Hi,
I'm driving from Annecy to the Geneva airport, french side, to dropoff the rental car and then fly home. I'm confused about whether or not I'm expected to pay the Switzerland fee on this drive. I'm not interested in taking a long drive to avoid paying, just trying to set my expectations and gain an understanding of the process. Thanks!
Matt
I am not totally sure what you mean by "the Switzerland fee". I Guess you mean an Autobahn Vignette. Perhaps you could come back and clarify.
An Autobahn Vignette is a toll for using Autobahns=Autoroutes=Autostrada=Motorways. It cost CHF 40 for one calendar year. It comes in the form of a sticker you attach to the windscreen and looks like this.
You only need to buy one if you are going to drive on a Swiss Autoroute/Autobahn/Autostrada. If you keep off these roads, and very importantly, do not cross the border on a Autoroute/Autobahn/Autostrada then you do not need to buy one.
Autoroutes are clearly marked on road maps and on signs, they are easy to spot.
If you are very lucky the hire car will already have been driven in Switzerland this year and will already have a Vignette.
Edit: I just checked the route on www.viamichelin.com
Shortest route: 43 Km, 0h40, €6,90 French autoroute tolls and this route does include a Swiss Autoroute.
Avoiding the Swiss Autoroute (and avoiding the CHF 40 Vignette): 47 Km, 0h57, €6,90 French Autoroute tolls.
Great, thanks. Yes, this is the fee I'm referring to. This is helpful.
Matt
We've done the drive to and from the French sector to Annecy, and also north and west from the airport. At least the first time we did it I used the attached access map from the Geneva airport web site. It gives you 3 options: access to the Swiss side using an autoroute (vignette not needed); access to the Swiss side crossing the border but not using the autoroute (no vignette); and access to the French side not crossing the border. We used No. 3.
http://www.gva.ch/en/Portaldata/1/Resources/fichiers/publications/af.pdf
The map from Robert is great. Even if you have a Swiss vignette, you need to use the route #3 to Ferney to return a French rental car and avoid the rental car drop off fee.
We drove first to the Swiss side and it was a long way around to the correct rental car return on the French side, but worth it to save several hundred euro.
The Ferney-Voltaire airport, aka the French-side of the Geneva airport, is a great tip I first learned about in this forum. :-)
Thanks all. Back home now. Took route #3 and it was a lovely ride.
