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Road signs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

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Road signs in Switzerland and Liechtenstein generally conform to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.[1]

Example of Swiss motor-/expressway sign

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, its road signs largely follow the general European conventions concerning the use of shape and color to indicate their function. Switzerland signed the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals on November 8, 1968 and ratified it on December 11, 1991.[2] On March 2, 2020 Liechtenstein acceded to the Convention.

Regulation

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The Swiss road signs are defined in the Road Signs Act, which is based on several laws and ordinances. Liechtenstein largely follows the legislation of Switzerland. The principal law for road signs in Switzerland is the Road Signs Act (German: Signalisationsverordnung (SSV), French: Ordonnance du sur la signalisation routière (OSR), Italian: Ordinanza sulla segnaletica stradale (OSStr)).[3] In Liechtenstein, it is the Road Signalling Ordinance (German: Strassensignalisationsverordnung (SSV)).[4]

In Switzerland, each canton is responsible for the management and placement of its road signs and complementary panels and they use the whichever of the four official languages of Switzerland is appropriate. In Liechtenstein, German is used.

Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units in all cases.

In 2003, the ASTRA-Frutiger font replaced the SNV font, which is still used in Liechtenstein.[5][6]

Warning signs

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Regulatory signs

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Prohibitions

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Mandatory Instructions

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Priority signs

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Indication signs

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Conducting indication signs

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Routing indication signs

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Numbering

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Motorways and expressways

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Informational signs

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Supplementary panels

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All signs can be combined with 1 or more supplementary panels. If a supplementary panel is accompanied by the words ausgenommen / excepté / eccettuato (excluding) or gestattet / autorisé / permesso (permitted), it means that the indicated kind of transport (e.g. bicycles (panel 5.31) or tanks (panel 5.37)) is excluded from the regulation of the main sign.

Panel 5.31 for bicycles also applies to mopeds with a designed maximum speed of 20km/h.

Road markings

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A number of road markings are used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The road markings themselves give instructions to drivers, but they may at times also be accompanied by signs giving the same or additional instructions.

6.01 Security strip (white, solid) Designates centre of carriageway or border of lanes. Crossing, traversing, or passing over it by vehicles is not permitted.
6.02 Double security strip (white, solid) Separates driving directions on roads with 3 or more lanes (or expressways). Crossing, traversing, or passing over it by vehicles is not permitted.
6.03 Directing strip (white, broken) Designates either centre of carriageway on two-lane roads, or separates lanes. Crossing, traversing, passing over for overtaking is allowed.
6.04 Double strip (combination of a security strip and a directing strip on either side of the security strip) Crossing, passing, or traversing, or starting an overtaking manoeuvre, is allowed only from the side with the broken directing strip.
6.05 Advance warning strip (white, closely broken) Announces either security or double strips. Any overtaking manoeuvres must be completed.
6.06 Pre-selecting arrows (white) Indicates permitted manoeuvres from each lane for a junction; the chosen direction is compulsory (corresponds to 2.31–2.36, see also 4.43). Yellow arrows indicate directions for public transport only and their permitted manoeuvres can differ.
6.07 Pull arrows (white, arranged obliquely) Orders to leave the lane in the indicated direction.
6.08 Bus lane (yellow, solid or broken strips; BUS text in yellow) Indicates lanes exclusive to public transport. Any exceptions to this may be indicated with the use of supplementary panels under sign 2.64. It is permitted to cross the line if the yellow strip is broken.
6.10 Stop line (white, wide, solid) Traffic must stop at this line. Always accompanied by a stop sign. It may also be used at traffic lights (though traffic need not stop when the light is green), level crossings and on lanes for turn off traffic. Stop lines are yellow if exclusively addressed to bicycles and mopeds (e.g. on bicycle paths and lanes; see also 6.26)
6.11 Stop text (white) May appear alongside a stop line
6.12 Longitudinal strip (white, solid) May appear alongside a stop line
6.13 Give way line (white, small triangles in a row) Traffic must give way at this line. Always accompanied by a give way sign. Can be combined with traffic lights (though traffic need not stop while traffic lights are working. Give way lines are yellow if exclusively addressed to bicycles and mopeds (e.g. on bicycle paths and lanes)
6.14 Announcement of give way line (white, large triangle) May announce the give way line on main roads and important minor roads
6.15 Border strip (white, solid) Designates the edge of a carriageway
6.16 Guidestrip (white, broken) Visually guides traffic through a junction. They may continue stop or waiting lines, separating the side road from the main road (see example 1), or indicate the course of the principal road in cases of a turn in the principal road at a crossing (see example 2). Guidestrips do not appear on side roads with valid priority to the right rule.
Example 1
Example 2
6.17 Pedestrian crossing (longitudinal, wide, yellow; on cobble stones if need be white)
6.18 Prohibition of stopping strip Stopping voluntarily is prohibited.
6.19 Pedestrian area (yellow, two longitudinal strips on each side connected by bias bindings) Area marked on roads for use by pedestrians only
6.20 Restricted area (white, shaded and framed) Visually guides traffic; crossing, traversing, or passing is strictly prohibited.
6.21 Zigzag lines (yellow) Designate public bus stop area. Parking is prohibited. It can be used to pick up or drop off passengers, but only if public traffic is in no way obstructed.
6.22 Prohibition of parking strip (yellow, longitudinal strip broken with diagonal crosses)
6.23 Prohibition of parking area (yellow, framed, diagonally crossed) Exclusive parking for designated traffic users, indicated by the word TAXI or a license plate number. If labelled, it can be used to pick up or drop off passengers, but only if valid traffic user is in no way obstructed.
Parking (usually marked by white, blue, red, or yellow solid strips) Parking spaces can be signposted (see 4.17–4.21) and/or marked by white (parking free, unless signposted with 4.20; or 4.18), blue, or red solid strips (sometimes only indicated by partial markings); blue markings indicate Blue Zone parking spaces with mandatory use of parking disc/card; red markings indicate Red Zone parking spaces (exist only in a few cantons); yellow parking spaces are reserved for private or special purposes (prohibited to the general public).

