Getting a Bike Sticker in Switzerland

When it comes to obligatory stickers that adorn your mode of transportation, Switzerland is king. At first, we didn't have to worry so much about this because the dealer that sold Isaiah our car back in August provided us with a 2008 Mautvignette (toll sticker). And like good little residents, we purchased one for 2009 when we took the car in for service at the end of December. But the sticker we had been lagging on was the one for Isaiah's bike. (I don't have a bike yet, boo!) Yes, if you ride a bike in Switzerland, you must affix a special bike vignette to your bike's frame. The six francs you pay for your Velovignette, however, does not pay for tolls (um - you won't be riding that thing on the freeway) but rather for accident insurance. With this sticker, if you're on a bike and have an incident with a third-party, you get coverage for up to CHF 2 000 000.

Luckily, it's been too cold out for Isaiah to go cycling, so we've no bike accidents to report. I don't know if any authorities go around fining cyclists who don't have a vignette, but I sure wouldn't want to wind up getting into an accident without one. In anticipation of warmer weather, while checking out the all-new Rheinpark shopping center, we stopped into Sport XX and picked up one of the bike stickers. It's too bad we don't own four bikes, because then we could have saved one franc on each vignette with the Migros "Budget" brand Multipack.

Swiss on a budget... buy discount bike vignettes.

Note: The single vignette we purchased at Sport XX offers insurance coverage with Generali. You can also buy a bike vignette at any SBB ticket counter.

Update March 3, 2009 - While in Aldi Suisse this past weekend, I discovered that they also sell the Velovignette, insurance coverage provided by AXA Winterthur, for CHF 4.49. That is one franc and half less than we paid. Darn! (Look, I am the girl who used to cut coupons from the Sunday paper. How I miss that...)

Update July 6, 2009 - Just saw this reminder on the English Forum CH:

Velovignette -Reminder

from English Forum Switzerland by Mrs. Doolittle

Did anyone else forget to affix their 2009 velovignette to their bike? :msnblush:
The deadline was June 1. If it is not affixed to the bike, the liability insurance is not in effect. If you are stopped you are liable for a fine (40 chf) if there is no vignette.

So you can get fined!!!