Hi! We are a family of 4 planning a rental car based trip.
The plan is to fly into Milan. Pick up a car.
Loop around Switzerland for 8-10 days returning to Como/ Milan/Cinque Terre in the remaining days.
Thoughts on this plan? Gotcha's?
We have visited Swizterland only by train before but this time want to explore in a car.
Shri
You don't need a car for the Lauterbrunnen Valley and you could easily spend five nights there.
Gotcha? The Swiss Vignette toll for using the "1st and 2nd class roads" - a description which is pretty meaningless This is an annual fee and an Italian registered rental car won't have it unless a previous renter bought one as a sticker and it's still there.
https://www.bazg.admin.ch/en/swiss-motorway-vignette-two-types
Known as the motorway or autobahn tax it actually applies to some roads which look nothing like one of those, whilst some roads which clearly are one of those are exempt!! Check this map https://fedro.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c92296c494eb4e09a48a77237a0caf1c red roads need it, blue ones ought to but are exempt. Other roads are not shown.
The stickers can be bought at the border, and from various other locations, even on the italian side, usually fuel stations .
Hello ss.srini, and welcome to the forum,
Make sure your rental company knows you're crossing borders with the car so the coverage and everything works. It used to be a big deal but I don't know if it still is.
Make sure all drivers have an IDP before you leave.
Read up on ZTLs for Italy and parking fees and passes in the various areas before you go. Sounds like some of the Swiss fees have already been mentioned.
Are you going to drop the car and then train to CT? I think driving and train times are about the same and a car does you no good while you're there.
Have a great trip,
=Tod