In areas with parking markings, it is prohibited to park anywhere else; only parking spaces of appropriate size for the relevant vehicle type, whether bicycle/moped, motorbike, car, bus (indicated by word CAR) or lorries should be used. Blue Zones can be indicated by a thick white-blue crossline at the start and a thick blue-white crossline at the end of the zone.

6.25 Prohibition of stopping strip (yellow, longitudinal solid strip with endings) Voluntarily stopping is prohibited
6.26 Extended bicycle lane (waiting area placed in front of stop line with an additional yellow stop line and a bicycle icon in front of the white stop line) During red traffic light bicycles and mopeds are allowed to wait in front of first motor vehicle and next to each other, motor vehicles must stop in front of the white stop line; when traffic light becomes green, motor vehicles must show patience and give way to bicycles and mopeds in front of them in order to let them clear the crossing first.
6.30 Guide post, right Placed on the right-hand side of the carriageway, facing the driver on the right. It can also appear on the left-hand side of the carriageway on roads with either separated directions or without oncoming traffic.
6.31 Guide post, left Placed on the left-hand side of the carriageway, facing the driver on the right.

Traffic lights

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Working traffic light signals (not turned off or not flashing yellow) take precedence over priority signs, road markings, and general road rules. A yellow flashing traffic light signals a need for special caution, and the general road rules, priority signs, and road markings must be applied and followed (including in particular stop signs or give way signs and all other priority signs, as well as direction indications). White traffic lights are addressed to public transport only.

Traffic signals containing direction indications apply only for the (lane with) corresponding direction(s) – traffic is required to follow the indicated direction. All traffic light rules apply to bicycles and mopeds as well, but can be exclusively addressed to them by showing a bicycle icon.

General signals
7.0.1 Usual vertical composition
7.0.2 Horizontal composition
7.01 Stop Valid for all road users unless accompanied by additional traffic lights addressed to particular road users (e.g. bicycles and mopeds); motor vehicles must stop in front of the stop line.

Flashing red lights are only used at level crossings and have the same meaning.

7.02 Yellow and red light together An indication to be ready to start again and to wait for the green light. Drivers must give way to any bicycles/mopeds in front of the vehicle in the case of an extended bicycle lane.
7.03 Green light Traffic may proceed. Turning vehicles must give way both to oncoming traffic and to people crossing on side roads, who are usually permitted to cross the side at the same time.
7.04 Yellow light (not flashing) Appears after the green light. Vehicles must stop, if it is possible to do so in a reasonable manner.
Signals containing a direction indication
7.10 Red light with direction indication
7.11 Yellow light with direction indication
7.12 Green arrow Traffic may proceed, following the indicated direction(s).
7.13 Direction panel Alternative version.
7.14 Green arrow with additional flashing yellow Permits traffic to turn. Turning vehicles must give way both to oncoming traffic and to people crossing on side roads, who are usually permitted to cross the side at the same time.
Signals that apply exclusively to bicycles and mopeds
7.20
7.20.1 Alternative version with a bicycle icon on the panel.
7.21 Direction panel exclusively addressed to bicycles and mopeds.
7.21.1 Alternative version with a bicycle icon on the panel.

