Traveling through France, Switzerland and Italy. Info required.

Tony Smith

de-Smiffy
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Hi, not too sure if this is the right section to ask in, but no doubt you could point me in the right direction if not?

We are traveling through France and Switzerland to Menaggio Italy, I have never been through Switzerland before and I hear that I need to buy a Vignette to use the major roads?

Entering at Basel, Lucerne and leaving at Lugano, looks to be the E35 in the main although it is also the A2. Is this a motorway, do I need a Vignette?

Does anyone know how this works and if I need one if I avoided Motorways?

Any experience would be welcomed in preparation.

Cheers,
Smiffy
 
You need a vignette for the motorways only ('A' prefix - 'E' roads may or may not be motorways)
So you do need one for the A2.

Personally I don't buy a vignette for moderate stretches of motorway. They're best avoided anyway.
 
Hi
if you enter at basel,they normally separate you so you end up buying a vignette anyway,think its worth getting one for peace of mind,Sod being fined just for sake of few quid,sometimes planning a route around motorways is a pain in the arse when you want to get somewhere fast :D

Dave:thumb
 
I have just done this very trip last week. I didn't buy the sticker and stuck to the non-A roads. But, it depends how long each day you plan to ride for. We rode down from Germany on the B500 into Switzerland and down to Wassen, then across the Susten Pass. It was 35 degrees, and a long day in the saddle. it was hard work working our way through endless sets of lights and small towns on the normal roads. After a night in innertkirchen we rode the grimsell and furka passes and then into Andermatt. Because we hadn't bought the sticker, we then picked up the 2 road all the way to Lake Como. Again 37+ degrees.... hard work.

I ended up with two long hot days on the bike, and in hindsight wish I had bought the vignette for the quick blast down to Wassen, and from Andermatt to Lake Como. But, I had planned long days of many miles... so imho, plan shorter days than I did, save yourself £35 and stay off the A2, or if you have longer days in the saddle, buy it... you will not regret it.

I hope this helps... you will love the trip...:beerjug::D
 
Thanks everyone, there’s nothing like other people’s experiences.

For the sake of a relatively small charge in relation to the overall costs, I’ll buy a Vignette, just in case I “stray off the path”.

Smiffy.
 
Good choice OP.

I'm no particular fan of toll roads, but in Switzerland I make an exception to that. As mentioned the going avoiding the motorways there can be slow and a bit of a chore. There's also the benefit that the scenery can be spectacular and that makes for an enjoyable cruise along rather than boring motorway drone.

Yes, I know they're not pennies, but in the grand scheme of things compared to what folks would spend on a trip like this, to me it just seems a bit daft.

Enjoy your trip :thumb
 
But 38 Euros is now about £450.
 
Obviously it depends if you're set on a particular route and think the Swiss Autoroutes are unavoidable but on my Italian trips I either just skim Switzerland and use minor roads or totally avoid it.....and their Autoroutes/vignettes.
 
I have just done this very trip last week. I didn't buy the sticker and stuck to the non-A roads. But, it depends how long each day you plan to ride for. We rode down from Germany on the B500 into Switzerland and down to Wassen, then across the Susten Pass. It was 35 degrees, and a long day in the saddle. it was hard work working our way through endless sets of lights and small towns on the normal roads. After a night in innertkirchen we rode the grimsell and furka passes and then into Andermatt. Because we hadn't bought the sticker, we then picked up the 2 road all the way to Lake Como. Again 37+ degrees.... hard work.

I ended up with two long hot days on the bike, and in hindsight wish I had bought the vignette for the quick blast down to Wassen, and from Andermatt to Lake Como. But, I had planned long days of many miles... so imho, plan shorter days than I did, save yourself £35 and stay off the A2, or if you have longer days in the saddle, buy it... you will not regret it.

I hope this helps... you will love the trip...:beerjug::D

I would 100% agree with above since we also skirted in and out of Switzerland last week without a vignette. Yes it can be done but you are always anxious at the junctions that you dont stray onto the m/ way. Not only are the small villages 50 and 30 km speed limited, there were lots of Police in evidence booking people.

If I was going back today I would pick one up at the border without doubt.it gives the flexibility to motor on whichever route you choose
 
Obviously it depends if you're set on a particular route and think the Swiss Autoroutes are unavoidable.....

Would appear to cover it.

Delete word 'Think' insert 'I want to use the Swiss motorways because...'
 
We deliberately avoided motorways when we went through Switzerland to Italy a couple of weeks ago. The roads (best surfaced on the whole trip) & scenery were fantastic. Getting fleeced €50 for two salads for lunch wasn't so good. Six of one, and all that.
 
We tried the duck & dive method way back, but it can be a real PITA, particulary if the weather closes in when you are on some convoluted route.

These days, we pay up - get the Vignette at a Services before we get to the Swiss Border & just sail through. Frankly it's preferable to the queues at Toll booths in France & Italy, just a shame we don't fleece foreign drivers so systematically in the UK.
 
Hi

I lot of bikers overpay at French tolls. If you press the button and say "moto" the toll price will be reduced by 50%.

Derek
 
Hi

I lot of bikers overpay at French tolls. If you press the button and say "moto" the toll price will be reduced by 50%.

Derek

Or you could do what we do, and ride through side by side.;)

This is normally fine, but the look on the Gendarmes face when we did it once, on the only monitored toll on our trip was priceless!:D
 


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