hi olga, 

here is what you need to know.

english theory exam is offered in lausanne. however, be careful! the translations can lead you astray. the vocabulary used on the test choices are a direct copy of the swiss driving code (french or german ) but, the vocabulary translated in to english is misleading. ex: il ne faut pas entraver la circulation. the verb entraver in english had many meanings and synonyms. however in the driving code in french the word used is entraver. so, i would sugest you ask for both the french and english exam and of course know the code by heart! 

you will be test on both automatic and manual transmission.

swiss law requires 11 lessons before being able to present for the practical exam.

you can buy a small booklet with all the test questions and answers (in french) approx. 300 questions.

as i failed the theory exam 2 times, i bought this book and got all the questions right on the test. (i memorised all 300 questions and answers!!

if you fail it 3 times you are required to have a psych. evaluation!!

This is great info!! Do you know if it's possible to take the theory in Geneva? I was told that I would have to go to Bern! I'm in the same situation learning how to drive and navigate here! It's not easy and I hope I don't fail 3 times!! 

service des autos, geneve in carouge 

Are you already taking your driving classes? Did you manage to find an english speaking instructor? Would be great if you could recommend:) Thanks!

Thanks, Epicure! This clarifies.

So you said you failed ur theory test 2 times. was it in french?

and as for the psych evaluation, i think its only about failing practical exam ( driving), no? It doesnt go for failing a theory exam, i thought?

thanks once more.

Now for the fun part to start: Learn to drive in the Canton de Vaud. It's a large canton with a lot of roads, motorways, hills and more. The driving lessons in the Canton de Vaud take you through some nice landscapes and you will become very familiar with the area. In contrast Geneva drivers learn how to "queue" as the Englsh call it. ;-)

If you're learning to drive with gears get comfortable with finding the "point de friction". This will make the rest of the lessons easier. 

When you're taking the theory exam don't second guess. Not driving is advantageous at that point. Real world driving will lead you astray. :-)

Hypothetically I would be curious to see when Google Car, Tesla auto-driving cars and other projects will offer driving lessons. Imagine if you were being taught how to drive by your car rather than by a human. :-)

I'll be quiet now. 

personal experience: 4 years before i was in same situation. My french was horrible and i was told by many people that i can't pass the test in french as my french lanuage is basic and theoretical test will be hard for me and so i should go to bern to give the exam in english but i managed to pass the test in 2nd attempt. it was not that hard as i thought. Buy the exam CD and prepare for the exam well enough. sentences/wording in exam and in the CD are almost same and it will also help to improve your french. it will be fun :) beside this i think there is no limit for how many times you fail in this exam.

Practical exam: i passed the test also in second attempt. You don't really need to go to any driving school(they are super expensive). In my case i never went to any driving school. i bought a super cheap car. Found a guy from anibis who gives lesson privately for 20frs per hour (if you bring your own car) but ( you can do it with your friends/family who has a driving license older than 3 years). Drove the car for few weeks, practiced on all the roads where they take you for the exam and voilà i passed my exam.

wrote the theory exam 6 months back in English, had an option to write it in Neuchetal or Bern. Bern had a waiting time for a month, Neuchetal was walk in, so chose to the go there. Had intitally bought the book "Diving Easy" in english and then looked around the net, found an app for 19 francs or so, had the exact questions that comes in the exam - Multiple choice questions. The pass percentage is quite high though for the theory - 85% if i remember correctly, so go through all questions in the app till you are above 90%! Did see a lot of people at the exam centre as well pigging off the app!.The exam is very well organized in Neuchteal, Wednesdays are the only days I think they take people from other cantons, you go there wait for your turn, write your exam on an ipad and you are out in 30 mins or so. They have a shuttle from the village station to the exam centre and back every 30mins.

Take driving lessons. They might cost 70+chf an hour but keep in mind that you are responsible for the lives of your passengers, the car you're driving and the safety of other users. 

"En 2015, 620 accidents furent causés par un refus de priorité. 
La route se divise en 2 catégories: ceux qui regardent des 2 côtés au STOP et ceux qui prennent (et font prendre) des risques. 
Retrouvez nos conseils de prévention sur www.votrepolice.ch" 

Translation: "in 2015 620 accidents were caused by people refusing priority. The road is divided in two two categories, those who look both ways at a stop and those who take (and make others take) risks."

The more time you spend with a driving instructor the higher the standard you will drive at. I would even recommend having two or more driving instructors as each one can share interesting knowledge. 

me too! im looking forward to tesla and all these smart cars to make life easier and safer:) but if i wait for those times.. i might miss some amazing landscapes like you said:)

Shiv, how about driving classes? did you take them in Lausanne? Did you get your license in the end? btw, whats the name of the app you are talking about? thanks a lot!

I am yet to give the practical exam - so currently on a learners permit, its valid for a year. I did take driving classes 3-4 of them just havent been regular. After the theory you need to attend a traffic sensibilisation class before you get your learners permit. This is given by any of the driving schools. The app is called itheorie premium for Switzerland.

btw, anybody can advise what are the rules if i want to be able to drive smth like vespa/scooter? i guess i just need to sit a theory exam. no driving exam needed?:)

thanks a lot. just few more questions, if you dont mind:) whats the traffic sensibilisation exam exactly? are you allowed to drive alone on the roads with leraners permit?

It depends on the wattage (power) of the scooter you drive. I had to do 8 hours of sensibilisation/practical lessons despite having a full driving licence. In those lessons you learn that paranoia and anticipation are the best way to stay alive. If you get the A1e (or whatever it is called) you also have an exam to take. 

You practice fun things like slow speed manoeuvering, brake balancing and more. It's a relaxing course. 

its not an exam, just mandatory classes you need to attend. And no you cant drive alone with a learners permit, need to have someone who has a valid license along with you.

very helpful, thanks all!