Basejumper.com - archive

I'm headed to Brento and LB in a couple months and I'm trying to get my ducks in a row. Here's what I've got so far:

1. Travel Insurance

2. Medical coverage through my employer here in the US. I've verified that they cover international medical care and transport.

3. SBA landing card registration

4. REGA membership

Let me know if I'm missing anything. Trying to do it right.

Thanks!

Get a cell phone that works there.

If you have an unlocked phone you can get a Swisscom card at the airport, or you can buy a prepaid phone at the post office in LB starting at around $20 CHF. Definitely good to have to call Air Glacier from certain exits.

Clif bars and condoms. Or just use the clif bar wrappers to save money.

Bring your Skydiving license as well. And you need a 3rd party liability insurance for your canopy as well. In Switzerland basejumping falls under the same regulation as Skydiving. You can buy a 3 month valid liability insurance at the tourist office in Lauterbrunnen. Contact Tom Durrer for this. His email is: thomas.durrer@lauterbrunnen.ch

But apart from this you are better prepared than most of our guests :-)

I didn't know about the skydiving licence, thanks for that

If youre going to rent a car you need an international drivers permit. You can obtain one at travel agencies for 15 or 25 dollars. No test or anything, it more or less translates your license in multiple languages. Also, It would be wise to make a color copy of your passport and your drivers license all on the same piece of paper in case you loose your passport for whatever reason. It will make it easier to get a temporary passport from the embassy in case you loose yours. Trust me it helps.. Also, upon arrival, pick up some hookers and blow. Thats about all youll need

This is all very helpful. Thanks guys!

There will be 4 of us out there from June 4th - 19th. We are all from southern California and it will be our first season.

Let me know if you'll be around during this time. I'd love to sync up with someone experienced at these sites. I suspect that there will be plenty of activity in both places at the start of the season though.

Thanks again!

I'll be there in early June as well. Play it safe & see you there.

Really? I've rented cars all over Europe with just a state issued drivers license. Is that just in CH?

Not unless it changed in last few years. I have rented about a dozen times in Switzerland through about 2012, and just used my good old ny state license... Of course New Yorkers are the best drivers-

http://www.sixt.com/.../rental-information/

Only in certain situations would you end the international one. I doubt you fit any of those.

Drove a car through Italy and Switzerland 3 weeks ago on a State DL. No issues. Credit card worked for car insurance too, but they did take a deposit for that option.

Its no issue to get a rental itself..If for some reason you get pulled over, they will want to see it. All it does is explain your license in multiple different languages.

And if using the wrapper doesn't work you can get a pregnancy test in the vending machine located at the cable car station in LB. they are right next the the Condoms!

I'm sure the international driving permit exists, but I was never told to get one at the car rental - nor did I need one when I interacted with the police in Switzerland. I did need swiss franc though.

Rented a car in Zurich last summer (with a local state US driver license, passport and credit card), drove through Italy and Switzerland. No problems. Got pulled over, or should I say woken up, by Swiss police on the drive from Brione back to Zurich. Was falling asleep at the wheel while driving in a foreign country, so I pulled over to sleep and had just enough time to take the car out of gear and set the e-brake before I passed out. Woke up to flashlights and the knock of billy clubs on the windows. After a broken english conversation with the officers, explaining that I wasnt drunk and was heading to Zurich after a jumping trip, showed them all my gear and gave them my passport. They radioed me in and then fined me 65 Swiss Francs on the spot for having an idling vehicle - couldn't leave without paying. Luckily I had some local currency left over or they would have taken me away. Handed me a hand-written ticket and away I went. The ticket is definitely stapled in my log book.

Long story short: I never had any issues with just a US passport and US drivers license (that being said, it might not be a bad idea to have this international drivers permit as a precaution). It's illegal to leave a car idling in Switzerland. You have to pay fines on the spot. Have some local currency on you at all times.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/...ional_Driving_Permit

Anyone have any experience renting a car in Italy and dropping it off in Switzerland? We're flying into Milan and out of Zurich, so if there's a company that operates in both places that would be pretty helpful.

Alternatively, we could rent in Italy and then turn it back in before taking a train to Switzerland.

Any guidance here would be appreciated. Thanks!

Yeah, I'd fly into Milan and return the car there. You will get financially raped if you want to return a car in a different country than you picked it up.


Milan isn't that far from either Brento or LB. Nor is it that much further than Geneva or Zurich form the Valley.

Trains aren't cheap in Switzerland (although very good). Depending on your car, number of people, and length of stay, You may be better off just keeping the car.

Lastly, tell the rental company that you go to Switzerland. You need a special permit on the car window.

it's called a "vignette" and costs CHF 40.-; it allows you to drive on the highway. if you fail to do so, it'll cost you a CHF 200.- fine,, plus they'll sell you one, again for CHF 40.-.

More friendly International Driving Permit info, including how to get one if anyone wants to.

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/...rivers-license-scams

http://www.colorado.aaa.com/...nal-driving-permits/

PS: I'm still mad at you for ditching out last summer, but you did share good object info so I guess we're still cool

Is a car necessary in LB? Might be best to rent a car for our time in Italy, then drop it back and train to LB for the duration...

IMHO a car is not at all necessary in LB. For about $90 CHF you can get a 30 day train/bus/gondola pass that will get you up to all of the popular exits on the Murren and Wengen sides. Bring a 2x2 photo or the Swiss will charge you an extra $10 to use their photo booth.

Car is not at all necessary in LB. Most likely you will end up parking it outside of the Horner and not use it at all while you´re there. All exits and landing areas are easily reachable with the public transportation system and like said, the month pass for the whole valley is a bargain if you are there more than couple of days.