Bâlehoo

CAN I BRING MY CAR FROM THE US TO BASEL?

Yes. Most late-model cars have little difficulty in meeting Swiss automotive requirements. However, all cars coming in from the US will require a basic “Swiss” package which includes inspection, tags and (usually) minor fixes.

People we know who’ve brought their cars all seem to have been charged approximately 1800 CHF. The inspection and plates costs roughly 350 CHF. Note, expect to pay more if your car is older or in need of repair.

Also note that if you have not owned your car for more than 6 months prior to moving to Basel, you will owe an import tax.

To import your car, you will need:
• A certificate from a Swiss insurance company proving liability coverage
• Your car’s original title
• A car inspection certificate from the Motorfahrzeugkontrollepruefstation (in Basel: www.mfk.bs.ch, Reinacherstrasse 40, 4142 Muenchenstein, tel: 61 416 4646), the vehicle testing branch of the Motor Vehicle Department.

You can drive on your US plates for up to one year. To get Swiss plates you need to you go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle) office located in the Police Station.

WHERE CAN I FIND CARS FOR SALE IN BASEL?

As with almost everything else, cars in Switzerland are expensive. To save money, consider buying a used (occasion) car, which are generally in excellent condition. Considering that gas prices are roughly 3 to 4 times that in the US, you might also consider buying a diesel car which are much more widely available in Europe.

Autoclick, www.autoclick.ch, is a good online resource for cars in Switzerland. You can also find new and used car listings advertised in the Baslerstab. Listings for automotive dealers are available in the yellow pages of you telephone directory (Auto). In Oberwil (Basel-land) the “Hueslimatt” tram stop on Muehlemattstrasse offers access to several dealers including Mercedes, Opel, Fiat, Ford, and Alfa Romeo. If you are interested in buying a duty-free car contact Herr Iczkovits in Zurich at 01 202 7610.

HOW MUCH IS CAR INSURANCE?

Car insurance is mandatory in Basel. While prices vary slightly from agent to agent the package of services provided is the same, so it pays to shop around. In general insurance prices are not exhorbitant. Full annual insurance for a late model VW Passat station wagon in 2006 is around 1300 CHF.

Other car-related costs include:
• Motorfahrzeugsteuer (canton tax) 449 CHF per year
• Parking Permit (Blue zone): 120 CHF per year
• Highway sticker: 60 (available at your local post office)
• Basel-stadt inspection:
• Gas – it is expensive. In August 2006, a liter of gas costs approximately 1.75 CHF (almost 7 CHF a gallon).

HOW DO I GET A SWISS DRIVER’S LICENSE?

If you have a valid Driver’s License from any state in the US, you can simply exchange it for a Swiss Driver’s License within your first year in Basel. To do so, you go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle) office located in the Police Station. The addresses for the Motorfahrzeugkontrolle are:

Baselstadt: Clarastrasse 38m 4058 Basel tel: 061 267 8203
Baselland: Muehlerainstrasse 4414 Fuellinsdorf, tel: 061 906 7777

To get your Swiss license:

• Fill out the application (Baselstadt)

• Take the completed application to any local eye store and ask for a Driver’s License eye test (in Baselstadt there are several on Clarastrasse right near the Motorfahrzeugkontrolle). The test is very basic and costs about 20 CHF. He or she will complete the necessary part of the form when you pass the test.

• Take the completed form, along with a copy of your passport, your B permit, your US Driver’s license and 3 passport-sized photos to the Motorfahrzeugkontrolle. The cost is 140 CHF.

Make sure to request the return of your US Driver’s License as you may want to use it when visiting the US. You’ll get it and your Swiss Driver’s License by mail within a few weeks.

More information is available in German at the Baselstadt site at: http://www.mfk.bs.ch/fuehrerausweise/fuehrerausweise-auslaendisch.html

Note that if you wait longer than one year after moving to Basel to get your Swiss Driver’s license you may still do so without taking the test (which you don’t want to do – it is expensive!), however you can no longer legally drive on your US driver’s license. For example, we moved here January and I waited until the following February to get my Swiss license. For those four weeks, I was not legally allowed to drive in Switzerland.

Also, keep in mind that if you move from one canton to another, you have to register your car at the Motorfahrzeugkontrolle in your new canton. You can also change your Swiss Driver’s license at the same time.

WHAT IS THE PARKING SYSTEM IN BASEL?

Street parking in Baselstadt can be challenging. The good news is that there are plenty of pay garages available around town. But should you decide to go commando, here’s the scoop:

• Metered: Coin-pay parking spots which range from 30 minutes to several hours. It is technically against the law to plug the meter (e.g., reuse the meter after the maximum time expires). As with metered spots in the US, take note of when the fee must be paid. They are typically free in the evenings and on Sundays and holidays.

• Blue Zone: Blue zone spots have a blue outline on the ground and no meter. They are free for up to 90 minutes, and you indicate your time of arrival with a blue parking disk placed on the dashboard. You can get this disk for free at the post office. You may also purchase a special parking pass (approximately 120 CHF) from the Motorfahrzeugkontrolle that allows you unlimited parking in blue zones in your postal code.

• White zone: Outlined in white and with no meter, these spots offer unlimited, free parking. As you can imagine these are highly prized. You can stay as long as you like and do not need to display your parking pass or disk.

DO I REALLY NEED A CAR IF I LIVE IN BASEL?

The short answer to this is “9″. Basel and the rest of Switzerland has excellent public transportation that includes trams, buses and trains. You can also rent cars fairly inexpensively and there are even car rental programs called Mobility (www.mobility.ch) that enable you to rent a car for just a few hours if, for example, you want to go grocery shopping in France.

However, as someone who went without a car for our first year here, I recommend bringing or buying one. Having a car gives you the freedom to explore the wonderful small villages in nearby Alsace and the Black Forest, which are difficult to get to by train. And, as I learned from experiences like lugging my new printer back from the Mediamarkt on the tram or dragging our 8-foot tall Christmas tree through the Barfusserplatz wheezing and sweating, a car makes shopping for household items easier, too.