Vignette for 2007 (valid till end January 2008) is still 40CHF, though you can buy also in euro at the current exchange rate at the border (currently 26.50 euro, notes only, change given in CHF). If you buy before getting to the border, say at a French service station or tourist office, you can pay the exact amount in euro. The penalty for not displaying the vignette is 100CHF, plus the cost of a new sticker. Vignette is the first thing the Swiss police look for when stopping a foreign-registered car.

> but on trains to italy the last few times sniffer dogs were brought on at the border and sniffed many folks bags<

Since Swiss authorities have concluded that drugs are also being smuggled into Switzerland by train, you'll be seeing more and more custom officials with dogs sniffing and checking passports on trains coming from Italy, France, etc.

If you're not smuggling drugs, this won't effect your train travel plans.

these have been by Italian customs police going into Italy - i thought they may be sniffing for weapons and money or drugs.

I also read a story about a road crossing at Chiasso - an interview with Italian customs guy who was searching cars and found a small bag of cannabis and told the reporter if that was all the person had he could go free as small amounts for personal use were no problem but if they found more than they he'd be arrested.

Drugs are freely available in Switzerland even after the Cannabis shops were closed a few years ago. In a park in Bern, right by the Swiss capitol drug dealers were openly selling marijuana when i walked thru it recently.

Could it be more drugs are being smuggled out of Switzerland than into it?

From Basel recently also on a French train to Colmar as soon as the train departed Swiss territory two French douaniers started searching young passengers and found a bag of cannabis on one and escorted him away.