Hi, me and a few friends are planning on a trip around Italy and swiss. we are planning to drive from milan bergamo to swiss. i just found out that swiss has the vignette system installed in their country. i am currently concern that because of this, we might need to purchase the vignette sticker in order to get there. which cost CHF40. Is there a way that we can drive to swiss from milan by not using any highway with tolls? And where can i actually buy the vignette sticker as i am living in Malaysia but my friends are living in Ireland. Thanks .

To get from Italy to Switzerland you will have to use major highways (and most probably a 10 or 12 mile long tunnel) - since taking backroads through the mountains is not something you want to try to do. When you organize the car rental ask them to get you a vignette. Otherwise, buy it when you enter Switzerland

nytraveler
thanks for your help. do you know where we can buy the vignette sticker in italy if our car rental comapny doesnt provide one? Will we get in trouble if we show up at the swiss border without a sticker? i heard that there was a huge fine for driving without it.

Technically you're supposed to buy the vignette at every border crossing when they check your passport. In the past I had to get off the car to buy the vignette at the border crossing. There were some unsuspecting tourists who didn't know about it so they felt trapped into having to pay the steep fine for driving on the swiss freeway without the vignette. You can prepurchase the vignette online:
http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/userdata_vignette.php

One very scenic route to drive into Switzerland from Bergamo is to drive along the western shore of Lake Como, perhaps stopping at the beautiful Villa Balbinielo where they filmed Starwars and then drive up through Mennagio and Santa Croce to cross the swiss border at Gandria. You'll join the freeway in Lugano.

Info & pics on Villa Balbinielo:
http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/palma/2...lbianello.html
http://www.fondoambiente.it/en/beni/...propreties.asp

thank you for your replies. it was very helpful. i'll probably just buy the vignette sticker online.

If you are driving in the summer months, it's not that difficult to reach Luzern using side roads. Use side roads in Tessin, go over the Gotthard, head towards Brunnen, go through Gersau, Vitznau, Weggis and Küssnacht and then take the road into Luzern. It's definitely longer but very, very scenic.

However, if you are limited in time, using the autobahn and the vignette does help.

I agree with Schuler, you'll be rewarded with beautiful scenery and a sense of adventure when you take the mountain roads. Even if you're going to drive on the freeway, you may enjoy driving over the Gotthard instead of going through the tunnels.

DAX,
Excuse me for asking, but is there something wrong with using the tunnel instead of driving over the Gotthard? FYI, i will be driving from bergamo from around 1.30am and plan to reach luzern in the morning. Are the road conditions or congestion bad at these times?

I'm not Dax but...

the tunnel is part of the autobahn and requires a vignette. What time of year will you be driving? The passes aren't open yet and won't be until end of May - mid June.

There is sometimes massive traffic jams before the tunnel but that's usually on a Sunday (coming back from Italy).

we are planning to drive to swiss on the 12th of June this year. what do you mean when u said the passes aren't open yet? I am quite confuse. Should i use a different route at this time of year?

The mountains have lots of snow and the passes close from November to mid May - mid June. No one knows in advance when the passes open. Here's a link with up to date info (available in German, French and Italian only)
http://www.tcs.ch/main/de/home/verke...e_tunnels.html

Nothing wrong with the Gothard tunnel, it's just long and boring, but that wouldn't make a difference if you're planning to leave after midnight. Take the freeway all the way to Luzern by all means.