Road signs in Switzerland, explained

Junction with priority to the right

Verzweigung mit Rechtsvortritt

Junction ahead where traffic from the right has priority.

What to do: Slow down and give way to vehicles coming from your right.

Main road

Hauptstrasse

You are on a main road. Traffic joining from side roads must give way to you.

What to do: Carry on, but watch for vehicles pulling out. Priority lasts until the end sign.

End of main road

Ende der Hauptstrasse

Your road is no longer a main road. Priority to the right applies again unless signposted.

What to do: Give way to traffic from the right at the next junctions.

Stop

Stop completely and give way.

What to do: Come to a full stop at the line. Rolling through costs CHF 60.

Give way

Kein Vortritt

You must give way to traffic on the road you are joining.

What to do: Slow down and stop if needed. It is also placed at roundabout entries.

Roundabout

Kreisverkehrsplatz

Roundabout. Traffic goes anticlockwise.

What to do: Give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. Signal when you leave.

General 50 km/h limit

Höchstgeschwindigkeit 50 generell

Start of the built-up area's general 50 km/h limit.

What to do: Slow to 50 km/h. The limit lasts until the grey end sign.

End of the general 50 km/h limit

Ende der Höchstgeschwindigkeit 50 generell

End of the built-up area. The general limit outside towns, 80 km/h, now applies.

What to do: You may speed up to 80 km/h unless another limit is signposted.

30 km/h zone

Tempo-30-Zone

Start of a zone with a 30 km/h limit, usually in residential streets.

What to do: Keep to 30 km/h and expect priority to the right at junctions.

General speed limits in Switzerland

Anzeige der allgemeinen Höchstgeschwindigkeiten

Shown near border crossings to summarise the national limits.

What to do: Note the limits: 50 in towns, 80 outside, 100 on expressways, 120 on motorways.

Town entry (place-name sign)

Ortsbeginn

Start of a built-up area. On its own it does not set the 50 km/h limit.

What to do: Look for the «50 generell» sign, which sets the urban limit.

Motorway

Autobahn

Start of a motorway. The general limit is 120 km/h and a vignette is required.

What to do: Make sure the car has a valid vignette before you join.

Motorway vignette

Vignette / E-Vignette

Proof that the CHF 40 motorway charge has been paid. Needed on every road that starts at the green Autobahn or Autostrasse sign.

What to do: Check that your hire car has one, or buy an e-vignette at www.e-vignette.ch before joining a motorway or expressway.

Expressway

Autostrasse

Start of an expressway. The general limit is 100 km/h and a vignette is required.

What to do: Keep to 100 km/h unless signposted otherwise. Vehicles that cannot reach 80 km/h may not use it.

Tram

Strassenbahn

Trams cross or share the road ahead.

What to do: Trams have priority. Keep off the tracks and watch for trams from both directions.

Parking with a parking disc (blue zone)

Parkieren mit Parkscheibe

Parking is allowed with a parking disc. Without a time on the sign, the blue zone limit of 1 hour applies on working days from 08:00 to 19:00.

What to do: Set your disc to the next half hour after you arrive and put it behind the windscreen.

No stopping

Halten verboten

You may not stop, even briefly.

What to do: Do not stop here except in traffic.

No parking

Parkieren verboten

No parking. Brief stops to let people in or out or to load are allowed.

What to do: Do not leave the car here.

Bus lane

Busfahrbahn

This roadway is for buses. Bus lanes are also marked in yellow on the road.

What to do: Do not drive in it. Using a bus lane costs CHF 60.

Direction sign to a motorway or expressway

Wegweiser zu Autobahnen oder Autostrassen

Green signs lead to motorways and expressways, which need a vignette.

What to do: Follow green signs for the motorway and blue signs to stay on main roads.

Encounter zone

Begegnungszone

Pedestrians may use the whole street and have priority over vehicles. The limit is 20 km/h.

What to do: Drive at 20 km/h or less, give way to pedestrians and park only in marked spaces.

Mountain postal road

Bergpoststrasse

Mountain road used by postbuses. When passing or overtaking is difficult, you must follow the signals and instructions of the bus driver.

What to do: Pull over or reverse to a passing place if the postbus driver tells you to.

Snow chains compulsory

Schneeketten obligatorisch

Metal snow chains must be fitted to at least two drive wheels on the same axle.

What to do: Fit chains before going past the sign. Ignoring it costs CHF 100.

Road condition board

Strassenzustand

Shows whether a mountain pass or ski resort road is open, and whether chains are needed.

What to do: Check the board before starting up a pass, especially from autumn to spring.

Lane control signals

Lichtsignal-System für Fahrstreifen

Green arrow: the lane is open. Flashing yellow arrow: leave the lane soon in the direction shown. Red cross: the lane is closed.

What to do: Move out of any lane showing a yellow arrow or red cross.