Road signs in Switzerland

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

Example of Swiss motorway sign

Design

Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units. The font used is the Frutiger, since 2003.^[2]

Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, signs follow the general European conventions concerning the use of shape and color to indicate their function.

Type of sign	Shape	Border	Background colour
Warning	Triangular	Red	White
Prohibition	Circular	Red	White
Mandatory instructions	Circular	White	Blue
Supplementary	Rectangular	Black	White
Information	Rectangular	White	White (urban) Blue (other roads) Green (motorway)

Language

Each canton for its road signs and complementary indications uses one of the four official languages of Switzerland accordingly.

Gallery

Warning signs

• 
  Bend to right
• 
  Bend to left
• 
  Double bend, first to right
• 
  Double bend, first to left
• 
  Slippery road
• 
  Uneven road ahead
• 
  Road narrows on both sides
• 
  Road narrows on right
• 
  Road narrows on left
• 
  Steep hill downwards
• 
  Steep hill upwards
• 
  Loose chippings
• 
  Falling rocks from the right
• 
  Road works ahead
• 
  Railway level crossing without gate or barrier ahead
• 
  Level crossing with barrier or gate ahead
• 
  Trams crossing ahead
• 
  Pedestrian crossing
• 
  Children
• 
  Wild animals
• 
  Cattle
• 
  Horses
• 
  Two-way traffic straight ahead
• 
  Traffic lights ahead
• 
  Low-flying aircraft
• 
  Side winds
• 
  Other danger

Regulatory signs

• 
  No transit
• 
  No entry for vehicular traffic
• 
  No motor vehicles except solo motorcycles
• 
  No motorcycles
• 
  No cycling
• 
  No mopeds
• 
  No large goods vehicles
• 
  No buses
• 
  No trailers
• 
  No vehicles carrying dangerous goods
• 
  No vehicles carrying water pollutants
• 
  No pedestrians
• 
  No skiing
• 
  No sledging
• 
  No rollerblading
• 
  Maximum weight
• 
  Axle weight limit
• 
  Maximum height
• 
  Maximum width
• 
  Maximum length
• 
  Maximum speed limit
• 
  Advisory maximum speed limit (in German)
• 
  Advisory maximum speed limit (in French)
• 
  Advisory maximum speed limit (in Italian)
• 
  Minimum speed
• 
  Turn right
• 
  Turn left
• 
  Keep right
• 
  Keep left
• 
  Straight ahead
• 
  Turn right ahead
• 
  Turn left ahead
• 
  Turn right or left
• 
  Roundabout
• 
  No right turn
• 
  No left turn
• 
  No overtaking
• 
  No overtaking by lorries
• 
  No U-turns
• 
  Minimum distance
• 
  Snow chains required
• 
  No stopping
• 
  No parking
• 
  Customs
• 
  Police checkpoint
• 
  End of maximum speed limit
• 
  End of advisory maximum speed limit (in German)
• 
  End of advisory maximum speed limit (in French)
• 
  End of advisory maximum speed limit (in Italian)
• 
  End of minimum speed
• 
  End of no overtaking restriction
• 
  End of no overtaking by lorries restriction
• 
  End of snow chain requirements
• 
  End of previous prescriptions
• 
  Home zone entry
• 
  End of home zone
• 
  Cycle lane
• 
  End of cycle lane
• 
  Footpath
• 
  Bridleway
• 
  Segregated cycle and pedestrian route
• 
  Cycle and pedestrian route
• 
  Bus lane

Priority signs

• 
  Stop and give way
• 
  Slow and give way
• 
  Priority road
• 
  End of priority road
• 
  Crossroad with a non-priority road
• 
  Crossroads with right-of-way from the right
• 
  Priority over junction from right
• 
  Priority over junction from left
• 
  Priority over oncoming vehicles
• 
  Give way to oncoming traffic
• 
  Level crossing with double flashing lights
• 
  Level crossing with single flashing light
• 
  Level crossing location
• 
  Multiple way level crossing location

Information signs

• 
  Motorway
• 
  End of motorway
• 
  Fast-traffic highway, only motor vehicles allowed
• 
  End of fast-traffic highway
• 
  Mountain postal road
• 
  End of mountain postal road
• 
  Tunnel
• 
  Length of tunnel
• 
  One-way street ahead
• 
  Dead end
• 
  Water protection area
• 
  Pedestrian crossing
• 
  Pedestrian underpass
• 
  Pedestrian overpass
• 
  Hospital
• 
  Parking place
• 
  Parking with time restrictions
• 
  Covered parking place
• 
  Park and ride
• 
  Town name sign on major road
• 
  End of town (with distance to other town) on major road
• 
  Town name sign on minor road
• 
  End of town (with distance to other town) on minor road
• 
  Signpost leading onto motorway
• 
  Signpost on major road
• 
  Signpost on minor road
• 
  Detour
• 
  Detour (without name)
• 
  Guide signs
• 
  Approaches to junctions on major road
• 
  Approaches to junctions on minor road
• 
  Approaches to junctions on major road
• 
  Approaches to junctions on minor road
• 
  Guide signs
• 
  Route for lorries
• 
  Signpost to parking place
• 
  Signpost to park and ride
• 
  Signpost to campsite
• 
  Signpost to caravan site
• 
  Route for cycles
• 
  Route for mountain bikes
• 
  Route for rollerbladers
• 
  European route number sign
• 
  Main road number sign
• 
  Motorway number sign
• 
  Distance sign
• 
  Exit sign (in German)
• 
  Exit sign (in French)
• 
  Exit sign (in Italian)
• 
  Motorway distance sign
• 
  Motorway junction sign
• 
  Distance to police station (in German)
• 
  Distance to police station (in French)
• 
  Distance to police station (in Italian)
• 
  Campsite
• 
  Caravan site
• 
  Telephone
• 
  First aid
• 
  Repairs
• 
  Petrol station
• 
  Hotel
• 
  Restaurant
• 
  Refreshments
• 
  Tourist information
• 
  Youth hostel
• 
  Local radio information
• 
  Church services
• 
  Fire extinguisher
• 
  Exit sign

See also

• Comparison of European road signs

References

1. "Convention on Road Signs and Signals Vienna, 8 November 1968". United Nations. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
2. "Frutiger honored with SOTA award". Microsoft Typography. Retrieved 1 September 2012.

External links

• Official Swiss Road Signs