Drive Smart. Drive Marino.
I'm Antonio and I run Fahrschule Marino with Italian warmth – relaxed, professional driving lessons in the Rapperswil and Glarus region, in six languages.
Benken SG, Switzerland
Driving school in Benken SG: learn to drive in English
Every driving school listed here for Benken SG teaches in English. Compare instructors side by side — language, vehicle, price, meeting point and rating — and book online.
4
Instructors
5.0
Rating (169)
Online
Direct booking
Verified instructors
Book online
Free cancellation
Driving schools in Benken SG (2)
These instructors cover Benken SG directly with their driving-school car – Benken SG is their service area. Agree on the meeting point and pickup in the profile.
Driving school with a system
I offer professional driving lessons in Zurich and the surrounding area, in automatic and manual cars. At Driving Unlimited you get lessons that are enjoyable, educational and tai…
Also nearby (2)
Instructors who don't list Benken SG as a direct service area but are within 30 km. Most will still pick you up for a small travel fee.
For more diversity in driving.
I am Daniela "Dela" Niederer, a certified driving instructor. At my driving school in the Zurich Oberland you learn to drive calmly, safely and in a modern way. I teach in German …
“I felt very comfortable with Dela. She is very supportive with a positive spirit which gave me motivation and continuity. Friendly and professional. Many thanks.”
Learn to drive with fun and structure
I am Sandra from Sandras Fahrschule – a patient female driving instructor with a sense of humour. Your automatic driving lessons in Zurich start at Bahnhof Enge.
In Benken SG, canton of St. Gallen, two instructors cover the area, including Antonio Marino, based about 4.8 kilometers away. He teaches in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, using an automatic vehicle. Motorcycle or trailer training is not currently part of the offering in Benken SG, and two further instructors from the wider region also cover the area.
The practical driving test in canton St. Gallen is held in Kaltbrunn, at the main office in St. Gallen, or at the Winkeln test center, depending on the case. Students from the nearby villages of Kaltbrunn, Reichenburg, Uznach, and Rufi can book lessons here as well.
How your first driving lesson in Benken SG works
Four steps to your first driving lesson — online, transparent, no phone tag.
-
1
Pick an instructor
Compare profiles, languages, vehicles and ratings in the list above.
-
2
Book a trial lesson online
Pick an open slot in the calendar. Confirmation in seconds — free cancellation up to 24 h before.
-
3
Agree on the meeting point
Meeting point in your district, at the station or at your home — flexible with your instructor.
-
4
Set your learning plan
After the first lesson you get an honest assessment and a clear plan up to the exam.
Mandatory courses for your driving licence in Benken SG
These four building blocks are required alongside the driving lessons — click through to the right course.
1
First-aid course
10-hour first-aid course. Required before applying for the learner permit.
See first-aid course 2Theory exam
Computer-based exam at the road traffic office. Learn via app, book or course.
See theory 3Traffic awareness (VKU)
8 lessons of traffic awareness education. Mandatory before the practical exam.
Local See VKU 4WAB second-phase
One-day follow-up course after passing the exam — within 12 months of your probationary licence.
See WAB courseAutomatic or manual transmission in Benken SG?
Since 1 February 2019 Switzerland has abolished the automatic-only restriction: you get the full category B licence either way.
Automatic
- Faster progress — fewer lessons until the exam
- Lower total cost to the licence
- Easier exam — fewer simultaneous tasks in the cockpit
- Full category B licence: you can drive automatic AND manual afterwards
Manual gearbox
- More lessons required — clutch, gear changes and hill starts take practice
- Higher total cost due to extra driving lessons
- Harder exam — more potential mistakes
- Same licence as automatic — no additional benefit
Tip: after passing the automatic exam, you can still learn manual any time later — no extra exam required.
