Driving Overview
General Information
Switzerland is a remarkably beautiful country jam packed with things to see and most of all experience. Whether you are staying a month or a day the only way to see Switzerland is by the comfort and convenience of a rental car booked through Auto Europe. Before your trip to Europe please take a moment to read over the important information below pertaining to driving and renting a vehicle in Switzerland.
Car Rental Requirements
In order to rent a car in Switzerland through Auto Europe you are required to be a minimum of 20 years old and have had your driver’s license for at least 1 year. Age requirements can vary depending on the vehicle category and rental supplier. If you are a younger driver between the ages of 20-24 there is a possibility that you may be required by some suppliers to pay a young driver surcharge of about $10-21 CAD per day. If you are traveling with children under the age of 7 they a required to travel in a car seat that is suitable to their size at all times. All vehicle occupants 7 years old or older are required to wear a seat belt at all times. Using a mobile phone while driving in Switzerland is illegal unless it is being used in conjunction with a hands free device.
Speed Limits
The standard legal speed limits in Switzerland are: city 50 km/h, major roads 80 km/h and 100-120 km/h on the highway. Please pay attention to posted signs where you are traveling as speed limits may vary.
Rules of the Road
In Switzerland vehicles must travel on the right side of the road and pass on the left. When stopped at a traffic light or railway crossing, vehicles are required to turn off their engines unless otherwise indicated.
Gas & Diesel
In Switzerland most gas stations are open between the hours of 8am to 10pm, however some stations that are located along highways and main roads may be open 24hrs. The cost for regular unleaded gas is about $5.65 CAD with diesel costing about $6 CAD
Tolls
Highways in Switzerland require all vehicles to have a Swiss Toll pass (locally known as a Vignette) available at Swiss National Tourism Offices for about $ 30 CAD.
Parking
To park in most cities throughout Switzerland a parking disc, which indicates the time the vehicle was parked must be displayed on the dashboard. Discs can be obtained from police stations and gas stations in the area.
Car Rental Insurance Information
General Information
Insurance is extremely important when renting a vehicle and requirements often change from country to country. When renting a vehicle in Switzerland with Auto Europe your rental rate will automatically include all necessary insurances. Below we have gone into detail what insurance is required to be on your vehicle rental and what other options are available to your through Auto Europe and the local suppliers in Switzerland.
If beginning your rental in Switzerland, the insurance guidelines of Switzerland will be in effect for the entire duration of the rental even in the event the car is returned in a different country. Specific insurance information can be found in the terms and conditions area of your rental voucher.
Required Car Rental Insurance Coverage
When renting a vehicle in Switzerland it is required to have fire and third party liability insurances. Auto Europe is happy to inform you that all basic rental rates include these forms of insurance. Third party liability insurance generally covers $1,615,000 CAD up to an unlimited amount of coverage to people and property outside of the rental car that may be damaged or injured because of the rental vehicle. Fire insurance provides an unlimited amount of coverage to the rental vehicle in the event it is damage because of a fire.
Optional Car Rental Insurance Coverage
There are a few optional insurances available for rentals commencing in Switzerland including collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection, personal accident insurance (PAI) and super CDW. Auto Europe’s inclusive rental rates in Switzerland will include CDW and theft protection at an excellent advanced purchase discount. CDW and theft protection are available locally at the rental counter with some suppliers. When purchased locally the cost of CDW ranges from $27 to $51 CAD per day with theft costing about $8 to $27 CAD per day both insurances are dependant on the vehicle category you are renting. Most of the suppliers that we work with will have a deductible that you are responsible in the event something happens to the rental vehicle, in Switzerland deductibles can range from $815 CAD up to $3,000 CAD. Many suppliers offer a supplementary insurance locally called super CDW that will help, reduce the amount of the deductible, the cost for super CDW can range from $14 to $83 CAD per day. Personal accident insurance is available locally for about $6 to $12 CAD per day and will provide death and disability coverage to the driver and passengers of the rental vehicle. Please be aware that optional insurances may be available with certain car suppliers only and the prices noted above are approximate and can change without notice at anytime.
Rental Restrictions
General Information
Many of the vehicles rented in Switzerland through Auto Europe are allowed to travel in most Western European countries without any restrictions. However some specific vehicle categories including luxury vehicles, 4x4s, large vans and some automatic vehicles may have travel restrictions due to insurance regulations that are placed on them. Here at Auto Europe we have worked very hard to build strong lasting relationships with our rental suppliers to create special rental program that will allow specific vehicle categories to be taken into Eastern Europe. Additional surcharges may apply to rentals being taken into Eastern Europe. Some specific vehicle categories may also have restrictions from traveling into Italy, therefore if you have plans to travel into Italy please advise Auto Europe at tie of booking to make sure the vehicle you intend to rent is permitted to travel there. Please take a moment to make sure the vehicle you are planning to rent is suitable for your travel needs.
Restricted Countries
Rentals that commence in Switzerland cannot travel into the following countries without advance notice and approval from Auto Europe: Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria etc) Albania, Bosnia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey and the Ukraine
Note: If there is a possibility that you will travel into any of the countries listed above please advise Auto Europe as travel into most if not all of these countries may be arranged with sufficient notice. Not all vehicle categories may be permitted an additional fees may apply.
One-Way Car Rentals
International one-way rentals are available and will always incur an additional surcharge. Domestic one-way rentals are also offered with most being free of charge. Not all vehicles are allowed and minimum rental lengths may apply.
