Strasbourg to Como Road Trip: Ultimate Route Guide

The A5 motorway from Strasbourg toward Basel then the A2/A8 through Switzerland to Como spans about 470 km (292 miles) and typically takes 4.5–5.5 hours without stops. This route crosses the Rhine plain, the Jura foothills, the Swiss plateau, and the Italian pre-Alps, offering a compact geography lesson.

One quirky fact: near Mulhouse, you cross the Rhine twice – once at the French-German border and again at the Swiss border, all within 30 km. The drive is worth it for the rapid shift from Alsatian half-timbered towns to Mediterranean lake villas.

Road quality: A35 (France) excellent, A2/A8 (Switzerland) moderate with bumps and narrow lanes in tunnel sections, Italian A9 good. Night illumination: all motorways well-lit except for the Gotthard approach. Safety tip: use headlights even in daytime tunnels (Swiss law).

Family stops: the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne (interactive, child-friendly). The A2 service area Erstfeld has a playground. In Italy, the Lugano Parco Ciani has a lakeside playground.

Pet-friendly: most service stations allow dogs on leash. Recommended dog walks: the forest rest area near Olten (Raststätte Wiggertal) and the Lugano lakeside promenade at Capolago.

Fatigue management: ideal nap spots – secure parking at Raststätte Gotthard Nord (service area before tunnel) or the rest area near Bellinzona Sud. Avoid parking on hard shoulders.

Hidden off-route spots: the ruin of Burg (Burgruine) near Brugg, a 5-min detour from the A1 exit 15. The abandoned railway viaduct of Biaschina just before the Gotthard tunnel (visible from the historic road).

Culinary infrastructure:

• Au Croissant du Lac (A35 exit 12): quiche and tarte flambée.
• Raststätte A2 Luzern-Kriens: bratwurst and rösti.
• Osteria del Gatto (A9 exit 2): homemade pasta with lake fish.

For more on finding unique stops, see how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities.

Tolls are present on the French A35 (free until Basel) and the Swiss A2/A8 (vignette required – 40 CHF for 1 year). Italian A9 from Chiasso to Como is tolled (~5 EUR). Fuel costs: petrol approx 1.80 EUR/L in France, 1.90 CHF/L in Switzerland, 1.70 EUR/L in Italy. For the 470 km, expect about 55 L consumption (40 EUR in France, 50 CHF in Switzerland, 37 EUR in Italy). Fuel stations are dense along the A35 and A2, but on the A8 between Lucerne and the Gotthard, stations are 30–40 km apart.

• Vignette purchase: buy at border or service stations.
• Swiss motorway sticker compulsory; fines up to 200 CHF.
• Italian tolls: pay by card or Telepass.
• Best fuel efficiency: maintain 110–120 km/h on Swiss sections to avoid high consumption on gradients.

Geography shifts dramatically: from Alsatian vineyards (Strasbourg to Colmar) to the Jura limestone ridges (Basel to Olten), then the Swiss Mittelland farmland, and finally the Alpine gorge of the Schöllenen before the Gotthard Tunnel. After the tunnel, the landscape opens to Mediterranean vegetation around Bellinzona and Lugano.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the route: the old town of Bern (detour 15 min south of the A1) and the monastic ensembles of St. Gallen (slight detour north). The Alsace wine route is a UNESCO cultural landscape.

• Colmar (25 km detour): medieval town with Petit Venice.
• Basel: Kunstmuseum and Rhine ferry.
• Lucerne: Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument.
• Bellinzona: Castles of Bellinzona (UNESCO).

Local commerce: buy Alsatian kugelhopf and munster cheese at roadside fermes-auberges near the A35 exit 17 (Obernai). In Switzerland, pick up Emmental cheese and chocolate at the Luzern service area. In Italy, grab olive oil and local wine at the Chiasso border market.