Theory & driving test: road traffic office St. Gallen
The theory test and the practical driving exam for Benken SG are administered by the St. Gallen Road Traffic and Shipping Office. Exam site for your region: Kaltbrunn, Uznacherstrasse 72, 8722 Kaltbrunn. Your instructor knows the area around the exam site and practises typical exam situations with you.
Already have a foreign driving licence?
You may keep driving on a foreign licence for 12 months after you take up residence in Switzerland. Once that year is over it no longer entitles you to drive here, so start the exchange early rather than in the last few weeks.
What the exchange involves depends on where your licence was issued. A licence from an EU or EFTA country is exchanged directly: no control drive and no theory exam. A licence from a third country — the USA, the UK since Brexit, and most others — requires a Kontrollfahrt, the official control drive with a cantonal examiner. If your licence comes from a country on neither of the federal ASTRA lists, you also have to sit the full theory exam.
In this canton the application goes to the St. Gallen Road Traffic and Shipping Office, Kaltbrunn, Uznacherstrasse 72, 8722 Kaltbrunn.
- Count your 12 months from the day you registered as a resident, not from your first visit.
- Check which list your issuing country is on — that decides whether a control drive applies.
- If a control drive applies, book a few preparation lessons first with an instructor who teaches in English and knows the local roads.
How the control drive works · Exchanging a foreign driving licence
Learning to drive in Switzerland from scratch
If you have never held a licence, Switzerland puts several fixed steps between you and the practical exam. None is difficult on its own, but they happen in order and some of them book out weeks ahead.
- Eye test. Any optician can do it in a few minutes. The result goes with your learner permit application.
- First-aid course (Nothelfer). Ten hours. You need the certificate before you apply for the learner permit.
- Apply for the Lernfahrausweis (learner permit) at the commune where you are registered. Category B is open from age 17. The forms are in German.
- Theory exam. Computer-based at the road traffic office: 50 questions, 45 minutes, a maximum of 15 error points. It can be sat in English.
- Driving lessons. You can start once the learner permit arrives. Plan for 30–40 lessons.
- VKU (Verkehrskundeunterricht). Eight lessons of traffic-awareness training, mandatory before the practical exam.
- Practical exam. From age 18.
- Probationary licence. Your first licence is probationary for three years. Within the first 12 months you complete the one-day WAB second-phase training.
Which steps work in English: the theory exam, the VKU and every driving lesson with an English-speaking instructor. The commune paperwork is in German, and the first-aid course is usually taught in German unless you find an English date.
Driving lessons in English in Benken SG
English is the reason most people find this page, so here is the plain answer: every driving school listed above teaches in English. Every profile card shows the languages that instructor works in, so you can see it before you book rather than asking afterwards.
That matters in practice. Right of way explained at a junction while you are approaching it, a correction given in the two seconds you have to act on it, feedback after a mistake that you actually absorb — those moments depend on a shared language. It also helps with the parts that are not driving: the theory questions, the VKU evenings, and the paperwork the road traffic office expects from you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a driving lesson cost in Benken SG?
The schools that cover Benken SG currently start from CHF 87.– per 45-minute lesson. Prices are shown per 45 minutes of driving time so schools selling 45-, 60- or 90-minute lessons stay comparable; the exact lesson lengths and prices are on every instructor profile.
Which languages do driving instructors in Benken SG speak?
Driving instructors in Benken SG offer lessons in: Deutsch, English, Français, Italiano, Español, Português. The languages spoken are listed on every instructor profile.
Automatic or manual: which is better in Benken SG?
Since 1 February 2019 Switzerland has abolished the automatic-only restriction: passing the practical exam on an automatic now gives you the full category B licence — you can drive automatic AND manual cars afterwards. For most learners that makes automatic the smarter choice: faster progress, fewer lessons, lower total cost and an easier exam. Manual is still available if you want, but it no longer gives you a "broader" licence.
Which licence categories are available in Benken SG?
In Benken SG DriveLab offers driving lessons for: Car (Cat. B). Each instructor profile shows the categories they teach.
