Driving in Switzerland: Which canton has the highest speeding fines?
Depending on how fast you are going, speeding tickets can be hefty, but you will also have to pay associated administrative costs. This is what these fees are in different Swiss cantons.
There is somewhat of a Röstigraben (a cultural divide) when it comes to costs associated with speeding in the French and German regions of Switzerland.
The administrative fees, which cover such expenses as police intervention and postal charges, are significantly lower in the French-speaking cantons, according to a new study carried out by a consumer comparison site, Comparis.ch.
Röstigraben: The invisible barrier separating Switzerland
It found that motorists in Neuchâtel are usually slapped with lowest costs (50 francs in administrative fees), followed by Lausanne (60 francs), Fribourg (73 francs), and Jura (134).
The further east you go, however, the higher speeding-related prices are, Comparis reports.
In Bern, exceeding the speed limit will set you back 200 francs, you will have to pay 300 francs in Glarus, 350 in Appenzell. 370 in Lucerne, 430 in Zurich, 450 in Schaffhausen, and the mind-boggling 500 francs in Aargau.
EXPLAINED: What you should know about speeding fines in Switzerland
This Comparis chart (in French) shows what some cantons and municipalities charge for in fines and corresponding administrative costs for exceeding the speed limit in a 50-km / hour zone.
The chart indicates that cantons impose the fees in a totally arbitrary manner.
“I don’t understand how, for the same offense against the same law, while the fines are practically identical, administrative fees can be multiplied by 10 from one canton to another”, said Leo Hug, Comparis’ tax expert.
It just goes to show how the lack of coherence among cantons can drive you crazy.
READ MORE: Which Swiss canton has the worst drivers?
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There is somewhat of a Röstigraben (a cultural divide) when it comes to costs associated with speeding in the French and German regions of Switzerland.
The administrative fees, which cover such expenses as police intervention and postal charges, are significantly lower in the French-speaking cantons, according to a new study carried out by a consumer comparison site, Comparis.ch.
Röstigraben: The invisible barrier separating Switzerland
It found that motorists in Neuchâtel are usually slapped with lowest costs (50 francs in administrative fees), followed by Lausanne (60 francs), Fribourg (73 francs), and Jura (134).
The further east you go, however, the higher speeding-related prices are, Comparis reports.
In Bern, exceeding the speed limit will set you back 200 francs, you will have to pay 300 francs in Glarus, 350 in Appenzell. 370 in Lucerne, 430 in Zurich, 450 in Schaffhausen, and the mind-boggling 500 francs in Aargau.
EXPLAINED: What you should know about speeding fines in Switzerland
This Comparis chart (in French) shows what some cantons and municipalities charge for in fines and corresponding administrative costs for exceeding the speed limit in a 50-km / hour zone.
The chart indicates that cantons impose the fees in a totally arbitrary manner.
“I don’t understand how, for the same offense against the same law, while the fines are practically identical, administrative fees can be multiplied by 10 from one canton to another”, said Leo Hug, Comparis’ tax expert.
It just goes to show how the lack of coherence among cantons can drive you crazy.
READ MORE: Which Swiss canton has the worst drivers?
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