Yes, you can take a rental car from Switzerland abroad, as long as you add the cross-border option when you book. At DRAIV it costs CHF 7 per started 24-hour period, you get an electronic green card, and without the option, driving across the border is not allowed.
You add the option at booking, and only there
While booking, you tick "cross-border travel" before you pay. That puts it in your price from the start, and nobody asks about it at the car. You cannot switch it on later in the app. If you only find out after booking that the trip crosses a border, email support@draiv.ch before you leave. We can add the option case by case, and you cross the border once you have our confirmation.
The fee counts in 24-hour steps, and every started step counts in full. Pick the car up on Friday at 6 pm and bring it back on Sunday at 8 pm: that is 50 hours, three steps, CHF 21. Four full days cost CHF 28.
Where you can go, and why Liechtenstein does not count
With the option you can drive in all EU and EFTA states and in other Mediterranean coastal states. Countries outside that area are not covered, the United Kingdom for example, even though it is not named below. Under our terms (section 4.4) these countries stay excluded even with the option: Kosovo, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Syria and Lebanon.
Liechtenstein is not abroad for this purpose. The terms require the option for trips outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein, so a detour to Vaduz needs nothing extra.
What to sort out before the border
The option does not finish the job on its own. Four things are on you:
- Vignettes, tolls, low-emission stickers. Whatever the destination country charges for these, you pay. Our terms say so, and the CHF 7 does not include them.
- Who drives. Only people named on the booking may drive. You add a second driver at booking for CHF 5 a day. If someone who is not named drives and there is damage, we can reduce your damage protection.
- Papers on your phone. The booking confirmation names you as the renter and sets the rental period. The green card arrives electronically. Keep both to hand before you reach the border.
- If something happens. Report an accident abroad to us within 24 hours, in the app or at support@draiv.ch, whether or not you added the option.
If the trip runs longer than planned, extend the rental in the app before it ends. Returning a rental car late explains how that works and what it costs.
What the CHF 7 covers
Roadside assistance comes with every rental. It costs CHF 5 a day, covers all of Europe under our terms (section 5.3) and cannot be removed. The CHF 7 for driving abroad pays for something else: the extra work when the incident happens outside Switzerland. If the car breaks down in Italy or France, local partners in that country arrange help on the ground and, if needed, bring the car back to Switzerland. They bill us for it. We coordinate it for you, and you never deal with foreign companies or their invoices.
Crossing without the option: CHF 500 and reduced protection
Drive abroad without the option and it costs a contractual penalty of CHF 500, even if nothing happens on the trip. If there is damage, you are liable for that on top, because the penalty does not cover real damage.
The second effect hits your damage protection, the tier that caps your deductible. We can reduce or void it in proportion to fault and how the breach relates to the damage. Minor breaches with no link to the damage leave your protection as it is. An accident on an undeclared trip abroad is exactly the case this rule is for.
With other rental companies, their terms decide
Classic rental companies like Europcar usually allow cross-border trips too. Which countries, how many kilometres and which vehicle classes differ from one provider to the next. What binds you is that provider's rental terms, so ask before you book, not at the border.
Looking for a car in the city for the trip? Locations and prices are on car rental in Zurich.
Flying into Zurich and driving on from there? We'll bring the car to you there too: car rental at Zurich Airport.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a rental car abroad from Switzerland?
Yes, if you add the cross-border option when you book. It costs CHF 7 per started 24-hour period and shows up in the price before you pay. Without the option, driving across the border is not allowed.
Which countries can I drive a Swiss rental car into, and which are off limits?
With the option you can drive in all EU and EFTA states and in other Mediterranean coastal states. Countries outside that area are not covered, the United Kingdom for example. Kosovo, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Syria and Lebanon stay excluded under our terms even with the option.
Do I need the option for Liechtenstein?
No. Our terms require the option for trips outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein, so a detour to Vaduz costs nothing extra.
Can I add the cross-border option after booking?
Not in the app: you can only pick the option while booking. If you forgot, email support@draiv.ch before you set off. We can add it case by case, and you should only cross the border once we have confirmed it.
What is a green card, and do I get it automatically?
The green card is the internationally recognised proof that a vehicle is covered abroad. Pick the cross-border option and you receive it electronically, with no extra step.
What happens if I drive abroad without the option?
It costs a contractual penalty of CHF 500, even if nothing happens. If there is damage, you are liable for it on top, and we can reduce or void your chosen damage protection in proportion to fault and how the breach relates to the damage.
What does the CHF 7 per day cross-border fee cover?
The extra work when something goes wrong abroad: help on the ground through local partners in the destination country, coordinating that help and, if needed, bringing the car back to Switzerland. The partners bill us, not you.
Rent a car with no desk and no deposit
Book on the web or in the app, unlock with your phone and drive off.