Practical Geneva
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Transport & Mobility:
Driving in Switzerland
Exclusive advantage!
As a CAGI member, the TCS offers you a 20% discount for the first year on new memberships in :
- TCS Sociétariat: to benefit from 24-hour breakdown assistance (bike, scooter, motorcycle, car), information and advice on mobility, as well as numerous discounts with TCS partners,
- TCS Protection juridique circulation: to protect you as a driver, pedestrian or public transport user,
- TCS Livret ETI: for full travel protection for all your vacations.
offer detailsGeneral information on traffic rules in Switzerland :
- Practical information for driving in Switzerland.
- Road safety information from “Touring Club Suisse” (TCS) in French.
Speed limits : 120 km/h on the motorway, 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 20 – 50 km/h in built-up areas. Always check local road signs, as driving over the limit carries heavy fines and penalties in Switzerland.
Winter tires : not mandatory, but strongly recommended between October and Easter. They provide better grip and increase braking performance on wet and slippery roads during the colder months.
Headlights : must be on during day and night driving, it is a legal obligation in Switzerland.
Driving in Switzerland : a sticker or electronic vignette is mandatory is required to drive on Swiss motorways. This annual vignette costs CHF 40 and can be purchased at petrol stations, post offices and kiosks and also outside Switzerland.
“Stick’Air” vignette : compulsory in Geneva for motorised vehicles, allowing them to travel during pollution peaks in the city centre.
Electric mobility
If you hold a “legitimation card” as a diplomat or employee of many international organizations, your national driving license is recognized in Switzerland. In all other cases, you must change your national driving license for a Swiss license.
Holders of driving licenses written in a language other than the official Swiss languages (French, German, Italian) or in English are invited to obtain an international driving licence.
For more information and for a possible exemption, please refer to the section “Vehicles” in the practical manual of the regime of privileges and immunities and other facilities :
Permanent missions and international organizations have the right to purchase duty-free gasoline for their official and service vehicles (registered in the name of the mission or organization concerned). Fuel cards are available on request from the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Permanent missions and international organizations have the right to import or purchase motor vehicles for official use free of customs duties.
Check the regulation of customs privileges concerning motor vehicles applicable to staff of permanent missions (PM) and international organizations (IO), residing in Switzerland.
All other persons, not enjoying diplomatic status, must register their vehicles with normal license plates.
This process should normally be carried out by the human resources department of your organization, mission or consulate.
The place of registration depends on the place of residence of the owner of the vehicle :
- For Geneva : Office cantonal des automobiles et de la navigation.
- For the Canton of Vaud : Automobile and Navigation Department.
Taxis
Taxis can be ordered by telephone, hailed in the street or at the 60 parking lots in town, at the airport and at train stations. Fares between the airport and the city vary from 35 CHF to 45 CHF and depend on the traffic, the time, the number of passengers and luggage.
Some taxi companies in Geneva : Taxi-phone , Geneva-Taxi , Taxi Reservation.
Member of CAGI
Emergency numbers
- Ambulance: 144 / Police: 117 / Fire: 118
- Other useful numbers
- Diplomatic Security Brigade : 022 427 55 30 / bsd@police.ge.ch
Useful information :
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Founded by the Swiss Confederation and the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the International Geneva Welcome Centre is the single entry point for the support and integration of employees of International Geneva and their families, NGOs and visiting delegates.