The A1 is a motorway in Switzerland. It follows Switzerland's main east–west axis, from St. Margrethen in northeastern Switzerland's canton of St. Gallen through to Geneva in southwestern Switzerland. The motorway spans 383 km (240 mi). Besides the motorway's main route, it has several branches that are variously numbered A1a, A1h, A1l and A1.1. It was opened for the Swiss national exhibition of 1964.

Lausanne is the capital and largest city of the Swiss French-speaking canton of Vaud. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Geneva, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and facing the French town of Évian-les-Bains across the lake. Lausanne is located 62 kilometres northeast of Geneva, the nearest major city.