Switzerland Motorway Vignette and Tunnel Tolls: Complete Guide 2026

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Switzerland Motorway Vignette and Tunnel Toll Guide

System: Annual motorway vignette (sticker or e-vignette) + separate tolls for two road tunnels, four car shuttle routes and one mountain road + distance based heavy vehicle charge (LSVA)
Operator: Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS / BAZG) for the vignette and LSVA; Federal Roads Office (FEDRO / ASTRA) for the motorway network; tunnel and shuttle tolls are set by SISEX SA, Engadiner Kraftwerke AG, BLS, Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF); the Italian side of the Great St. Bernard Tunnel charges in EUR
Coverage: All national motorways and expressways requiring a vignette; Great St. Bernard Tunnel, Munt La Schera Tunnel, Furka, Lötschberg, Simplon and Vereina car shuttles and the Frutt mountain road charged separately
Technology: Physical windscreen vignette sticker OR digital e-vignette (license plate linked); tunnel and shuttle stations accept cash and cards

Do I Need a Swiss Vignette? 2026 Update

Yes, any vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes using a Swiss national motorway or expressway must display a valid vignette. There is no daily or weekly option: Switzerland sells only an annual vignette valid from December 1 of the prior year through January 31 of the following year, meaning the 2026 vignette covers December 1, 2025 through January 31, 2027.

Key Reality: If you enter Switzerland from France, Germany, Austria, or Italy and plan to use any motorway, you need a vignette immediately. Roadside enforcement is strict: customs officers (BAZG) and cantonal police check vignettes, and driving on a motorway without one triggers an on-the-spot fine of CHF 200 plus the cost of the vignette itself.

Price for 2026: The vignette price remains CHF 40 for 2026, unchanged since 1995. The e-vignette, available since August 2023, can be purchased online before entering Switzerland. Heavy goods vehicles (over 3.5 t) do not use the vignette system and instead pay the distance-based LSVA (Leistungsabhängige Schwerverkehrsabgabe), called the heavy vehicle charge (HVC) in English.

Switzerland Toll Costs: Current Rates

Switzerland operates a layered toll structure: a flat annual vignette for all motorway users up to 3.5 t, separate tolls at two road tunnels, four car shuttle routes and one mountain road, and a distance-based charge for vehicles over 3.5 t. The Gotthard Road Tunnel, one of the longest road tunnels in the world at 16.9 km, charges no toll; it is covered by the vignette.

Annual Motorway Vignette (2026)

Vehicle Category Annual Vignette (CHF) Validity Notes
Passenger car / motorcycle / motorhome up to 3.5 t CHF 40 1 Dec 2025 – 31 Jan 2027 Physical sticker or e-vignette (license plate linked)
Trailer / caravan up to 3.5 t (towed) CHF 40 1 Dec 2025 – 31 Jan 2027 Separate vignette required for the trailer; trailers attached to motorbikes are exempt
Heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 t LSVA charge (distance-based) Per km driven Separate system (LSVA III); registration and recording method required; vignette not applicable

Tunnel Toll Rates (2026)

Two road tunnels, four car shuttle routes and one mountain road in Switzerland charge a separate toll in addition to the vignette that applies on motorway sections. The Gotthard Road Tunnel does not charge a toll; it is fully covered by the vignette.

