Switzerland plans to introduce a separate transit fee for foreign drivers who pass through the country without stopping on their way south, making it the first Alpine country to do so. This plan affects millions of travelers each year, particularly holidaymakers from Germany and other EU countries who traditionally use Swiss routes to Italy or France. With this step, which was decided by Parliament in March 2026, Bern is responding to decades of frustration over traffic jams at Alpine crossings and the burdens on the environment and local residents.

The most important points at a glance

• The planned fee is to be around 21 francs (approximately 23 euros) per passage.
• It is aimed solely at foreign vehicles without a significant stay in Switzerland.
• Implementation is expected no earlier than 2028; a referendum is not excluded.
• The focus should be on capturing the major transit routes such as the Gotthard and San Bernardino tunnels.
• So far, only an annual vignette for highways costing 40 Swiss francs (almost 44 euros) is required.

Transit fee as a new source of income

The parliamentary draft states that pure transit traffic brings only burdens and no significant benefits for Switzerland. According to the Federal Statistical Office, these transit passages account for about 31 percent of traffic over the Alps. The proposed fee promises millions for the state treasury and is intended primarily to help reduce traffic on major travel days. This is meant to encourage vacationers to choose less popular travel times.

Residents, especially in places like Airolo before the southern exit of the Gotthard Tunnel, have been suffering for years from the constant stream of traffic, especially on weekends and during holiday beginnings. Kilometers-long traffic jams and additional air pollution are the consequences. The Swiss government hopes that the fee will not only generate better revenues but also lead to sustainable management of transit traffic.

Technical Challenges and Criticism

For implementation, Bern relies on automatic license plate recognition at the approximately 125 most important border crossings. Despite modern technology, the effort and costs for the planned control system are high. Vanessa Flack, spokesperson for the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS), warns:

"The resource expenditure is not proportional to the expected effect."

Experts in traffic planning also see open questions regarding fairness: While Austria and Italy charge fees to all motorway users, the Swiss regulation specifically targets foreigners. Political representatives from Germany and the EU criticize that such unilateral measures contradict the spirit of open borders. CDU Member of Parliament Felix Schreiner from South Baden calls the plans a "transport policy wrong direction" and advocates for more European cooperation.

Background: From the vignette to the tiered submission

Switzerland has so far been considered a country with particularly low motorway fees, as only a vignette is required for an entire year. In comparison to Europe, one-time payments in Austria or Italy are often more expensive but depend on usage. The idea of deliberately slowing down the traffic flow aims at alleviating local roads with the transit fee, deliberately ignoring equal treatment in a European context. However, the government emphasizes that an introduction will only take place after thorough examination and is expected to involve a referendum.

How does it continue for travelers?

Until the introduction of the fee, travelers have time to adjust to the new Swiss rules and to consider alternative routes if necessary. It remains to be seen whether the transit fee will actually lead to fewer traffic jams or, with high costs, encourage bypassing Switzerland. What is clear already is that the Alpine country is setting new standards in European travel planning with this move – and is opening a debate about fair fee models in international transit traffic.