Switzerland has approved a new charge for holidaymakers driving through the country on their way to Italy or southern France. The planned transit fee adds about 21 Swiss francs, or around 23 euros, to each crossing for motorists who do not stay overnight in the country.
The new levy comes on top of the existing annual vignette, which currently costs 44.50 euros. That means a one-way journey south could cost almost 70 euros in total, and the price may rise further during the summer holidays and at Easter.
The Swiss National Council backed the proposal by 173 votes to 13. The system would use automated cameras to scan number plates at entry and exit points, then issue a payment request to drivers who pass through quickly without proof of an overnight stay.
The government says the aim is to manage traffic. It says around one-third of passenger traffic across the Alps is pure transit, and almost 90% of that is made up of holidaymakers.
But transport experts are sceptical that the fee will reduce congestion. Andreas Hölzel, an ADAC expert said: “Anyone wanting to go to Italy or the South of France should continue to drive through Switzerland.” He said travellers would rather pay than take long detours.
Critics believe the measure is more about funding than traffic control. They argue the new revenue will help pay for road infrastructure, while foreign tourists shoulder a larger share of the cost.
The move is likely to affect thousands of motorists travelling from northern Europe to Mediterranean destinations during peak holiday periods. Switzerland is already a key transit route for road trips south, especially in summer when cross-border traffic is heaviest.
The exact start date for the charge is not stated in the source text, but the proposal has now cleared a major parliamentary hurdle. If implemented, it would add another layer of cost and administration to one of Europe’s busiest holiday driving corridors.
For drivers, the key change is simple: passing through Switzerland without stopping could soon be subject to a separate toll-like fee, tracked automatically at the border. That would make the country’s route south more expensive for some travellers, even before fuel, vignettes and other motorway charges are taken into account.
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