Useful and Important Numbers  Speed limits and Formation  Roads Toll information  Driving on the highway  Parking  Fuel  Mobile phones  Drinking and driving  Regulation concerning child safety in cars

Driving in Switzerland

The Swiss drive on the right hand side of the road and so approach roundabouts in an
anticlockwise direction! Vehicles on roundabouts have priority and not those entering it.
Seatbelts are compulsory, including in the rear of the car. Insurance companies may
not pay if you are not wearing one.

Useful and Important Numbers

Police emergency call - 117 Fire department emergency call - 118 Ambulance emergency call - 144 Rescue by helicopter - 1414/ 1415 Emergency road service (TCS) - 0800 140 140 (+41 31 850 55 44)

Speed limits and Formation

Speed limits are as follows: 30 kph 50 kph in built-up areas 80 kph outside built-up areas, and 100 kph or 120 kph on highways

Roads Toll information

Note that cars rented in Switzerland come with a visible sticker or vignette which allows the vehicle to travel Switzerland's express highways until the end of the year.

Driving on the highway

The highway signs in Switzerland are green. Normal main roads are indicated with blue signs. To safely facilitate heavy, high-speed traffic, special rules apply when driving on the Autobahn. Passing on the right is prohibited! Slower vehicles must move to the right to allow faster traffic to pass, and drivers should stay in the right lane except to pass. When passing, you must do so as quickly as possible. Stopping, parking, U-turns, and reverse travel are prohibited, including on shoulders and ramps.

Parking

Parking on the sidewalk is illegal except where signs indicate otherwise. Blue Zones: For these parking lots a disc is necessary during the period 9am to 6pm on weekdays, Saturday 9am to 4pm. Free parking for a limited time (1 hour to 1hour and a half during the day, longer at lunchtime). You must display the parking disc, which will be in the car. Yellow Zones: you can't park. White Zones: there will be a parking metre or it will be a "Pay and Display". Red zones: allow you to park up to 15 hours for free, but you must have a red parking disc. If you use a multi-story car park, remember you must pay before you go to your car at one of the ticket machines, as you cannot usually pay at the exit!

Fuel

Outside of open hours fuel is commonly available from automatic pumps that accept 10 and 20 SFr notes or credit cards. Normal unleaded petrol has an octane rating of 95; unleaded super has an octane rating of 98. Unleaded petrol is called bleifrei, essence sans plomb, or benzina sensa piomba, depending on whether you're in a German-, French-, or Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, respectively. Likewise, diesel is called diesel, or gasolio; and LPG is called autogas, Gaz de pétrole liquéfié (GPL), or gas liquido (GPL).

Mobile phones

You are not permitted to use a mobile phone while driving unless it has a hands free connection

Drinking and driving

In Switzerland you are not allowed to drive when you have a an alcohol concentration of more than 0,5 pro mille. The law is very strict, random testing is carried out and if convicted you will loose your license, receive a heavy fine and may be imprisoned. If you hold a driving license and are traveling in a car with a drunk driver, you are equally responsible under Swiss law. In case of an accident, your car, accident and health insurance may all be made void if it is shown that you were under the influence of alcohol. As in all countries it is safer not to drink and drive at all!

. Regulation concerning child safety in cars By 1st january 2002, the law regarding child safety in cars has been reinforced: each child must now be secured by a child safety seat or a seat belt. For children under the age of 12, child safety seats are mandatory. Avis offers you a variety of child safety seats for rent; naturally, these seats meet the highest criteria in security and comfort. If you need child seats for your rental car, please do inform us at the time of rental, so that we can provide you with the model best suited for your child.