Tunnels and Passes in Switzerland
If you are traveling to Switzerland and want to explore the country, you will encounter numerous tunnels and mountain pass roads. We offer you a comprehensive overview of the various tunnel types and explain which of them are subject to vignette requirements, when a heavy vehicle charge applies, where you can use car train transport, and in which cases a special toll must be paid.
Vignette or Heavy Vehicle Charge?
In Switzerland, most tunnels (unlike, for example, in Austria) are not subject to a special toll, but only to a vignette requirement. All vehicles up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight (gross vehicle weight including occupants) require a vignette to be allowed to use the Swiss road network.
Unlike other countries, Switzerland does not have a distance-based toll. Instead, vehicles weighing more than 3.5 t gross vehicle weight must pay a heavy vehicle charge, which eliminates the vignette requirement. For more information on the heavy vehicle charge, please see our guide.
Tunnels and Passes
Below you will find tunnels that are not subject to a special toll. To use them, only a vignette or a paid heavy vehicle charge is required:
Tunnels and Alpine Passes Subject to Special Tolls
In Switzerland, there are certain tunnels that are subject to a special toll. A special pass is required to use these routes. This can cover a single trip, a round trip, or an annual ticket.
The prices of these passes vary depending on the vehicle class and, in some cases, on the day of the week and season. The special toll routes include the Great St. Bernard Road Tunnel (Switzerland–Italy) and the Munt-La-Schera Road Tunnel (Switzerland–Italy). In addition, there are numerous Alpine pass roads that are also subject to a special toll.
Tunnels with Car Train Transport
The prices for car train transport vary depending on the vehicle category, tunnel, and day of the week. Therefore, it is important to find out for each specific tunnel which category your vehicle falls into. The following tunnels offer car train transport:
Furka Tunnel Car Train Transport: This connection runs within Switzerland and connects Realp and Oberwald. During the week, trains run hourly, and on weekends every 30 minutes. The journey takes 15 minutes.
Vereina Tunnel Car Train Transport: This connection is also within Switzerland and connects Klosters-Selfranga with Sagliains. Departures run every 30 minutes during the day. The journey takes 18 minutes.
Lötschberg Tunnel Car Train Transport: This connection within Switzerland connects Kandersteg with Goppenstein. Departures run every 30 minutes during the day, and the journey takes 15 minutes.
Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnel Car Train Transport: This connection runs from Switzerland to Italy and enables the route from Kandersteg to Iselle. It is available from April to October, with 1–9 departures per week. The journey takes about an hour.
Simplon Tunnel Car Train Transport: This connection also runs from Switzerland to Italy and connects Brig with Iselle di Trasquera. Departures run every 90 minutes, and the journey takes 20 minutes.
The Europamaut Team Wishes You a Pleasant Journey
We wish you a pleasant journey to Switzerland and much enjoyment on your exploration tour through the country's impressive natural scenery. Please inform yourself in good time about the applicable toll regulations. In addition, our route planner is available to help you plan your trip optimally and display the relevant toll products. If you have any questions, we are of course happy to help. Please feel free to contact us at any time by email.
