Van road trip › Switzerland
Van road trip in Switzerland: how many days and how much does it cost?
Switzerland: allow 4 to 8 days by van for a loop of about 750 mi (1,200 km). Budget: between €500 and €700 for fuel and nights, without meals or sightseeing.
Estimates. These figures are rough estimates written from memory on Oct 25, 2026: prices and rules change. Check official sources before you go.
How many days?
Allow 4 to 8 days for a loop of about 750 mi (1,200 km), at a pace of 150 to 300 km (95 to 185 mi) a day. The longer you stay in the same places, the more days you need.
How much does it cost?
| Fuel | €350 |
|---|---|
| Nights (6 days) | between €150 and €350 |
| Total, without meals or sightseeing | between €500 and €700 |
Assumptions: 12 L per 100 km, 6 days, 750 mi (1,200 km) of driving, gas at €2.30 per litre. Tolls and vignettes extra. With your vehicle and your route, the planner works out the cost kilometre by kilometre.
Where to sleep? Depends on the region
Depends on the canton and town: often banned outside campgrounds. One rest night at a rest area is generally tolerated. Ask the landowner in the mountains.
Frequently asked questions
- Switzerland: how many days for a van road trip?
- Allow 4 to 8 days for a loop of about 750 mi (1,200 km), at a pace of 150 to 300 km (95 to 185 mi) a day. The longer you stay in the same places, the more days you need.
- Switzerland: how much does a van road trip cost?
- For 6 days, budget €350 for fuel (12 L per 100 km, gas at €2.30 per litre) and between €150 and €350 for nights, so between €500 and €700 in total without meals or sightseeing.
- Switzerland: where to sleep in a van?
- Depends on the region. Depends on the canton and town: often banned outside campgrounds. One rest night at a rest area is generally tolerated. Ask the landowner in the mountains. A night costs €25 to €60 depending on whether you find a free spot, a service area or a campground with hookups.
- Switzerland: do you need to pay tolls or buy a vignette in a van?
- Vignette. Annual motorway vignette required (CHF 40, electronic e-vignette tied to the plate, or sticker). A caravan or trailer needs its own. Over 3.5 t: flat-rate heavy vehicle charge (PSVA) instead, paid at customs. Great St Bernard tunnel tolled.
- Switzerland: what do you need to enter with your van?
- Schengen Area: 90 days in any 180-day period, all Schengen countries counted together. Passport valid at least 3 months after you leave Schengen and issued less than 10 years ago. EES: fingerprints and photo taken on your first entry into Schengen, then checked at each crossing (system in place since 2025-2026). ETIAS: online travel authorisation, planned for late 2026; check whether it's in force before you go. In Schengen but outside the EU: customs at every crossing (alcohol, meat, purchases). International Driving Permit recommended (CAA, AAA): cheap, and it saves trouble. Insurance: your North American policy isn't valid here. You need European insurance for a vehicle registered outside Europe, with its green card.