Your driving plan
Vignette cost is per vehicle, not per person.
What this solves
The Swiss motorway vignette costs CHF 40 and lasts 14 months. Tourists often buy it reflexively. But for a 3-day trip with one tunnel crossing, a single Gotthad toll (CHF 28) plus driving on small country roads is cheaper. This tool runs the math both ways — including the option of dropping the car entirely.
It also surfaces the rule locals actually know: driving through Switzerland without a vignette is a CHF 200 fine. There is no daily vignette — only annual or a paid detour via secondary roads.
How to read the results
- Vignette cost is fixed at CHF 40 — split across passengers it becomes almost free for a family of 4.
- Detour route uses small cantonal roads to avoid the A2 / A13. Adds time, saves the sticker fee. Practical only for short hops.
- Toll tunnels are charged separately even with a vignette (Gotthard CHF 28, San Bernardino CHF 28, Great St. Bernard CHF 32, Brenner route is outside Switzerland).
- Drop the car shows an indicative SBB Half-Fare Card cost for the same itinerary. Sometimes the train really is cheaper.
What this calculator ignores
- It does not include fuel cost — see the Driving Cost tool for that.
- Parking fees in cities (Zurich up to CHF 45 / day) are not deducted. They sometimes outweigh the vignette decision.
- Car rental drop-off fees for one-way rentals (CHF 100–250) are ignored.
- The detour option assumes a confident driver on Alpine secondary roads — in winter, snow tires are mandatory and many passes close.
Common questions
What if I forget to buy the vignette?
Driving without one costs a CHF 200 fine plus a retroactive CHF 40 charge. Customs officers sometimes enforce it at the border. The vignette is sold at petrol stations, post offices, customs offices and online at vignette.ch.
Is there a digital / e-vignette?
Yes, since 2023. You register your plate at vignette.ch and pay CHF 40 — cameras read the plate. The physical sticker is still sold and remains valid.
Do motorcycles and trailers need their own vignette?
Yes — same CHF 40 fee for each. Trailer behind a car still needs its own vignette. Foreign-registered vehicles are exempt from the vignette when crossing directly through, but must hold one if they drive any motorway distance.