In Switzerland, skating on public streets is allowed only in areas of light traffic such as residential neighborhoods or secondary roads in the country. Skating is permitted on bicycle paths, hiking trails, and sidewalks only when it doesn't interfere with cycle or pedestrian traffic.

In Austria, public skating is limited to pedestrian-only zones, sidewalks, urban bike paths, and rural trails marked with blue cycling or hiking signs.

Remember: In both Switzerland and Austria, skaters must always give pedestrians the right of way on sidewalks and defer to bicycles on bicycle paths.

When you're unsure about where to skate, check with the local tourist office, a skate shop, or a skating club.

Swiss and Austrians are very insurance-conscious, so it's a good idea to make sure that your household or renters' insurance covers your liability for personal injuries caused by skating accidents abroad.

Be sure to check your medical coverage, since you may be one of the more than 60,000 people injured in Swiss and Austrian skating accidents every year. (To find companies that offer short-term medical and trip-interruption insurance for travelers, see the Travel Insurance article at Europe for Visitors.

"INLINE SKATING: SWITZERLAND/AUSTRIA" Page 1, 2, 3

Rules of the road

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