The road vignette for Switzerland can also be purchased online starting from 1st August. The vignette is no longer tied to a specific vehicle but is linked to the license plate instead. The Swiss government states that this solution is advantageous for those who have interchangeable license plates or for those who buy a new car during the year. Foreign vehicles using Swiss highways are also required to have this vignette. Motorists can purchase the new e-vignette through vignetteswitzerland.com. Similar to the traditional vignette, which is affixed to the rear window, the e-vignette will cost 40 Swiss francs (approximately 42.5 euros). The validity of the vignette will be 14 months, from 1st December of the previous year until the end of January of the following year. Initially, both the traditional and electronic vignettes can be used side by side. However, the Swiss government plans to phase out the stickered vignette once it constitutes less than 10 percent of all sold vignettes. A vignette refers to a small adhesive sticker or label that is affixed to a vehicle’s windshield or license plate to indicate that the vehicle has paid the necessary road tax or toll to use the Swiss highways. The vignette serves as proof that the vehicle’s road tax has been paid and allows the vehicle to legally travel on the Swiss road network, including highways and motorways. The traditional vignette is a physical sticker that is placed on the vehicle’s windshield, while the new e-vignette is an electronic version linked to the vehicle’s license plate, which can be purchased and managed online.
