Got back last week from a holiday in Italy, driving there and back. On a Thursday afternoon, we noticed, on entering Switzerland, the enormous (stationary) queue of HGVs at the border. At another point (not a border), dozens of HGVs had been taken off the motorway and were laid up at a sort of service area. On leaving Switzerland, another massive queue of HGVs waiting to enter.
What was that all about?
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I guess it is some weekend ban on the movement of HGVs, either all weekends or some specific holiday weekends. On a side track - how did you enjoy the drive? Did you stop en route or leg it thru in one day?
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Further to my last. I was in Italy last week and I recall something about one of the trans-alpine tunnels being temporarily closed, a fire or something. Cars and LGVs could go on alternative routes but HGVs were stuck, for a few hours.
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HGv's cannot be used on Saturday from 23.00 till Sunday at 23:00 in Italy ,Germany and Switzerland.Exceptions are urgent perishable foodstuffs and fuel.
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Certainly, when we returned, the only HGV we saw was a milk tanker and we guessed that there must be some sort of ban on HGV movement on a Sunday. As cows can't have a day off from being milked, that would acount for the exception.
AS - we loved the drive. Having arrived Dunkerque at 11:00 it wasn't really feasible to drive to the Italian Lakes in one day, as we had no accommodation booked at our final destination - in fact, we weren't even sure exactly where we were going! (Some of our best holidays have been made up as we went along.) So we booked our first night at an Etap in Strasbourg by internet, then the next day crossed the Rhine into Germany to avoid the tolls on French motorways, entered Switzerland and crossed the Alps on the St Gotthard Pass, as I hate long tunnels - can't stand the disgusting air quality and I seem to suffer from mild claustrophobia these days. We ended up at Locarno for the second night - technically still in Switzerland - on Lake Maggiore, then pottered about, spending a couple of nights here, three nights there, depending on what took our fancy. We spent most of the time in Italy and got as far east as Bergamo, which is an absolute jewel. In the post-holiday euphoria, we're now considering buying a house in Switzerland or Italy. Switzerland is lovely and clean - no litter anywhere - but perhaps the Swiss are a little anally retentive. (Am I allowed to say that?)
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Take a closer look at property prices and the cost of living in Switzerland before you get too optimistic. Lovely place though.
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The UK takes some beating on house prices I never seen anywhere dearer in Europe.The UK still builds houses like theyused to build cars very expensive rubbish.
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We holiday in Switzerland on a regular basis (summer and winter).
The prices for hotels are generally about the same as the UK, but because they are of a MUCH HIGHER standard, I believe they are better value. The Swiss are better-off too as they pay lower taxes (7.6% VAT for a start).
Fact....the UK is a very expensive place to stay in a hotel (a decent one at least), hotels are much cheaper in the rest of europe (France, Germany, Italy)., IMHO the standard of the accomodation is much better too.
I'd have moved over there years ago but SWMBO won't go (only God knows why) :-(
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HGV tax.
It's financing the new alpine tunnels
www.europa.admin.ch/ba/expl/uebersicht/e/index.htm
www.cfit.gov.uk/map/europe-switzerland.htm
Before I'm flamed, I *live* in Switzerland.
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Before I'm flamed, I *live* in Switzerland.
......and I'm jealous
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Hey, if it helps, it's arguably one of the safest places to bring up kids in Europe
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The queue`s in and out at the border would very likely have been due to the Trucks having to "clear" customs paperwork (t-forms and carnets).
Was the service area near the tunnel(i cant for the life of me remember the name!)
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Andy Bairsto has already given answer above
"HGv's cannot be used on Saturday from 23.00 till Sunday at 23:00 in Italy ,Germany and Switzerland.Exceptions are urgent perishable foodstuffs and fuel."
same applies in France
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Phil
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Phil, as the original post said "thursday" the weekend ban wouldnt apply. As a regular international driver i know that to enter and leave switzerland you HAVE to clear at the border which invariably takes a few hours.. causing a large backlog of trucks.
There is also a night-time ban on heavy freight throughout the week but as no mention of times were given i perhaps wrongly assumed this was in daylight hours.
Cheers- jon
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"weekend ban wouldnt apply"
Yep, point taken - must read posts more carefully!
Sorry
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Phil
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