Switzerland is a mountainous country in the heart of Europe. It has no coast but plenty of attractive lakes. The country borders Italy, France, Germany and Austria. If you hire a car in Switzerland you’ll discover a country where roads have to find their way between mountain ranges, threading between valleys and mountain passes. There are also affluent attractive cities and fertile farmland on the plains between the Alps. The Swiss capital is Bern while other major cities are Zurich, Basel and Geneva. Beware that different ‘cantons’, or semi-independent regions within Switzerland speak different languages - German, French and Italian are the main ones.
If you hire a car in Switzerland you’ll find the same mountains that create long road detours also provide most of the attractions too. In fact, you’ll find Swiss roads have some of the finest views in Europe. In winter, the mountains are home to many top ski resorts, including glamorous jet-set haunts like St Moritz, Klosters and Gstaad. In the summer the mountains are popular for outdoor activities like hiking, biking and riding. The lakes are popular attractions in the summer too: the resorts on Lake Geneva, Constance and Maggiore are as popular as some seaside beaches.
You’ll find that the roads in Switzerland are high quality despite the mountainous conditions. Drivers are generally very well behaved and the traffic is light away from the main cities. This makes it a great country for visitors to drive in. The main hazard will be winter weather. Roads sometimes have to close, so watch for the signs indicating diversions ahead. The rules of the road are mostly the same as in neighbouring countries. For example, you drive on the right and overtake on the left. Do note, however, that you need a special permit to drive on the motorways. This ‘carnet’ is available at the border or at most petrol stations.
