Toll Fees in Europe

Driving on vacation is something we particularly enjoy. Whether to Southern France, Italy, or Croatia - with our bags packed, kids in tow, we head off for holiday. To make sure you're not caught off guard at the border, today I'll share with you what traveling on European roads can cost.

Many countries charge fees for the use of highways or roads. Sometimes it's in the form of car tolls, other times through a vignette; the toll charges in Europe vary by country. The prices can also fluctuate significantly. So that you know what to expect before your next vacation abroad, here's an up-to-date overview of toll fees in Europe.

By the way: Vignettes are available at sales points such as border crossings, gas stations, post offices, and other locations marked with a vignette symbol. You pay tolls on each section of the route.

The most common form of highway and toll fees are flat rates (like vignettes) as well as distance-based charges on specific routes. Especially in Western and Southern Europe, drivers are frequently asked to pay, but many countries in Eastern Europe also impose tolls. On average, the Spanish highways are the most expensive. In Scandinavia, however, there are rarely any fees.

If you have little time for your arrival and departure, meaning you want to arrive quickly and don't want to take alternative routes, you'll pay quite a bit. However, if you - and I recommend this - plan a longer stay, or have more time for the drive, opting for a more leisurely trip via free side roads is worthwhile. This way, you can take breaks in small towns and explore the beautiful surroundings.

In the EU, over ten countries have distance-related tolls, including France, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. But tolls also apply in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Norway, and Turkey. Not all highways and expressways require tolls. Payment is made upon entry or exit depending on the country, and in some countries, electronic payment systems are used. There may also be special tolls for bridges, tunnels, and passes. In eight other countries, a vignette is required for travel on highways and expressways. I will explain all the details that follow - the map provides an overview of all countries with tolls or vignette requirements.

Partial tolls!

In the Balkan country of Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are hardly any toll fees. The only section between Lučani and Jošanica costs you €5.40 for a passenger car for the full distance. You can pay here by card or in cash when you exit the highway.

Vignette required!

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons (motorcycles excluded):

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

The fee ranges between €0.07 and €0.16 per kilometer and varies depending on the section of the route. There might also be special tolls for bridges, tunnels, or similar. The bypasses of Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille, as well as some routes in Alsace/Lorraine, Auvergne, and Brittany, are toll-free. You can identify the different roads by their signs: blue for highways, green for national roads, and white for departmental roads.

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

Toll usage fees exist in Greece on about ten highway segments between Evzoni, Katerini, Larisa, Lamia, Athens, Corinth, Patras, Kalamata, Igoumenitsa, Aktio, Lavrio, and Alexandroupoli. The amount of the fee depends on the route. The one-way trip on most highway segments costs between €2.20 (Evzoni to Katerini) and €17.40 (Igoumenitsa to Alexandroupoli). Additionally, there may be special tolls for bridges, tunnels, or similar when traveling to Greece.

Rare tolls!

In London and for the city center of Durham, a city toll must be paid. The M6 from Birmingham to Wolverhampton and the connections to Wales are also toll roads. Only a few bridges and tunnels have toll fees.

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

In Italy, for example on the way to Lake Garda, you have to pay tolls on almost all highways. Depending on the route, the costs range from €1.70 to €32.90. Additionally, there may be special tolls for bridges, tunnels, or similar. In Milan, Palermo, and Bologna a city toll applies and Rome's historic center is closed to private vehicles. However, there are no additional tolls for expressways.

Partial toll fees!

In Ireland, some highways require tolls. Depending on the route, small fees range from €1.40 (Navan to Kells or Clonee to Dunshaughlin) to €3.10 (Dublin Ring Road). The Dublin Port Tunnel, Limerick Tunnel, and the East Link Toll Bridge also incur tolls. You can pay here almost everywhere in cash, except at the Dublin Ring Road.

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

Toll fees in Croatia only apply on the highway. All other roads are free of charge. Depending on the route, fees range from €0.95 (Zagreb - Bregana) to €17.30 (Zagreb - Lipovac). Additionally, there may be special tolls for bridges and tunnels.

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

Macedonia also has a distance-based toll system. The stretches between Kumanovo and Gradsko, Tetovo and Gostivar, and Skopje and Tetova are chargeable, with fees ranging from €0.65 to €6.65.

Partial tolls!