How do I book a driving lesson in Benken SG?
Pick an instructor from the list above, open the profile and choose an open slot. Booking is confirmed instantly online — no phone tag, no waiting.
How many driving lessons do I need to pass the test in Benken SG?
On average, learners in Switzerland take 30–40 driving lessons before the practical test. The exact number depends on your prior experience, learning pace and how often you practise privately. Your DriveLab instructor will give you an honest assessment after the trial lesson.
How much does the full driving licence cost in Benken SG?
Plan for roughly CHF 2,500–4,500 in total: learner permit application (~CHF 50), first-aid course (~CHF 120), theory exam (~CHF 30–35), traffic awareness course (VKU, ~CHF 230), 30–40 driving lessons (from CHF 87.– per 45 minutes each), practical exam (~CHF 90–140 depending on canton) and the WAB second-phase course after passing.
Which mandatory courses do I have to take?
Before the practical exam: a 10-hour first-aid course and the theory exam. After passing the theory exam you must complete the traffic awareness course (VKU – 8 lessons). After you pass the practical exam, you must complete the WAB second-phase course (1 day) within 12 months of your probationary licence being issued. DriveLab connects you with instructors and partner schools for all of these.
How old do I have to be to start learning to drive in Switzerland?
You can apply for the learner permit (Lernfahrausweis) for category B from age 17. The practical exam can be taken from age 18. Some cantons offer the "Begleitete Fahrausbildung" model letting you start earlier with a supervised learner.
Can I reschedule or cancel my lesson?
Yes — DriveLab lessons can be cancelled or rescheduled free of charge up to 24 hours before the appointment. Most instructors are flexible for shorter-notice changes too; the exact policy is shown on each instructor profile.
Where does the practical driving exam in Benken SG take place?
The practical driving exam in Benken SG is held by Strassenverkehrs- und Schifffahrtsamt St. Gallen (Prüfstelle Kaltbrunn), Uznacherstrasse 72, 8722 Kaltbrunn. Your DriveLab instructor practises typical exam routes in this area so you arrive at the test prepared and confident.
Can I learn to drive in Benken SG entirely in English?
The lessons themselves, yes — the profile card of every instructor listed above shows the languages they teach in. The theory exam can be sat in English, and the VKU traffic-awareness course runs in English. The learner permit application at your commune is in German, and most first-aid courses are German unless you find an English date.
Can I drive on my foreign licence while I learn?
For 12 months from taking up residence in Switzerland, yes. After that it no longer entitles you to drive here. If you already hold a foreign licence, exchanging it — not taking lessons — is usually your first step: EU and EFTA licences are exchanged without any test, while third-country licences require a control drive (Kontrollfahrt).
Do I need a Swiss residence permit before I start?
You apply for the learner permit at the commune where you are registered as a resident, so you need to be registered before you start. Bring your permit and identity document to the application.
Does passing in an automatic restrict my licence?
Not in Switzerland. The automatic-only restriction (code 78) is no longer entered in the licence, so passing in an automatic gives you the full category B and you may drive manual cars afterwards. Automatic means fewer things to manage at once while you are learning; manual is worth it if you expect to drive one regularly.
How long does the whole process take?
Most people need several months rather than several weeks, and the fixed courses set the pace: the first-aid certificate has to be in place before the learner permit, and the VKU before the practical exam. Both book out ahead, so booking them early is what shortens the timeline.
More for learners in Benken SG
Topics around the licence, the exam and driving lessons.
Intensive course
Get your licence in weeks, not months — focused practice plan with one instructor.
Trailer licence (Cat. BE)
Heavy-trailer add-on training and the BE practical exam.
Overcome driving anxiety
Patient instructors who specialise in anxious learners — start at your own pace.
Control drive
Refresher and re-entry — pass the cantonal control drive with confidence.
Questions about driving school in Benken SG?
Drop us a line — we help you find the right instructor and answer all questions about training, mandatory courses and the exam.