Going to Zurich later today for a delivery at the airport,can anyone offer advice on best route from Calais,customs,T Forms etc,never been Swiss b4,so all is new,thanks guys !
I personally would go via Lux (for the cheap diesel), Strasbourg and in at St Louis.
Park in the Customs compound, take your paperwork to the French, then the Swiss office. You will need an ID card for the truck so take your V5 with you, the Swiss Customs will issue you this, then buy your transit tax from a “maschine” that looks like this, it doesn’t have a brain so use your own 
it’s quite straightforward, you will need to re-visit one of these machines on the way out.
Here’s a diary I did of a trip to Switzerland about 18 months ago, you might get some pointers from it…
follow what harry says quite simple but REMEMBER take your mileage with you to put on the machine save you walking back to truck twice 
The quickest and the easiest is to take the A26 (or 25?) fram Calais to Arras and Reims, then at Chalon Champagne the A4 for Metz and Strasbourg and then down for Mulhouse and Basel. From Basel it’s just straighta ahead, A3, A2, A1 to Zurich.
Shorter and cheaper route through France would be to take the N road at Chalon Champagne to St Dizier, Toul and Nancy, then down via Epinal and mountains to Mulhouse. Or St Dizier Chaumont vesoul Belfort Mulhouse.
Alternatively via B, L and D.
No serious hills in that part of CH.
The Swiss are in the Schengen but not in the EU, so they don’t check passports but still check the goods. You’ll need TIR (or maybe EUR?) and take it to a spedition and then to the customs.
And you also need to pay motorway tax, at the border. Cars have to buy one year sticker for 40franks. Anyway, trucks get an ID card (you’ll need to produce V5) with euro class, axle count and weights etc. Tax machines “talk” many languages (English too), you put the ID in, key in you mileage (odo reading), pay (cash or card) and get a receipt. When leaving the country the receipt is checked.
While I remember, make sure your trailer is no more than 4m in height, they are dead keen on this.
SNOW CHAINS & Winter Tyres, go and read through the EURO STICKYS
there is lots of Info posted from various members,
Harry Monk:
While I remember, make sure your trailer is no more than 4m in height, they are dead keen on this.
Hi HM, I’ll vouch for that.
The Swiss are that keen on enforcement that there are automatic height sensors conveniently (for them ) situated at strategic points about the Swiss motorway network. The Swiss police are wonderfully helpful in many ways, including using very accurate telescopic measuring sticks to confirm to you that the fine is just right.
They then go the extra mile for us by having, and showing you, the current exchange rates and they’ll accept payment in almost any currency. At least it helps you to pay your fine quickly, and without having to tramp about looking for a bank.
Isn’t that thoughtful and friendly of them?? 
dieseldave:
They then go the extra mile for us by having, and showing you, the current exchange rates and they’ll accept payment in almost any currency. At least it helps you to pay your fine quickly, and without having to tramp about looking for a bank.
They also have credit card swipe machines in their cars. 
Thanks for the replies guys,takin it all in,I’m not familiar with TIR,all I know is I have a plate on the trailer with tape over it lol,I’ll sus it I guess,owt helpfull is a big help thanks,can you run through Swiss
on a Sunday ? Or do they enforce the driving ban,I’ll be taking a fridge but with an ambient load,thanks again !!!
…and when the police pull you from motorway into their MoT station and check everything (incl toys on the dash), fault can be promptly fixed on the spot (for a charge, of course) or at a garage next door. At the end they ask you if you can find your way back to the motorway or need an ■■■■■■ 
There’s Sunday and holiday ban, midnight to midnight I think, plus night driving ban 22 till 5.
As of TIR, it is not just a plate on the truck, the company has to be registered somewhere, financial deposit (used to be 5000$) etc, don’t know who does it in the UK, RHA perhaps?
Theoretically, you don’t need a TIR carnet - if you want/can sort out all the formalities yourself (and pay the duty).