Tunnel / Shuttle Route Car (CHF) Other Vehicles (CHF) Notes
Autoverlad Furka (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) Oberwald (VS) to Realp (UR), Furka tunnel, about 20 minutes CHF 33 per journey Multi-trip tickets (Furka-Abo 10): CHF 300, valid 1 year, online only Runs all year; ticket valid in either direction; reservation at loading stations required; timetable changes on 31 Oct 2026
Frutt mountain road Stöckalp (OW) to Melchsee-Frutt CHF 25 for up to 24 hours; CHF 5 per additional day Not listed by vehicle type Single-lane road: uphill on even hours, downhill on odd hours; barrier closes 40 minutes past the hour; ticket issued at the gate; plateau is car-free (free parking at Dempfelsmatt)
Lötschberg car shuttle (BLS) Kandersteg (BE) to Goppenstein (VS) CHF 28 Mon–Thu / CHF 31 Fri–Sun and public holidays Caravan / trailer CHF 25; motorhome up to 5 t CHF 28 / CHF 31; motorbike CHF 20 Ticket valid 1 month in both directions and transferable; outward and return journeys bought separately; Kandersteg to Iselle direct service CHF 109 with mandatory reservation
Simplon car shuttle (BLS) Brig (VS) to Iselle (IT) CHF 27 Caravan / trailer CHF 24; motorhome up to 5 t CHF 46; motorbike CHF 16 Ticket valid 1 month in both directions and transferable; tickets not sold at Iselle
Great St. Bernard Tunnel (Grand-Saint-Bernard) Martigny (CH) to Aosta (IT), 5.8 km CHF 32 one-way / CHF 51 return (EUR 33.50 / EUR 53.50 on the Italian side) Motorcycle CHF 19 / CHF 26.50; vehicle over 2 m up to 3 m high CHF 50 one-way / CHF 80 return Prices since 1 Feb 2026; Swiss side CHF only, Italian side EUR only; return ticket valid 30 days; tickets sold at toll booths only; seasonal closures of mountain road alternative
Munt La Schera Tunnel (Ofenpass / Val Müstair) Zernez (CH) to Livigno (IT), 3.3 km May–Nov: CHF 15 one-way / CHF 25 return (e-ticket)
Dec–Apr, Sun–Fri: CHF 20 / CHF 35
Dec–Apr, Sat: CHF 29 / CHF 42
At the cashpoint: May–Nov CHF 17 / CHF 28; Dec–Apr Sun–Fri CHF 25 / CHF 42; Dec–Apr Sat CHF 35 / CHF 50		 Caravan / camper and minibus (10 to 19 seats): CHF 23 one-way / CHF 41 return (cashpoint CHF 25 / CHF 44); motorcycle: CHF 11 / CHF 17 (cashpoint CHF 13 / CHF 20) Access to Italian duty-free enclave of Livigno; caravan, camper and motorcycle prices have no seasonal change; opening hours vary, check the operator site
Vereina car shuttle (Rhaetian Railway) Klosters Selfranga (GR) to Sagliains (GR), 19 km tunnel, about 18 minutes Summer (1 May–30 Nov 2026): CHF 36
Winter (1 Dec 2026–30 Apr 2027): CHF 41 on site / CHF 39.50 online		 Trailer / caravan up to 0.75 t: CHF 22 summer / CHF 23 winter; 0.75 t to 3.5 t: CHF 36 / CHF 41; motorcycle: CHF 22 / CHF 23 Runs all year; vehicle registration document decides the category; value cards give up to 35 percent discount
Gotthard Road Tunnel (Gotthard-Strassentunnel) Göschenen to Airolo, 16.9 km (A2) No separate toll No separate toll Covered by vignette; traffic management system in force during peak periods

LSVA Heavy Vehicle Levy: Overview (2026)

Vehicles over 3.5 t pay the LSVA (distance-based heavy vehicle charge) instead of a vignette. It applies to vehicles used to carry goods, on all public roads in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, not only on motorways. It depends on kilometres driven, the permissible laden weight in the registration document (capped at 40 t) and the emission category.

Emission Category Rate (CHF per tonne-km) Example: 40 t truck, 300 km
Category III: EURO VI (cleanest) CHF 0.0239 ≈ CHF 286.80
Category II: no vehicle class assigned at present CHF 0.0282 ≈ CHF 338.40
Category I: EURO 0 to V CHF 0.0326 ≈ CHF 391.20

Since 1 January 2026, all vehicles over 3.5 t, Swiss or foreign, must use LSVA III. Old Emotach units are no longer valid. The kilometres driven must be recorded with an on-board system from a NETS (Swiss national) or EETS (European) provider; this also applies to electric goods vehicles. Foreign vehicles without such a system can declare their kilometres manually through the NMTS service. Heavy motorhomes and buses over 3.5 t pay a lump-sum heavy vehicle charge (PSVA) instead of the LSVA. Details of the calculation are on the FOCBS HVC calculation page.

To calculate toll costs for cars, campervans, motorcycles, and all vehicle types across Swiss motorways and tunnels, use the TollGuru Switzerland toll calculator:

How to Pay Swiss Motorway Tolls

1. Physical Vignette Sticker:

  • Sold in Switzerland at post offices, most petrol stations and garages, TCS outlets and vehicle licensing offices; buy it before entering Switzerland, as selected customs offices sell it at the border only in exceptional cases
  • Must be affixed to the inside of the windscreen where it is easily seen from outside (motorbikes and trailers: an easily accessible, non-removable part); no sticky tape or film, and a detached sticker is invalid
  • Valid for the whole vignette year (1 December 2025 to 31 January 2027)
  • Also sold in neighboring countries at major motorway service stations near the Swiss border

