Geneva, Switzerland – On our recent trip across Europe, we learned, the hard way, that a highway sticker is required when traveling through some European countries. In other words, do not get too happy if you do not find tolls while on your European excursion. 150 Euros later, I learned that Slovenia was one of those places, and well, Switzerland is too.
Buy a “vignette” at any gas station or any TCS offices, and save yourself 200 francs, which is how much a fine will cost you (and you have to pay on the spot or risk getting your car impounded until you pay.)
The vignette costs 40 francs and it has to be placed on the windshield of all cars using highways in the Helvetic nation.
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These are annual stickers, with the new ones out in December, and you have to replace them by 31 January. Some people think they’re too expensive, but personally I prefer to pay this once a year rather than paying tolls every time I take French roads, for example. You don’t need these except on autoroutes/motorways, not on national highways such as the Route National 1 from Geneva to Lausanne. We usually run an article on the new sticker every year – http://genevalunch.com/blog/2009/01/31/reminder-2009-autoroute-stickers-mandatory-sunday-1-feb/