Road fees are collected on certain roads, bridges, tunnels, and in a few cities like Oslo or Bergen. Occasionally, there are also tolls for private, remote roads. Cash payments are generally no longer possible at almost all tolls. However, you can simply pass through the toll station; your license plate will be scanned, and you will receive a bill by mail. The so-called 'AutoPASS-Box', which offers discounted toll fees, is too cumbersome for short vacations.

Vignette required! (Sticker)

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons (motorcycles excluded):

Partial toll fees!

The highways A1, A2, and A4 in Poland require tolls. Price examples for passenger cars are:

Highway A1: Gdansk - Torun (178 km) = 29.90 Zloty (€7)

Highway A2: Swiecko - Konin (255 km) = 78 Zloty (€18.30)

Highway A4: Katowice - Krakow (79 km) = 20 Zloty (€4.70)

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

The most expensive route for cars is from Lisbon to Faro (€22.15), with the cheapest being Carregado to Lisbon (€1.15). Visa and MasterCard can be used for payment without issues, but cash payment isn't always available.

Vignette required!

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons:

Vignette required!

In Switzerland, a yearly vignette must always be purchased, valid for 14 months at a cost of €36.50 or 40 Swiss francs. The current vignette is valid from December 1, 2018, to January 31, 2020. Additional fees apply, for example for the road tunnel at the Great St. Bernard (€26.90 one-way, €43.10 for round trip) and the Munt-la-Schera tunnel. The prices for this tunnel vary by summer and winter prices as well as day and night rates. The prices for the Furka Tunnel also vary by season and holidays. Additionally, there are toll-based 'car ferries' at some passes and tunnels where cars are loaded onto trains for passage.

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

All highways and highway-like expressways charge a toll. Payments can be made in cash in dinars or euros (small bills or coins). Most also accept payment by credit card. The most expensive route stretches approximately 240 kilometers from Belgrade to Leskovac, costing €8.57.

Vignette required!

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons:

Vignette required!

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons (motorcycles excluded):

Toll fee when entering or exiting highways or expressways!

All highway sections marked 'AP', i.e., Autopista, are subject to tolls, as are various tunnels and bridges. These fees rank among the highest in Europe. Toll-free city highways or bypasses can be found in Valencia, Bilbao, or Barcelona; expressways are also free of charge. Not all city highways in Madrid are free - the R2, 3, 4, and M30 incur a fee. The most expensive continuous route for cars is from Barcelona to Valencia (€40.11). In Spain, however, toll rates may vary by time on each segment.

Vignette required!

All highways and expressways are subject to tolls. There are no separate signs indicating vignette requirements. Only toll-free sections are marked with 'BEZ POPLATKU' or with a crossed-out vignette symbol. A distance-based toll only applies for vehicles over 3.5 tons.

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons:

Partial tolls!

Highways, the Bosphorus Tunnel, and the Bosphorus Bridges to Asia are toll roads and are charged by distance. Fees range from €0.46 to €2.86 depending on the route. Cash payment is not possible.

Vignette required!

The vignette requirement in Hungary applies to highways and expressways marked with an 'M'. Only a few sections of the highways are still toll-free. Hungary has the most modern toll system in Europe - it works entirely electronically. An annual vignette is valid from January 1 to January 31 of the following year.

Prices for vehicles up to 3.5 tons:

In several other countries, there is a fee only for a specific bridge or tunnel segment. This includes the Hvalfjördur Tunnel in Iceland, the Liefkenshoek Tunnel in Belgium, the Sozina Tunnel in Montenegro, or the Westerschelde and Kiltunnels in the Netherlands. In Denmark, only the Storebaelt Bridge between the islands of Funen and Zealand and the Øresund Bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö have tolls. In Sweden, a city toll is only charged between Stockholm and Gothenburg.

All information is subject to change. The toll fees refer to a passenger car. I recommend checking once again before your departure to see if prices have changed. The ADAC provides a good source for this.

Toll fees and vignettes can become quite expensive - but it gets even more expensive if you get caught evading them. Anyone who does not purchase a vignette or fails to properly affix it to their windshield can face significant fines. In Slovenia, fines can go up to €800. But it can also get costly in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. In Austria, you'll have to pay from €120 upwards, while in Switzerland and the Czech Republic, fines range from €175 to €195. Even on a motorcycle, you are not exempt from these costs.

What are your experiences with toll fees and vignettes? Super annoying and expensive or totally easy - feel free to leave me a comment.