SWIVON

SWIVON is a Zurich chauffeur service, and its wedding page offers one thing clearly: a modern Mercedes V-Class with a professional driver for the wedding day, at fixed package prices published on the page. It does not rent cars without a driver, and it says plainly that it does not arrange vintage cars or stretch limousines. What it does offer is prices you can read before you ask, drivers who speak English and Italian as well as German, and a guaranteed replacement vehicle if something goes wrong.

The car and the driver

The page's recommendation as a wedding car is the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, which it describes as modern, discreetly elegant and surprisingly practical. It lists four reasons: plenty of room for the wedding dress, so the bride can get in without creasing it; up to 6 passengers ("Bis 6 Mitfahrende"), so parents and witnesses can ride along; room for the photographer, so the first pictures can be taken on the way; and air conditioning and weatherproofing, reliable "auch bei Regen im Mai" (even in May rain). For couples who want a classic sedan for the big entrance, a Mercedes S-Class can be arranged on request, with a chauffeur in a suit.

The page is direct about what it does not do: "Fahrzeuge ohne Chauffeur vermieten wir nicht" (we do not rent vehicles without a chauffeur), and "Oldtimer und Stretchlimousinen vermitteln wir nicht" (we do not arrange vintage cars or stretch limousines). It explains that in Switzerland paid passenger transport is a matter for professional drivers with a BPT permit (code 121 on the driving license), and that insurance, permits and route planning are therefore the company's job rather than the couple's.

For guests from abroad the language point matters: the page says "Unsere Chauffeure sprechen Deutsch, Englisch und Italienisch" (our chauffeurs speak German, English and Italian), and calls this a noticeable difference at international weddings. The website itself has an English version among its language options.

The packages and prices

The page makes a point of publishing prices, noting that most providers only say "on request". All packages include the chauffeur in a suit, fuel and 8.1% VAT:

• Standesamt-Paket (registry office package), CHF 360: the V-Class for up to 3 hours, with pickup at home or at the hotel, the drive to the registry office, waiting time and the return trip, and a "Just Married" ribbon included.
• Halbtag mit Fotostopps (half day with photo stops), CHF 540: up to 5 hours, covering the registry office or church, photo stops of your choice and the onward drive to the venue. Ribbon included, decoration on request.
• Ganztag "Alles aus einer Hand" (full day, all from one source), CHF 880: the whole wedding day up to 8 hours, from getting ready to the last drive, with the chauffeur staying with you throughout.

Short bookings of 2 to 4 hours cost CHF 120 per hour, so 2 hours come to CHF 240 and 4 hours to CHF 480. Each extra hour is CHF 120, day or night, with no night surcharge. The service area for these prices is up to about 100 km around Zurich. Every online booking receives an automatic 5% discount, not combinable with other offers. For a specific schedule, SWIVON promises a fixed quote within 24 hours.

How the day runs

The page walks through a Zurich wedding day. The chauffeur picks the couple up at home, at the hotel or at the hairdresser, with buffer time and route planned in advance. At the registry office, the page notes that there are only two reserved parking spaces for couples in front of the Stadthaus at Stadthausquai 17, citing the City of Zurich, and that the chauffeur simply stops at the entrance. For photos it suggests the Lindenhof with its old town view, Bürkliplatz on the lakefront or the Uetliberg with its view over city and lake, with the chauffeur waiting. Then comes the drive to the venue, whether a lake restaurant, Schloss Rapperswil or a mountain location.

International guests can be picked up at the airport through SWIVON's Zurich airport transfer, which includes flight monitoring. The wedding car can also be combined with a wedding bus or a guest shuttle, the menu mentioning round trips and a night shuttle, and minibuses for 8 to 20 people and buses from 20 people are available with a chauffeur. The page promises one quote for everything.

Decoration, and the rules the page cites

Couples can decorate the car themselves, in which case it arrives 30 to 60 minutes early at the meeting point, or SWIVON can arrange flowers and a discreet "Just Married" ribbon by agreement. The page summarizes the Swiss rules as it sees them: decorations must be securely fixed, must not come loose while driving, and must not cover the view, the lights or the license plate. It adds that in a wedding convoy, honking is only allowed as a warning signal, and that a honking concert usually costs a fine of around CHF 40. The chauffeur, it says, knows the rules.

Booking and timing

According to the page, there is no deadline for reserving: book as soon as the venue is fixed, the earlier the more certain, and short notice is welcome depending on availability. It notes that most Swiss weddings take place between May and September and that popular Saturdays in Zurich go early. Contact is by email to info@swivon.ch or phone on +41 78 320 66 40, and the site says it is available around the clock, holidays included. For weddings, a replacement vehicle is guaranteed: "Ein Ersatzfahrzeug ist garantiert."

What the page leaves open

The page does not give a price for flowers beyond the ribbon, and it does not say what a guest shuttle or the S-Class costs. Prices for weddings beyond the 100 km radius are not published, although the menu lists routes to places such as Zermatt, Gstaad, Lucerne and Geneva. The wedding page gives no cancellation terms; the general terms (AGB) are linked in the footer.

Who it suits

SWIVON suits a couple marrying in or around Zurich who care more about comfort, punctuality and a clear price than about arriving in a classic car, especially with parents, witnesses or a photographer riding along. The English-speaking drivers and the airport pickups make it a natural fit for an international guest list.

It does not suit a couple who want a vintage car, a stretch limousine or a self-drive rental, which the company rules out itself.