swiss vignette?

[dieselnutjob]

Is there any risk with buying a "swiss vignette" on ebay before a trip through switzerland?

how do I know it's genuine and not a forgery or something?

I know there is a fine for not having one, but is there a fine for not properly sticking it in the window?

etc

[willswitchengage]

Buy one at the border, all checkpoints will stock them. I got vignettes for half a dozen countries last year and a rather stern looking border officer did it for us. Some countries are strict on where to stick them iirc.

[Guest]

Sorry to state the obvious if you knew but they cannot be removed complete once used. Perforated X across them.

They might be forgeries or to fair could of been stuck in snidy, ie blue tack.

 

For what they cost and what you get in return, ie blooody great roads V. You will be royally f***ed if caught with a forgery or 'recycled' one.

 

Take it on reasonably good authority: I'm from there!

[supermellowman]

I had this very dilemma about a month ago. In the end I decided I would just use Swiss A Roads, although as you'll see below I had to change my mind eventually

 

As with all ebay purchases there's always a risk and all you can do is reduce the risk as far as you can by checking the usual things - feedback etc. - and asking questions. I'm sure most of what you see is legitimate and it is possible to salvage a vignette after a trip to sell on.

 

As ever with ebay though, make sure you're getting value for your money. A quick check of completed listings suggests people pay far too much for them. If you want absolute peace of mind about the legitimacy of your vignette you can buy them from the Swiss before you leave the UK if you want to:http://www.travel-swiss.co.uk/passes-motorway-vignette/vignette/purchasing-motorway-vignette.html

 

Or you could leave it until you get to Switzerland.

 

For my trip I avoided the Swiss motorways on the journey south, therefore not needing to buy a vignette. It took much longer than it otherwise would have done of course and in order to cover the ground I needed to in the time that I had for the northbound journey, I had to use their motorways. I joined their motorway network at Chiasso, just across the border from Como (Italy) and bought a vignette from a motorway service station, costing 40 swiss francs (£27). I figured I would have been asking for trouble by having no vignette at all.

 

As has been mentioned, I think if you cross the border on a motorway, they are a little more insistent on how the vignette is stuck to the screen and usually intervene themselves. However it's fixed, the vignette does have to be in a particular place on the windscreen (I think there are two or three locations on the windscreen that are acceptable).

 

I have no idea what checks, if any, they do and maybe they only check if they stop you for any reason. I'm not sure I saw a single police car on my trip up through to Basel and back into France.

Hope you enjoy your trip too.

[Guest]

Is that all they are for a car £27? Always go bike.

Is it really worth poncing about on ebay for £27? EDIT: Now £29...The toll m/way past Birmingham is well over £5.

 

If someone's worried about £29 they really don't want to go the Switzerland full stop!!

Cost of living is not cheap.

 

The fine will be considerably more than the cost of the vignette and the fuel you save on the motorway will be more than £27.

Zurich in rush hour? Good luck.

[supermellowman]

For what they cost and what you get in return, ie blooody great roads

 

Totally agree with this! Great roads. Stunning scenery. Tunnels within Switzerland included too. Fantastic value.

[dieselnutjob]

I don't want to steal or cheat, so I'm happy to pay for a genuine one

I heard stories about the swiss officials slapping it right in your line of site, or also that they're a right sod to remove as well.

Interesting that they have to be in a certain place. Anyone one know where exactly?

[supermellowman]

Anyone one know where exactly?

 

Diagram about a quarter of the way down this page http://www.tolltickets.com/country/swiss/vignette.aspx?lang=en-GB