Are you considering renting a campervan in Switzerland? I recently took a trip to Switzerland and spent much of it in a camper. I highly recommend it; we had a good experience overall. There are just a few things I wish I’d known beforehand.
Camping around Switzerland is a great way to explore the country. Switzerland is a country renowned for its beautiful scenery, and having a camper lets you spend as much time outside as possible. However, like any mode of travel, there are some learning curves.
To help you have a smoother trip than we did, I’ve put together a list of things I wish I’d known about renting a camper in Switzerland. May you learn from our mistakes and discoveries!
Why Rent a Campervan in Switzerland?
While Switzerland is known for its beautiful train journeys, it is also known for being a very expensive country. Hotels, train tickets, eating out, and rental cars can add up quite quickly. Renting a campervan can be a more affordable way to travel.
When deciding to use a campervan in Switzerland, my partner and I took these pros into account:
- You can combine your lodging and rental car into one expenditure
- You can cook meals in your camper, which saves money on food
- You don’t have to be tied to train timetables
- You can spend as much time outdoors as you’d like
Things to Know About Renting a Campervan in Switzerland
Size Matters
My partner and I had previously done a road trip around Iceland in a campervan and loved it. The only thing we hadn’t loved was that we’d gone with a smaller model of van. (My partner is 6’1″ and barely fit on the bed.) In Switzerland, we decided to opt for a larger camper.
We rented the “Eu Comfort Compact 2 Auto Select” from Indie Campers. This model was more of an RV than a van. It had everything we wanted: space in which to stand up, a large bed, a toilet, and a kitchenette.
There was just one problem…it was tough to park.
While every campsite we went to had space for campers and RVs, the narrow European streets of most towns and cities did not. We wouldn’t have cleared many of the parking garages. Sometimes we were able to park where the tour buses park, but often we drove around for a long time looking for a space we could fit in.
We missed taking the one short, scenic train ride we had scheduled because we couldn’t find anywhere near the train station to park.
To avoid this problem, I offer two solutions: a) rent a smaller campervan or b) park the camper at your campsite and take public transit into a city or tourist destination.
Learn Road Signs Before You Drive
Like driving in any foreign country, it is important to become familiar with the local road signs before you get on the road. You’ll want to note things like speed limit, no-passing zones, tunnels, parking, and warning signs.
We found this list to be very helpful for driving in Switzerland: https://www.e-university.ch/index.php/en/e-driver-driving-theory-test/road-signs-in-switzerland
One sign that threw us off for a bit was this one:
We were worried it meant no camper parking, but it turns out it means no camping/parking overnight in a camper.
Another sign that we were unfamiliar with was this one:
Blue parking signs are for time-limited parking spots. You’ll need to purchase a blue parking disc from a gas station. Set the clock face on the disc to the time you parked and place it on the dashboard. This lets traffic law enforcement know how long you’ve been parked there. Remember to be back within the allotted amount of time!
Pay Attention to Check-In Times at Campsites
When I was creating my Switzerland itinerary, one thing I didn’t initially take into account was the check-in time windows of campsites. Each campsite was a bit different, but each one had a relatively narrow window in which you could show up.
Like hotels, most campsites have you check in in the afternoon, after previous guests have left in the morning. If you’re doing a road trip in Switzerland, I recommend getting to your destination in the afternoon, then exploring that city or area the next day. (I found that exploring during the day, then checking in at night as I had planned, wasn’t always possible.)
Pro Tip: Many campsites will provide a guest card that offers discounts on local tourist sites and public transportation. Don’t be like us when we went to a site during the morning, only to check in to a campsite later that day, to find that we could have used a discount!
Diesel and AdBlue
Most gas stations in Switzerland are self-service, and you can pay with a credit card. (Only once did we have to go inside to pay at the counter.) Just make sure you know which type of fuel to fill your camper with, as most campers take diesel.
At many gas pumps, the diesel pump will say “diesel” and usually have a yellow handle.
When you pick up your rental, they’ll explain that you’ll need to fill up with AdBlue too. AdBlue is a liquid solution that helps reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. You can find it at most gas stations in Switzerland. However, we found we did not need to fill it as often as the diesel.
Be Prepared for Things to Go Wrong
If there’s one piece of advice I would give, even for travel in general, it’s this: expect the unexpected. Sometimes things don’t go to plan, and that’s okay!
About a week into our Switzerland trip, we noticed some water leaking from under the bench seat in our camper. After trying to troubleshoot via the Indie Campers help desk, we ended up taking it to an RV shop. Shout-out to Top Camp for being so kind and squeezing us in, having a look, and not charging us.
We never did get a full diagnosis, but the folks at Top Camp said that we could still drive safely, so we continued on. We just had to be careful not to use too much hot water.
All this to say, rental vehicles are hardly ever perfect. Even if you run into some snags, try not to let it ruin your day, or your vacation as a whole.
Other Things to Know About Driving in Switzerland
- Speeds are posted in kilometers per hour.
- Traffic drives on the right-hand side and pass on the left.
- There are many roundabouts, so be familiar with which lane to be in.
- If relying on the rental insurance that comes with your credit card, double-check what is covered.
- You do not need an international driver’s license to rent a camper in Switzerland, just your valid national license.
If you decide that renting a campervan in Switzerland is right for you, I hope this post helps you have an easy time of it. Switzerland is such a beautiful country, it deserves to be enjoyed as stress-free as possible.
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