Switzerland
Drives on the right · CHF · Emergency 112Speed limits
Urban
50 km/h
Rural / outside built-up areas
80 km/h
Motorway
120 km/h
Alcohol limits
General limit
0.5‰
Novice drivers
0.1‰
Mandatory equipment
- •Warning triangle
Winter tires & snow chains
Winter tires aren't mandated by a fixed calendar date, but driving without appropriate winter equipment in wintry conditions can affect fault/liability if it contributes to an incident, and chains may be required (signed) on some Alpine passes.
Tolls
System
Vignette
An annual vignette (physical sticker or digital, plate-linked) is required for all motorways and expressways — sold for a fixed calendar-year period (valid from December of the prior year through January of the following year), with no short-term options.
Full tolls & vignette guide →More things to know before you drive
Seatbelts
Mandatory front and rear for all occupants.
Mobile phone use
Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited.
Child seats
Children under 12 and shorter than 150 cm must use an approved child restraint suited to their size.
Headlights
Dipped headlights (or daytime running lights) are required at all times, day and night.
Low-emission & restricted zones
No nationwide low-emission zone network; some town centers and Alpine resort areas restrict general traffic access at certain times.
Right of way & roundabouts
Priority to the right at unmarked intersections; roundabouts give way to traffic already circulating. Yellow diamond signs mark priority roads.
Parking
Blue zones require a parking disc showing arrival time for free, time-limited parking; white zones are usually paid via meter or app.
Speed cameras
Fixed and mobile speed cameras are common; enforcement is strict and serious excesses are treated as a criminal offence rather than a simple fine.
Good to know
Switzerland is not in the EU but is in the Schengen area. Currency is Swiss francs (CHF), not euros — carry local cash or a card for tolls and parking outside the vignette.