playground in winter and summer – for those that can afford it! 

Gotthard Pass

The mountain pass over the Saint-Gotthard Massif was a vital alpine trade route during the Middle Ages. Today it is exhilarating to drive, especially when you start to descend from the 2,108 m high peak of the pass. The cobblestone road that snakes down the mountainside to the south was laid in the 1830s and is called the ‘Tremola’. Perhaps not as uncomfortable a ride as it would have been in a horse-drawn coach, it is still far from smooth and requires care to drive. The views are gorgeous, but restricted to summer and autumn driving only, as the road is closed from November to May. 

How much are the tolls to drive to Switzerland?

To drive from Calais to the Swiss border near Basel would incur tolls of around €60-70. There are no tolls in Switzerland, but you must have a vignette to drive on motorways and through most mountain tunnels. There is an additional toll charge to drive through the Grand St. Bernard Tunnel and the Munt la Schera Tunnel in the Alps.

The ‘Zytglogge’ clock tower dominates the old town of Bern

Speed limits and fines in Switzerland

These are the general speed limits on Swiss roads, but there will be local variations, so keep a look out for warning signs. 

•    Motorways - 120 km/h 

•    Roads outside built-up areas – 80-100 km/h 

•    Built-up areas of towns and cities - 50 km/h 

In Switzerland drivers are fined depending on the type of road and the speed at which the offence takes place. If you exceed the speed limit by 5km/h on a motorway you could be fined 20 CHF (Swiss francs), but the fines can increase to 600 CHF (£540) for being caught at more than 20km/h above the limit on an urban road in a built-up area. 

Emission Laws in Switzerland

The only city in Switzerland where a low emission zone is currently in place is Geneva. Before driving into Geneva you need to purchase and display a ‘Stick’AIR’ sticker, ensuring that it is the right colour for your vehicle’s pollution category.  The system only comes into force when pollution reaches certain levels, and only from 6am-10pm in any circumstances. Signs clearly indicate which types of stickered cars are allowed. The scheme is also in place for the neighbouring suburbs of Carouge, Cologny, Lancy and Vernier. 

What equipment do I need to drive in Switzerland?

As you will be driving in France first, you will already be well equipped. In fact the list of French mandatory items are more stringent than the Swiss, so you should already have in your car: 

•    A warning triangle 

•    Hi-vis jacket

•    Headlamp converters 

If you are driving in the winter you should also have snow chains.  

Make sure you take plenty of precautions if driving in the Swiss winter

Do I need winter tyres to drive in Switzerland?

You might think you do, but actually there is no legal requirement to have changed to winter tyres to drive in Switzerland during the colder months. You just need to prove that your car is roadworthy. However, some roads in Switzerland in the winter can be perilous, so if you are heading off to the Alps to do some skiing it’s always a good idea to put the winter tyres on. 

FAQs 

What do UK drivers need to drive in Switzerland?

The documents you need are a full, valid UK driving licence, proof of ID (passport), your motor insurance certificate and a V5 registration document. In terms of equipment, you should always carry a warning triangle, headlamp converters, a vignette sticker for driving on Swiss motorways, and snow chains if driving during winter. 

Do I need a UK sticker to drive in Switzerland?

Yes. Your number plate can also incorporate the UK identifier with the Union flag. 

What side of the road do you drive in Switzerland?

You drive on the right in Switzerland.