2. E-Vignette (Digital):

  • Purchased at e-vignette.ch, the official FOCBS Via webshop; the price is exactly CHF 40 with no fees, and third-party sellers may add surcharges
  • Linked to the vehicle license plate, no sticker required on the windscreen
  • Can be purchased before entering Switzerland; valid immediately after purchase, with no start date choice and no right of withdrawal
  • Stays valid if the same plate is moved to a different vehicle; it cannot be transferred when both the vehicle and the plate change
  • A typing error in the plate can be corrected once in the webshop ticket (foreign plates within 24 hours of purchase); a plate change is possible only if vehicle and holder stay the same
  • No refund for a wrong purchase or returned plates; a refund is possible only for a proven duplicate purchase or double debit for the same plate
  • Checked at roadside checks by customs officers and police; there is no vehicle tracking

3. Tunnel, Shuttle and Mountain Road Payment:

  • Great St. Bernard Tunnel: tickets are sold at the toll booths only; the Italian side accepts EUR only and the Swiss side CHF only; major credit and debit cards are debited in the local currency
  • Munt La Schera Tunnel: e-tickets are sold online or at the cashpoint; cash in EUR only (change in CHF), cards, TWINT and PostFinance accepted
  • Lötschberg and Simplon (BLS): tickets are sold at staffed loading stations or online; cash, TWINT, cards and Reka-Card accepted
  • Vereina: tickets are sold at the Sagliains and Selfranga ticket offices and, for cars up to 3.5 t, online; CHF, EUR, cards and TWINT accepted
  • Furka: tickets are sold online and at the loading stations; a reservation is required
  • Frutt mountain road: ticket is issued automatically at the gate
  • Return tickets can be reused within their validity period (30 days at Great St. Bernard)

4. LSVA for Heavy Vehicles:

  • Applies to vehicles over 3.5 t that carry goods, Swiss or foreign, including electric goods vehicles
  • NETS or EETS: an on-board recording system transmits the kilometres driven; vehicles registered abroad register in the Swiss ePortal for NETS
  • NMTS: manual online declaration of kilometres, for foreign vehicles without a NETS or EETS system
  • Decisions and invoices are issued in the ePortal; old Emotach devices have been invalid since 1 January 2026

Enforcement and Penalties

Switzerland enforces vignette compliance. Customs officers (BAZG) and cantonal police check vehicles at roadside checks. For the LSVA, FOCBS operates stationary and mobile recording systems in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Violation Fine Notes
No vignette on motorway CHF 200 + cost of vignette (CHF 40) Payable on the spot; a valid vignette must be bought
Expired vignette CHF 200 + CHF 40 Prior year sticker after 31 January is treated as no vignette
Vignette not properly affixed (not on windscreen) Fine applies Must be on the inside of the windscreen
Vignette transferred from another vehicle Fine applies Physical sticker cannot be peeled off and reused without visible damage
LSVA non-declaration (HGV) Charge due plus penalty under the Heavy Vehicle Charge Act FOCBS compares recorded traffic with the kilometres reported by the on-board system or declared manually

Recent Changes (2026)

Vignette Price:

  • The CHF 40 annual vignette price has remained stable since 1995; no increase is planned for 2026
  • Only the annual vignette exists; there is no daily, weekly or monthly option

E-Vignette:

  • Available since 1 August 2023 alongside the sticker, sold at e-vignette.ch
  • Valid immediately after purchase and linked to the license plate; the FOCBS webshop at e-vignette.ch is the only official seller

Gotthard Road Tunnel:

  • The second Gotthard Road Tunnel tube, approved by Swiss voters in 2016, remains under construction; the first vehicles are expected in 2030
  • The new tube will first carry two-way traffic for about three years while the existing tube is renovated; both tubes should be available from 2033
  • Queues build up on peak travel days; real-time queue data is available via the ASTRA traffic app and Via Suisse

LSVA:

  • LSVA III has applied since 1 January 2026; Emotach units are no longer valid and the kilometres must be recorded by a NETS or EETS system or declared through the NMTS (foreign vehicles)
  • The current rates (EURO 0 to V: 3.26 Rp per tonne-km; EURO VI: 2.39 Rp per tonne-km) have applied since 1 January 2025
  • Zero-emission trucks (battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell) are currently exempt; on 2 October 2026 Parliament passed a change to the Heavy Vehicle Charge Act that brings them into the charge later at discounted rates; the start year and an optional referendum (deadline 21 January 2027) are still open

Car Shuttles:

  • BLS large vehicle prices change on 4 November 2026
  • Vereina winter timetable and winter prices start on 1 December 2026

