Summer travel: Please note these tips
GOOD DRIVE Do you want to travel through Europe by car, motor home or motorcycle? Then, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, you should adapt the equipment of your vehicle to the requirements of the destination country. CH sticker and breakdown triangle are part of the basic equipment to be on the road with your car without any worries throughout Europe. The majority of countries (please note [...]
CH sticker and breakdown triangle are part of the basic equipment to travel by car without worries throughout Europe. The majority of countries (please note the chart) also require the carrying of a safety vest according to the European standard EN 471.
The use of this vest in case of breakdown is mandatory on French roads and in Italy in case of poor visibility outside cities.
Environmental badge and first aid kit
A first aid kit must be on board when driving in Austria. In Greece, Poland or Latvia, carrying a fire extinguisher is mandatory.
Some cities in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain or even the Czech Republic require an environmental badge. It is therefore important to find out about the environmental measures of the respective countries before you leave.
This applies to campers and caravans
In principle, the same rules apply to campers and caravans as to passenger cars. However, depending on the country, there are specific regulations for their use.
A category B license allows driving a camper with a weight of up to 3.5 tons or driving a minibus with a maximum of 9 seats and a trailer weighing 750 kilos.
For larger vehicles, a category C, D or higher driver's license is required. In Italy, camping buses and caravan trailers weighing more than 3.5 tons must be equipped with reflective speed vignettes. These show the maximum speed on freeways (80 km/h) attached to the right-hand side and the maximum speed outside towns (70 km/h) on the left-hand side.
Sweden allows wild camping
The pitches allowed for campers and caravans are strictly regulated in Europe. Only Sweden allows wild camping throughout the country.
The TCS has summarized the applicable regulations in Europe for campers and caravans on its website.
Vacation with motorcycle abroad
As soon as a motorcycle crosses the Swiss border into a foreign country, it must be equipped with a CH sticker. In several European countries, children may only be taken on a motorcycle from the age of five and in a seat specially designed for this purpose.
The normal passenger seat is only allowed for children who are big enough to sit on it correctly. In Luxembourg, the pillion passenger must be at least twelve years old.
The most important rules in Switzerland
In Switzerland, dipped headlights for motorcycles, cars and motor homes must be switched on day and night. Vehicles using the freeway must have a valid vignette.
The driving licenses required to drive these vehicles are the same as in the rest of Europe. For passenger cars and campers, the breakdown triangle is the only mandatory accessory. For motorcyclists and pillion riders, helmets are compulsory.
