Sixt Car Hire Deals in Switzerland

Driving Tips

The Swiss road network consists of very well maintained motorways along with national, country or mountain roads. Driving is easy and fairly relaxed and with strict policing, Swiss drivers stick strictly to the speed limits and rules of the road. Take care on mountain routes with their steep gradients and hairpin bends.

More tips for enjoying driving in Switzerland:

• Driving in Switzerland is on the right.
• Distances and speed limits are in kilometres.
• Motorways are designated by the letter A while main roads are referred to by the letter N.
• Motorway driving requires a vignette sticker.
• Road signage follows the standard European designation of blue for motorways and red and white for other roads.
• Pedestrians on designated crossing along with trams in cities and yellow Swiss post buses in rural areas all have priority. Post buses have a distinctive three-tone horn.
• Free parking is usually unavailable in Switzerland's major cities.
• Any damage incurred if your rental vehicle leaves paved surfaces is your responsibility and you will be billed for the cost of repairs.

Speed limits in Switzerland

• Residential areas: 20 to 50 km/h
• Open roads: 80 km/h
• Motorways: 120 km/h

Traffic Infractions and on-the-spot fines (subject to change):

• Driving while intoxicated: Variable fines to prison sentences
• Driving a motor vehicle during the day without dipped headlights: 40 CHF
• Breaking the speed limits: Variable fines from 40 to 260 CHF
• Not using a child seat for children under 12: 60 CHF
• Driving while using a mobile phone: up to 1000 CHF

Places of Interest

Top 4 architectural sites

• Goetheanum Dornach
• Haus Bethlehem
• Kapellbrucke Luzern
• Chateau de Chillon

The Goetheanum Dornach is an unusually shaped and colourful homage to the philosopher von Goethe and a tranquil place to visit. At 700 hundred years old the Haus Bethlehem is definitely the oldest surviving wooden house in Europe, if not the world and contains a fascinating museum. Take a stroll across the wooden Kapellbrucke bridge that spans the River Reuss in Luzern while the medieval fortress of Chillon stands proudly in Lake Geneva.

Top 4 Natural Sites

• Vierwaldstattersee or Lake Luzern
• The Rhine Falls
• The Ruinalta Canyon
• The Aletsch Glacier

Lake Luzern is a stunning destination at any time of the year, ski in the Winter and hike the beautiful forests in Spring and Summer. Marvel at the power of water when you visit the Rhine Falls near the village of Neuhausen. Ruinalta is Switzerland's answer to the Grand Canyon. It can be explored by foot, water, train or bike. Take a guided tour on the amazing Aletsch Glacier, the largest in Europe and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Important Film locations

One of the most recent major films to use Switzerland as a location was the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, scenes were filmed in the luxurious Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich. The spectacular bungee jump used in the opening shots of Golden Eye was set in Russia but actually filmed at the Tusker Dam on Switzerland's Lake Verzasca. Another Bond adventure, Goldfinger made use of the hairpin bends near Realp for its daring car chase scenes.

Crossing Borders

When you rent a car in Switzerland there are restrictions on driving into neighbouring countries. These depend on the vehicle type rented and the country zone. Most countries of Europe are in Zone 1 and all vehicles may cross their borders. Some vehicle makes may not enter Zone 2 which contains countries such as Poland, Croatia and Latvia. For more details visit our Rental Information page. If restrictions are not followed, insurance cover is invalidated.

Popular Car Hire Locations in Switzerland

• Geneva
• Basel
• Zurich
• Lugano
• Bern
• Schaffhausen
• Lucerne
• Aargau Region
• Neuenburg Region