And as it’s Swiss you’re going to, depending on the goods carried, you may need not the TIR carnet but “common transit form” T1, T2, T5…
Anyway, it’s your boss who should worry about papers
We don’t as a rule do Swiss,when we do Italy we always go the tunnel,so don’t have owt to do with Swiss,I know my boss should sort if but if I know as much as I can b4 I go any problems I got a bit of an idea,anyways thanks to you all,as for the load it is some sort of solution for plane wings to stop freezing,non haz,that bit I do know lol .
You will need to clear UK customs in Dover (Lord Warden House) or at the tunnel terminal before leaving the UK.
GBPub:
You will need to clear UK customs in Dover (Lord Warden House) or at the tunnel terminal before leaving the UK.
Don’t forget the EUR1 and get it stamped before going to the customs counter.
Are you delivering Kilfrost?
Wheel Nut:
GBPub:
You will need to clear UK customs in Dover (Lord Warden House) or at the tunnel terminal before leaving the UK.Don’t forget the EUR1 and get it stamped before going to the customs counter.
Are you delivering Kilfrost?
Ok,now I’m getting confused,Customs England,Customs Swiss,TIR,what the hell is a Eur1 and yep,think it is Kilfrost fella,haltwhistle I’m loading it at .
scaniamad:
Wheel Nut:
GBPub:
You will need to clear UK customs in Dover (Lord Warden House) or at the tunnel terminal before leaving the UK.Don’t forget the EUR1 and get it stamped before going to the customs counter.
Are you delivering Kilfrost?
Ok,now I’m getting confused,Customs England,Customs Swiss,TIR,what the hell is a Eur1 and yep,think it is Kilfrost fella,haltwhistle I’m loading it at .
EUR1 is a movement certificate between non EU countries. I imagine Kilfrost have dealt with all the documents as they have been exporting their products all over the world since God was a lad. They will probably have accounts with an agent at the UK ports and the EUR1 may even be stamped.
With your documents you will probably be using CHIEF which is a very simple customs procedure, even simpler than the SAD. (Single Administrative Document)
It isn’t as scary as you think, unless you forget the paperwork, then it becomes a major problem, anyone in Western Docks will be able to help you
scaniamad:
Ok,now I’m getting confused,Customs England,Customs Swiss,TIR,what the hell is a Eur1
Forget about the TIR bit, that isn’t going to apply to you. The rest of it, as Wheelnut says above, is easy, just get the names of the agents you will be using and let them do the rest. Check if you are clearing at the border or at Zurich, if it’s the border make sure you know which one because it will be a pain in the ■■■ to arrive at St Louis and you are clearing at Weil am Rhine. I suspect you will be clearing inland so will just transit at the border.
Use the St Louis (French) Border, rather than Weil am Rhein (German). It flows through much better and quicker. Probably due to German efficiency getting in the way of getting the job done .
Don’t even think of using Rheinfelden, just thinking about it will slow down the flow everywhere else.
It’s so slow there, even cold treacle is quicker 
.
welshboyinspain:
follow what harry says quite simple but REMEMBER take your mileage with you to put on the machine save you walking back to truck twice
So I’m not the only person who has ever had to do that then?
Harry Monk:
welshboyinspain:
follow what harry says quite simple but REMEMBER take your mileage with you to put on the machine save you walking back to truck twiceSo I’m not the only person who has ever had to do that then?
So there is at least three of us on this thread alone then.
Coffeeholic:
Harry Monk:
welshboyinspain:
follow what harry says quite simple but REMEMBER take your mileage with you to put on the machine save you walking back to truck twiceSo I’m not the only person who has ever had to do that then?
So there is at least three of us on this thread alone then.
I am not sure whether it is just Bardonnex but when you go to the French exit box, they will not give you a fiche and make you walk into the agents block and pick up a prestamped form then walk back to the French side. They don’t seem to mind you carrying a few prestamped spares though.