I plan to be driving through Switzerland in June. A few years ago, someone told me that you needed to purchase a special highway driving pass in order to drive on the major thoroughfares in Switzerland. <BR> <BR>Does anyone know if this is still the case? If so, where does one purchase such a pass? Will the car rental company offer it when I pick up the car? Or, should I purchase it over here somewhere? <BR> <BR>Thanks. <BR> <BR>- Jeremy

Jeremy; We were in Switzerland in 1997 for 3 nights. We did not realize on entering from Germany on our way to Murten that you needed a pass. We were driving a purchased car in Germany with visiting plates. Swiss customs never memtioned it. Later on the way from Murten to Interlaken, I read about the pass. We left into Austria, which also requires a pass. which we did purchase at a gas station. Passes were for varying times, I think we got a week one. The penalties for being stopped in Austria and not having one were high which prompted us to purchase. I would imaging you can inquire at customs on entering or where you pick up your car.

Jeremy, <BR>If you will be driving a rental car, it will probably have the required pass, a sticker on the upper left hand (driver's side) of the windshield. It looks very much like the icon for an autobahn, a two lane divided highway receding in the distance with an overpass in the foreground, white on a green background. If the car is not so equipped, you can purchase one at the Swiss border crossing.

Ditto what Wes said. We rented in Switzerland, so it was no problem. I never was inspected as far as I could tell in our driving around for a week. <BR>But one never knows. Better to be safe than fined big dollars. Austria I hear can be rough, if caught. <BR>

Jeremy, The first question is what country are you getting your cat in and what area of the country? If you rent a car in Switzerland, I would guess that it would be on the car. If you are renting in Germany, there is less of a chance. You might get a car that has it if you picked up a car in Munich say vs Frankfurt. You can buy the pass at the border crossing, there are two lines, if you already have a pass and another to buy the pass. The pass is not exactly cheap. There is only one version of the pass, one year in length. They will take DM or SF for the purchase of it, so have enough cash ready when you cross into the country. <BR>We crossed over as Basal on the Autobahn and there was no way of getting by without.

Jeremy, <BR>I've rented cars in Madrid, Munich, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris. They've all had the Swiss highway sticker. Your rental car agency should confirm that the auto is so equipped.

I guess Wes gets all the good cars with the sticker and I get all the cars without them. On my two auto rentals neither had the sticker. When I did ask about the sticker(AutoEurope, I have had different rental co each time) I was told they could not tell me since they don't know what car you are going to give you. IT seemed to be the luck of the draw in what car you get. I hope that you are lucky and get a car with one !

I guess Wes gets all the good cars with the sticker and I get all the cars without them. On my two auto rentals, both in Germany, neither had the sticker. When I did ask about the sticker(AutoEurope, I have had different rental co each time) I was told they could not tell me since they don't know what car you are going to give you. IT seemed to be the luck of the draw in what car you get. I hope that you are lucky and get a car with one !