If your route to France continues on into the Alps, Crit'Air isn't the end of the paperwork. Switzerland and Austria both require their own separate motorway permit — and unlike Crit'Air, you don't need anyone's help to sort them. Here's exactly what you need, what it costs, and where to buy it directly.
This is not like Crit'Air
Crit'Air involves a French-language government form and a vehicle document upload, which is why a facilitation service has a role to play. Switzerland and Austria's systems are different — both are simple, English-language, self-service purchases directly from the official sites, usually done in under five minutes. You don't need a third party for either of these, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. This guide just tells you what to expect so you're not caught out at the border.
Switzerland: One Price, One Length, No Shortcuts
Switzerland keeps this simple by removing all the options. There's only one type of vignette: annual.
No short-term option exists. A 10-day vignette was rejected by Swiss public vote back in 2013, so even a two-day transit through Switzerland means paying the full annual price.
Fine for driving without one: CHF 200 — plus you still have to buy the vignette on top.
Sticker or digital — same price, your choice. The digital e-vignette is linked to your number plate rather than a physical sticker, which is useful if you're switching rental cars partway through a trip, since a sticker can't be transferred once applied.
Rental car note: most Swiss rental cars already come with a vignette, but rentals picked up just over the border in Germany, France or Italy often don't. Ask when you collect the keys.
Austria: More Flexible, More to Get Wrong
Austria's system has more options, which is good for short trips but means more chances to pick the wrong one.
| Duration | Cost | Valid immediately online? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | €9.60 | Yes |
| 10 days | €12.80 | Yes |
| 2 months | €32.00 | No — valid from day 18 |
| Annual | €106.80 | No — valid from day 18 |
Where to buy: the official ASFINAG toll shop online, or at petrol stations, motorists' clubs (ÖAMTC, ARBÖ) and tobacconists across Austria and near the border.
The 18-day delay catches people out
If you buy the 2-month or annual digital vignette online as a private individual, it isn't valid until the 18th day after purchase. The 1-day and 10-day digital vignettes don't have this restriction and are valid immediately — so if you're buying close to your departure date, a short-term vignette is often your only same-week option online, even if you only meant to buy annual for convenience. Buying a sticker vignette in person avoids this delay entirely.
Two Vignettes, No Crossover
Switzerland and Austria don't recognise each other's vignettes — a Swiss vignette doesn't cover Austrian roads and vice versa. If your route takes in both countries, you need both, bought separately. Budget roughly €145–150 combined for a Swiss annual vignette plus an Austrian 10-day one — a reasonable estimate for a typical two-to-three-week summer road trip touching both countries.
A few specific Alpine sections charge an additional toll even with a valid vignette — the Brenner motorway into Italy and certain tunnels are common examples. Worth checking your exact route rather than assuming the vignette covers everything.
What About France, Italy and Germany?
Different system entirely. France and Italy charge per kilometre at toll barriers as you drive — no vignette, no advance purchase, just pay as you go (by card or cash) at the barrier. Germany currently has no general motorway toll for cars at all. So if your route is UK → France → Switzerland → Austria, the toll/vignette requirement only switches on at the Swiss and Austrian borders — France is pay-as-you-drive, not a vignette country.
French and Italian toll lane colours: Yellow lanes are for automatic toll-tag subscribers only — don't queue there without one. Blue or white lanes accept card or cash.
The Bottom Line
Crit'Air gets you into French cities. Switzerland and Austria need their own separate permits if your trip continues into the Alps — both straightforward to buy yourself directly from the official sites, no facilitation required. Sort Crit'Air through us, sort Switzerland and Austria directly at the links above, and you're covered for the whole route.
Don't Forget Your Other Pre-Travel Requirements
Crit'Air sticker for driving through French low emission zones
Order your Crit'Air sticker — £19.95EES border checks now apply at Dover, the Tunnel and Eurostar
Read our EES guide for UK driversTravel insurance covering the full length of your trip
Get travel insurance from Holiday ExtrasThe legally required driving kit — warning triangle, hi-vis vest, headlamp deflectors and first aid kit
AA Euro Travel Kit — AmazonLast Updated: June 2026