The different tolls in the various European countries are important for all truck drivers and haulage companies: those who do not pay the respective fee must expect to face heavy fines. As every year, there will be a lot of changes on European roads in 2020. Let us summarize the most important points.
The changes in toll charges in Germany in 2020
The pure toll rates have not changed in Germany as of 1 January 2020. However, you should take another close look if you are driving a bivalent natural gas vehicle: it is now only exempt from the toll rates if the natural gas tanks have a minimum tank volume of 300 litres (or 115 kg for LNG).
A view across national borders
If you are travelling in other European countries as well, you must be prepared for the following changes:
- Charges for the Mont Blanc Tunnel between France and Italy will increase by 1.5 to 1.6 percent on average.
- In Italy, the tolls of individual smaller operators and routes will increase, namely CAV (1.2%), A 21 (Autovia Padana) between Brescia and Turin (4.88%), A 35 Bre.Be.Mi (3.79%) and A 36 Pedemontana Lombarda (0.8%). Attention: On various other routes the price is charged per kilometre!
- In Austria, drivers pay an average of 2.1% more toll for trucks weighing 3.5 tonnes or more in 2020. Euro VI vehicles will also be fully charged for the external costs of air pollution, resulting in a tariff increase of 3.9%. Reduced tariffs, on the other hand, apply to vehicles with hydrogen fuel cell or electric drive.
- In Belgium, tolls on routes in Wallonia will increase by between one and 2.5 percent from 1 January 2020.
- In Bulgaria it is planned to replace the current vignette system with an electronic and route-based toll system in the spring.
- The Czech Republic will expand its toll-based route network by almost 900 kilometers as of January 1, 2020. This includes road number 26, which runs from the border crossing in Furth-im-Wald to Pilsen.
- From 1 January 2020, tolls will be charged in Turkey for crossing the Bridge of the Martyrs of July 15 and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in Istanbul. For trucks, the toll will be between 29.50 euros and 78.25 euros. For the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the new fees range from 54.10 euros to 170.80 euros.
- The Eurovignette, which is valid for the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg and Sweden, will cost 750 to 1,407 euros for vehicles with up to three axles and 1,250 to 2,359 euros for those with four or more axles from 1 January 2020.
Countries with time-based tolls
The time-based toll is influenced by the size and weight of the trucks (between 3.5 or 12 and 40 tonnes) and sometimes also by the pollutant class and VAT. You should therefore obtain detailed information before starting your journey. However, here is an overview of the respective amount of the time-based toll:
- Bulgaria: EUR 413-891
- Estonia: EUR 500-1300
- Great Britain: EUR 100-1183
- Latvia: EUR 400-1018
- Lithuania: EUR 550-1071
- Romania: EUR 269-1017
- Eurovignette (Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden): 750-2359 Euro
Countries with kilometre-based tolls
- Belgium: EUR 0,079-0,308
- Germany: EUR 0.093-0.261
- France: EUR 0,19-0,26
- Greece: EUR 0,07-0,13
- Ireland: EUR 0,15-0,18
- Italy: EUR 0,06-0,14
- Croatia: EUR 0,12-0,19
- Austria: EUR 0,0967-0,47018
- Poland: EUR 0.04-0.13
- Portugal: EUR 0,13-0,18
- The Russian Federation: EUR 0,025
- Switzerland: 0.10-1.10 Euro
- Serbia: EUR 0.08-0.15
- The Slovak Republic: EUR 0.062-0.243
- Slovenia: EUR 0,12-0,28
- Spain: EUR 0,14-0,18
- The Czech Republic: EUR 0.03-0.47
- Turkey: EUR 0.02-0.03
- Hungary: EUR 0,05-0,35
- Belarus: EUR 0,09-0,145
Conclusion: Forward-looking planning makes trips easier
The amount of the toll can change not only at the beginning of the year, but also in many countries city tolls and those for bridges and tunnels. Therefore you should always check the current toll rates for the countries you will be travelling to before you start your journey. This will help you avoid fines.