Rheinfelden border crossing: clearing a vehicle at the motorway customs office on the A3
By Anna Katharina Finsler, Managing Director, Finsler Customs GmbH · Last updated:
At the Rheinfelden motorway customs office we clear your vehicle in the Basic package for CHF 350 incl. VAT. The office at Im Weiherfeld clears vehicles Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 17:00, half an hour less than most other crossings into Germany, and not on Saturdays. You enter the order online and collect the papers at the counter.
Where is the Rheinfelden border crossing?
There are two Rheinfeldens: Rheinfelden (Baden) on the German bank of the Rhine and Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau on the Swiss bank. The motorway customs office sits at the Rhine bridge where the German A861 joins the Swiss A3 Basel–Zurich. The office is called «Rheinfelden Autobahn» (CH001921), located at Im Weiherfeld.
Who is Rheinfelden a good fit for?
Rheinfelden is on your way if the vehicle is on the High Rhine or in the southern Black Forest, for example in Bad Säckingen, Schopfheim or Rheinfelden (Baden). If you live in the Fricktal, in Aargau or towards Zurich, the A3 from here is the direct route. Coming from Freiburg or the A5, you usually reach the border sooner at Basel/Weil.
Shorter hours than in Basel
Rheinfelden stops clearing vehicles at 17:00 and is closed on Saturdays. If Saturday is your only option, drive to Basel/Weil am Rhein (07:00–13:00), about 13 kilometres away as the crow flies.
How customs clearance works with Finsler Customs
- Enter the order online. In the import calculator you choose the Basic package and the Rheinfelden crossing. Then you upload the purchase contract, registration certificate and COC and set the day you will cross the border.
- Declaration. We file the electronic import declaration for the vehicle. On site, a customs partner we work with handles the clearance for us.
- Collect the papers. On the agreed day you cross at Rheinfelden and collect the assessment notice and the inspection report 13.20 A at the counter in Rheinfelden.
- Charges. The 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT go through our customs account and are passed on without mark-up; import duty has been CHF 0 since 1 January 2024. Our flat fee: CHF 350 incl. VAT, the same at every crossing.
Export formalities in the country of origin are not part of the Basic package: the export declaration is made there by the seller or a customs agent. If you want us to handle transport and export as well, choose Comfort or Premium. With the inspection report 13.20 A you then book the vehicle inspection (MFK) and registration in your canton.
Opening hours for vehicle imports
| Day | Import and clear a vehicle |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 07:00–17:00 |
| Saturday | closed |
| Sunday, public holidays | closed |
Retrieved on 28 October 2026 from the FOCBS directory of customs offices (Dienststellenverzeichnis des BAZG) for the office Zoll Nord – Rheinfelden Autobahn (CH001921), service «Strassenfahrzeug direkt bei der Einfuhr verzollen» (clear a road vehicle directly on import). The directory is always authoritative.
The Swiss customs office
| Address | Im Weiherfeld, 4310 Rheinfelden |
|---|---|
| Customs office | Zoll Nord – Rheinfelden Autobahn (CH001921) |
| Phone | +41 58 469 37 00 |
| zoll.aargau@bazg.admin.ch |
Crossings nearby
The price is the same everywhere. These crossings are the nearest:
- Basel/Weil am Rhein motorway (Germany)
- Basel/Saint-Louis (France)
- Koblenz–Waldshut (Germany)
Read on
- All 17 border crossings on the map
- Thayngen customs office: our head office and the border procedure in detail
- Importing a car from Germany
- Import calculator: work out the charges and choose your crossing
Frequently asked questions
Why are there two towns called Rheinfelden?
Because two towns face each other across the Rhine: Rheinfelden AG on the Swiss side and Rheinfelden (Baden) on the German side. The motorway customs office where we declare your vehicle is on the Swiss side.
Is Rheinfelden an alternative to Basel?
On weekdays, yes, especially if you are heading on into Aargau or towards Zurich. But Rheinfelden closes at 17:00 and is closed on Saturdays. The price is the same at both crossings.
When can I clear a vehicle in Rheinfelden?
The customs office in Rheinfelden clears vehicles Mon–Fri 07:00–17:00, closed on Saturdays, never on Sundays or public holidays. The hours come from the FOCBS directory of customs offices. Plan your trip so you are not at the counter just before closing time.
What does customs clearance via Rheinfelden cost?
Our Basic package costs CHF 350 incl. VAT, the same as at every other crossing. On top come the charges: 4 % automobile tax and 8.1 % import VAT; import duty is CHF 0. The import calculator shows what that means for your vehicle.
Sources and legal basis
The statements on this page rest on the following official publications. The wording of the enactments in force is always decisive.
- FOCBS – Importing vehicles into Switzerland
- FOCBS – Customs declaration and taxes on a vehicle import
- Automobile Tax Act (AStG, SR 641.51) (German text)
- Federal Act on Value Added Tax (VAT Act, SR 641.20)
- FOCBS – Frequently asked questions on clearing vehicles through customs
- FOCBS – Passar, the goods traffic system for customs declarations
- FOCBS – Opening hours of the customs offices
Company
Services
- All services
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Calculators and tools
- Import calculator
- Swiss customs fees
- CO₂ calculator
- CO₂ penalty
- Transport calculator
- Car transport to CH
- Check the Stammnummer
- FlexiMoto.ch
Location
Import by country of origin
- Importing a car from Germany into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Austria into Switzerland
- Import a car from France into Switzerland
- Import a car from Italy to Switzerland
- Import a car from the Netherlands into Switzerland
- Import a car from Belgium to Switzerland
- Importing a car from Luxembourg into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Czechia into Switzerland
- Importing a car from Poland into Switzerland
- Import a car from Sweden into Switzerland
- Import a car from Norway to Switzerland
Import by vehicle type
- Importing a passenger car into Switzerland
- Importing a motorcycle into Switzerland
- Importing a van up to 3.5 t into Switzerland
- Importing a motorhome into Switzerland
- Importing a caravan into Switzerland