Car rental in
Switzerland
Our top branches in Switzerland
Discover Switzerland
Sixt Car Hire Deals in Switzerland
When you book our Sixt car hire deals in Switzerland you have one less thing to worry about. With your rental car, you receive top-flight customer service, affordable rates and an excellent choice of premium vehicles. Whether you need to watch the pennies or can afford to treat yourself, you will find the perfect rental car for any occasion in our extensive fleet. Read on for some useful travel ideas along with driving tips and tricks for making the most of your time in Switzerland.
Sixt Car Hire Services in Switzerland
With over two dozen international airport, city centre, train station and hotel branches in Switzerland we are ideally placed to get your holiday or business trip off to a great start. Booking your car hire in Switzerland is quick and easy and should your plans change, cancellations can often be made free of charge. Take a look at the map above to see some of the main cities and attractions that can be easily reached with your car rental in Switzerland.
Driving Tips
The Swiss road network consists of very well maintained motorways along with national, country or mountain roads. Driving is easy and fairly relaxed and with strict policing, Swiss drivers stick strictly to the speed limits and rules of the road. Take care on mountain routes with their steep gradients and hairpin bends.
More tips for enjoying driving in Switzerland:
- UK Licences are accepted and must be carried at all times while driving.
- Driving in Switzerland is on the right.
- Distances and speed limits are in kilometres.
- Motorways are designated by the letter A while main roads are referred to by the letter N.
- Motorway driving requires a vignette sticker.
- Road signage follows the standard European designation of blue for motorways and red and white for other roads.
- Pedestrians on designated crossing along with trams in cities and yellow Swiss post buses in rural areas all have priority. Post buses have a distinctive three-tone horn.
- Free parking is usually unavailable in Switzerland's major cities.
- Any damage incurred if your rental vehicle leaves paved surfaces is your responsibility and you will be billed for the cost of repairs.
Speed limits in Switzerland
- Residential areas: 20 to 50 km/h
- Open roads: 80 km/h
- Motorways: 120 km/h
Traffic Infractions and on-the-spot fines (subject to change):
- Driving while intoxicated: Variable fines to prison sentences
- Driving a motor vehicle during the day without dipped headlights: 40 CHF
- Breaking the speed limits: Variable fines from 40 to 260 CHF
- Not using a child seat for children under 12: 60 CHF
- Driving while using a mobile phone: up to 1000 CHF
Places of Interest
Top 4 architectural sites
- Goetheanum Dornach
- Haus Bethlehem
- Kapellbrucke Luzern
- Chateau de Chillon
The Goetheanum Dornach is an unusually shaped and colourful homage to the philosopher von Goethe and a tranquil place to visit. At 700 hundred years old the Haus Bethlehem is definitely the oldest surviving wooden house in Europe, if not the world and contains a fascinating museum. Take a stroll across the wooden Kapellbrucke bridge that spans the River Reuss in Luzern while the medieval fortress of Chillon stands proudly in Lake Geneva.
Top 4 Natural Sites
- Vierwaldstattersee or Lake Luzern
- The Rhine Falls
- The Ruinalta Canyon
- The Aletsch Glacier
Lake Luzern is a stunning destination at any time of the year, ski in the Winter and hike the beautiful forests in Spring and Summer. Marvel at the power of water when you visit the Rhine Falls near the village of Neuhausen. Ruinalta is Switzerland's answer to the Grand Canyon. It can be explored by foot, water, train or bike. Take a guided tour on the amazing Aletsch Glacier, the largest in Europe and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Important Film locations
One of the most recent major films to use Switzerland as a location was the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, scenes were filmed in the luxurious Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich. The spectacular bungee jump used in the opening shots of Golden Eye was set in Russia but actually filmed at the Tusker Dam on Switzerland's Lake Verzasca. Another Bond adventure, Goldfinger made use of the hairpin bends near Realp for its daring car chase scenes.
Crossing Borders
When you rent a car in Switzerland there are restrictions on driving into neighbouring countries. These depend on the vehicle type rented and the country zone. Most countries of Europe are in Zone 1 and all vehicles may cross their borders. Some vehicle makes may not enter Zone 2 which contains countries such as Poland, Croatia and Latvia. For more details visit our Rental Information page. If restrictions are not followed, insurance cover is invalidated.
Popular Car Hire Locations in Switzerland
- Geneva
- Basel
- Zurich
- Lugano
- Bern
- Schaffhausen
- Lucerne
- Aargau Region
- Neuenburg Region
Customer reviews & feedback
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*Our Customer Excitement Score is based on a survey sent to all customers who booked in Switzerland. The score is an average of all customer responses.
Good to know when renting in Switzerland
In Switzerland the minimum rental age is 20 years old, anyone hiring the car must hold a valid licence for at least a year, and there’s a small fee when under 25.
If you are finishing the trip at a different city or country simply select the other location using the booking tool to see if this is available, a one-way fee will apply.
Always drive on the right-hand side and if on the motorway the maximum speed is 120 km/h (100 km/h on highways). Your headlights must always be on.
If you need additions to your booking, we can include sat navs, child seats and additional drivers, as well as snow tyres and ski racks, each for a small fee.
If your Swiss trip changes opt to ‘pay later, this way cancellation is free up to the day of pick-up.
Non-EU licences must provide a passport and it's suggested you carry an International Driving Permit, if in Europe for more than 6 months then an EU licence is required.
