Switzerland Car Hire - Compare 100s of low-cost car rental offers

Pre-book your Switzerland car hire, with prices starting from just £41.33 per day with FREE cancellations*

There's so much more to this Alpine country than chocolate and cuckoo clocks. Book your Switzerland car hire with Holiday Extras and explore snow-capped mountains, lakes and valleys. With car hire in Switzerland, we'll take the hassle out of finding the best car hire deals for you, even at the last minute, so you can relax and look forward to your trip.

Car Rental Locations in Switzerland

Holiday Extras provides cheap car hire in Switzerland 50 locations nationwide, including all major international airports. Some of the more well known locations include:

• Basel
• Bern
• Geneva Airport
• Lausanne
• St Moritz
• Thun
• Verbier
• Zurich

How it Works

You will receive an email confirmation with your booking reference number once payment has been authorised. Keep all the information you receive in your email close to hand, as you will need this when you collect your car. There is also a useful checklist to make sure you don't leave anything behind before you set off.

If you wish to speak to an advisor, you can contact our dedicated car hire team on 0800 804 7362. Alternatively you can contact us online here with any queries you may have.

If you're looking simply for transportation to your resort, Holiday Extras provides great deals on resort transfers. As well as this, you can also take out holiday insurance, giving you further peace of mind should you run into any unforeseen problems.

At Holiday Extras we want to make your trip as hassle free as possible, so you can hit the road happy. If you're flying from a UK airport, we could help you save up to 60% on airport parking, airport hotels and airport lounges, too.

*The prices quoted are based on one driver, aged 25, with a full UK driving licence hiring a car for 3 days, picking-up and dropping-off at Geneva Airport. Prices correct at time of writing. Subject to availability. Free cancellation applies to most rentals up to 48 hours before pick up, however some suppliers may charge. Please check supplier terms and conditions carefully.

Driving on Switzerland's roads**

Driving in a car that is not your own can often be an unnerving experience. As such, here are some general rules of the road when driving in Switzerland to help get you on your way as stress-free as possible.

Road safety laws

• Left hand drive - Drive on the right, overtake on the left.
• Minimum age for car hire - Car hire companies in Switzerland require you to be over 23 years of age to rent a vehicle.
• Seatbelt - It is compulsory for all occupants to wear a seatbelt. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers are wearing a seatbelt.
• Travelling with children - Children under the age of 12 and under 150cm must be seated in the appropriate children's retaining device.
• Petrol stations - Most petrol stations are open at regular intervals. Fuel in Switzerland is generally cheaper than in neighbouring countries.
• Speed limits - Road signs are in kilometres per hour.
• Public transportation - Buses, trams, trains, and emergency service vehicles have right of way.
• Safety equipment - It is compulsory to carry a safety triangle in your car.

Speed limits

• Residential zones/School zones - 30kph/18mph
• Residential streets - 50kph/31mph
• Rural roads - 80kph/50mph
• Motorways - 120kph/75mph

Although these are the standardised speed limits, there may be local variations so please be careful to check the road signs.

Driving licence

Important Information - Changes to the UK Driving Licence

If you are not from the UK, most car rental companies will require you to present the driving licence that is issued by your country of residence; not an International licence, or permit. Please double check with an individual car hire company if you are unsure.

You will not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Switzerland. You may be required to carry another form of personal ID with you while driving, such as a passport.

Mobile phone use

It is an offence to use a mobile phone while driving. If you are caught, police have the authority to issue substantial fines.

Drinking and driving

Drink driving in Switzerland is a very serious offence. The country enforces strict drink driving laws, random testing is common, and fines are heavy. The legal limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Passengers with a valid driver's licence are equally as responsible to get fined too, even if your alcohol level is zero.

It is important to note that drinking alcohol and then driving may invalidate your car rental insurance and holiday insurance, irrespective of local drink driving laws. Check your policy for full details.

**This information should be considered as a broad overview of things to remember when hiring a car. It is therefore very important that you read the rental terms and conditions and associated policies for your own specific policy as well as doing your own research into the motoring laws of the country in which you will be driving.