Planning Your Journey

Cost Estimates for Common Trips:

  • Geneva to Zurich (A1, ~290 km): CHF 40 vignette only, no additional tolls on this motorway route
  • Basel to Lugano via Gotthard (A2, ~265 km): CHF 40 vignette only, Gotthard Tunnel is toll-free
  • Martigny to Aosta via Great St. Bernard Tunnel: CHF 40 vignette + CHF 32 one-way tunnel = CHF 72 minimum
  • Zurich to Livigno via Munt La Schera: CHF 40 vignette + CHF 15 one-way tunnel (May to November, e-ticket) = CHF 55 minimum; CHF 60 on winter weekdays
  • Andermatt to Brig with the Furka car shuttle: CHF 33 per car, one way, instead of the Furka Pass road

Avoiding Motorways (Toll-Free Routes):

  • Roads without a vignette requirement (main roads and cantonal roads) are free to use
  • Avoiding motorways through major Swiss cities adds travel time and is not recommended for through-transit
  • For a short transit across Switzerland (e.g., Basel to Chiasso), the vignette is virtually always cost-effective versus detours

Seasonal and Timing Advice:

  • Gotthard queues are worst on Friday and Saturday afternoons in summer (July–August) and around Easter; travel before 09:00 or after 19:00 to minimize delays
  • Great St. Bernard mountain road alternative (open pass) closes November–May; the tunnel remains open year-round
  • Munt La Schera follows set opening hours; check the operator site and Via Suisse for current status
  • Furka and Vereina shuttles run all year; check the seasonal timetables before travelling

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Swiss vignette required for all roads?

No, only national motorways and expressways (green road signs) require a vignette. Other roads are free. A few short motorway sections, such as the Forch motorway near Zurich, need no vignette. GPS navigation apps do not always distinguish between these categories, so check signs carefully near the border.

Can I use the motorway to the first exit without a vignette?

No, with three exceptions. If you enter at the Basel/St. Louis, Rheinfelden or Kreuzlingen motorway customs office, no vignette is needed provided you leave the motorway at the first exit.

Can I buy the vignette outside Switzerland?

Yes. Physical stickers are sold abroad at motorway service stations near the Swiss border and through motoring clubs such as ADAC, TCS, ÖAMTC, and ACI. The e-vignette can be purchased online at any time from anywhere in the world via the official shop at e-vignette.ch; avoid fake websites and sellers that add fees.

Does my motorhome or campervan need a vignette?

Yes, if its permissible weight is up to 3.5 t. Motorhomes above 3.5 t pay the lump-sum heavy vehicle charge (PSVA) instead of the vignette, not the LSVA. Check your vehicle registration document for the permissible maximum weight. A towed caravan also requires its own separate CHF 40 vignette.

Is the Gotthard Tunnel free?

Yes. The Gotthard Road Tunnel (Gotthard-Strassentunnel, 16.9 km) on the A2 motorway charges no separate toll; it is covered by the vignette. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a rail tunnel only. Drivers who want to skip a pass road can use the car shuttles at Furka, Lötschberg, Simplon or Vereina.

Do electric vehicles need a vignette?

Yes. All passenger EVs up to 3.5 t require the standard CHF 40 vignette; there is no EV exemption for the motorway vignette. Zero-emission trucks over 3.5 t are currently exempt from the LSVA, and a change to the law will end this exemption later.

What if I only transit through Switzerland?

Transit drivers using motorways still require the CHF 40 annual vignette. There is no short-term or transit option. For a brief motorway-free detour through Switzerland (e.g., crossing from Germany to Austria via Basel using only cantonal roads), a vignette is not needed, but this is rarely practical.

Switzerland vs. Neighbouring Countries

Country System Type Car Cost (Approx.) Key Difference
Switzerland Annual vignette + tunnel and shuttle tolls CHF 40/year vignette No daily option; one flat price covers all motorways
Austria Multi-period vignette + section tolls €12.80 (10-day) / €106.80 (annual) Short-stay options available; high Alpine tunnel surcharges
Germany No car toll (Autobahn free for cars) €0 for cars Only HGV distance toll (Toll Collect); cars toll-free on all roads
France Distance-based motorway tolls Varies by operator and route Pay per use at each péage; no vignette; Télépéage (Liber-t) transponder optional
Italy Distance-based motorway tolls Varies by operator and route Pay per use; Telepass transponder widely used; extensive tunnel network
Liechtenstein No motorway toll Free Very small network; the Swiss LSVA also applies to vehicles over 3.5 t in Liechtenstein

Official Resources

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