Police instruction signs

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Blue Zone parking disc

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When parking in a Blue Zone, it is mandatory to set and display a blue parking disc with the time of arrival according to the Blue Zone Rules. Parking in a blue zone space is limited to 1 hour unless otherwise indicated. No part of a parked vehicle, including bumpers, may protrude outside the marked parking space.

Blue disks are available in various places, such as police stations, hotels, tourist offices, newsstands, the local Gemeinde/Town hall, garages and gas stations.

Blue Zone Parking Rules

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From Monday to Saturday

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The disc must be set to the exact time, or to the next half-hour mark if the exact time is not printed on the disc.

Hour slots Parking allowed
8:00 to 11:30 a.m. For 1 hour after set time
11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Until 2:30 p.m.
1:30 to 6:00 p.m. For 1 hour after set time
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Until 9:00 the next morning
7:00 p.m. to 7:59 a.m. Blue disc not needed if vehicle removed by 8:00 a.m.

From 6:00 p.m. Saturday to 9:00 a.m. Monday, blue-zone parking is free and no blue disc is needed.

In blue zones marked with a 4-digit area code, parking is free for those with a valid parking permit for that specific area code. For those without the corresponding parking permit, regular Blue Zone parking rules apply.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Panel 5.13 can be added, if there is black ice or slippery snow on road.
  2. ^ Panel 5.15 can be added to indicate the width of the lane/road.
  3. ^ a b Panel 5.12 can be added, if regulated by turn signals.
  4. ^ In Chur, warning of street-running trains.
  5. ^ Often panel 5.01 is added.
  6. ^ Additional information will be added below the sign, e.g. panel 5.16.
  7. ^ a b Includes any kind of vehicle-like transport means, e.g. rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
  8. ^ a b If valid for a distance, then additional length information is shown below the sign with panel 5.03.
  9. ^ Often panels 5.04, 5.05, 5.06, 5.07, or 5.10 are added.
  10. ^ Often panels 5.04, 5.05, 5.06, 5.07, or 5.11 are added.
  11. ^ Stop requested, except if no control is carried out, then speed limit is 20 km/h.
  12. ^ If driving is exceptionally allowed then pedestrians and users of vehicle-like transport means have priority
  13. ^ Pedestrians and users of vehicle-like transport means, such as rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, etc., are allowed to use the entire street and have priority; parking only allowed at designated places.
  14. ^ Panels 5.01 and/or 5.09 can be added.
  15. ^ Panels 5.01 and/or 5.09 can be added.
  16. ^ Panel 5.09 can be added.
  17. ^ Priority given to public transport, such as postal bus; pay special attention to the specific three-tone-horn of the postal bus approaching hairpin bends and wait before the bend; traffic users must follow instructions given by public transport drivers.
  18. ^ Length of tunnel can be indicated using sign 5.03.
  19. ^ Presence of hospital, rest home or similar. Traffic users must keep quiet, particularly during night time.
  20. ^ Panels 5.57 and 5.58 can be added.
  21. ^ Panel 5.14 can be added to indicate an exclusive parking space for handicapped people.
  22. ^ a b Mentions next village/town above the line and distance to next major place(s) below.)
  23. ^ After this sign, the generally valid speed limit within a densely built-up area automatically applies.
  24. ^ Often announced with panel 4.23.
  25. ^ Panels 5.20–5.32 can be added.

References

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  1. ^ "Convention on Road Signs and Signals Vienna, 8 November 1968". United Nations. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  2. ^ "United Nations Treaty Collection". treaties.un.org. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  3. ^ "SR 741.21 Signalisationsverordnung vom 5. September 1979 (SSV)" (in German, French, and Italian). Berne, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Council. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  4. ^ "Strassensignalisationsverordnung (SSV) vom 27. Dezember 1979" (in German). Liechtensteinisches Landesgesetzblatt. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  5. ^ rel (20 January 2003). "«Frutiger» für die Strasse". NZZ (in German). Zurich, Switzerland. Retrieved 2017-06-28.
  6. ^ "Frutiger honored with SOTA award". Microsoft Typography. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
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