Toll roads in Europe

Toll roads in Europe are a highly debated and complex topic. But what does “toll” actually mean and where does the term come from? The basic meaning of this term has not changed over the centuries: toll means a fee charged for the use of transport routes (highways, bridges, tunnels). While in the past these were simple tolls that were paid directly on the spot, there is now a growing market behind them with numerous processes and a real toll industry. 

Cost of toll roads in Europe

Tolls can be quite expensive, so be sure to budget for travel costs using our free toll calculator for all European countries. For example, traveling by car from Rome to Paris costs over $200 one way, while traveling to Madrid from Paris will cost you almost $100. Toll roads in Europe will cost much more for RVs and trucks, so be sure to use our toll calculator for trucks and other large vehicles.

Slovenia (around €15 for 7 days), Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic are among the other countries that also require drivers to buy a vignette if they will be driving on motorways. The Swiss vignette is valid for one year and costs (approximately) CHF 40, while the Austrian vignette can be purchased for periods of 10 days, 3 months or 1 year (costing approximately €9 for 10 days).

What is needed to travel on toll roads in Europe?

To travel on toll roads in Europe you must:

• Pay for the service.
• Driver’s license.
• Familiarize yourself with the region’s traffic regulations.

Driving on toll roads in Europe does not require much effort. Most of them can be paid directly in the direction, or online. 

Is it possible not to pay for roads in Europe?

If you are caught traveling without a vignette, fines will apply, so make sure you purchase one at the point of entry into the country. You can purchase them at service stations located at the border crossing. Even if you travel only a short distance, the price of a vignette will be much less than the cost of a fine.

Each violation carries a fine of $57.50 in addition to the toll amount due. For example, if you fail to pay the required toll at Windy Ridge 241 Toll Road on a weekend, you will be charged $61, a $57.50 fine, and a $3.50 weekend toll fee.

If you do not respond to the first violation notice, you will be sent a second violation notice with an additional penalty of $42.50. Failure to respond to the second notice may result in suspension of your vehicle registration or driver’s license.

The difference between toll and free roads in Europe

Toll roads in Europe are designed to provide a higher quality of service than regular motorways. Their “limited access” design features provide faster travel and increased safety (no left turns, no traffic lights, a central median barrier to prevent head-on collisions, and other features). Toll roads in Europe are distinguished by the quality of their surfaces and the absence of traffic jams. While tolls were originally intended to cover the cost of construction, most of the fees are now spent on making the use more environmentally sustainable.

Road payment options in Europe

On Swiss and Austrian motorways, drivers must pay a toll. This is a prepaid sticker that you place on your car’s windshield. The vignette stamp serves as proof that you have paid for the fare.

How to pay for toll roads in Europe:

• Relative section of the highway – costs depending on the distance traveled.
• A special fee in Europe is for travel through tunnels, bridges and other distances.
• Vignette – for a certain period of time (week, month, year and other time options).

Benefits of using the Eurovignette electronic toll collection system in Europe: easy online registration; possibility of making changes 1 day before the start of the trip; return of unused vignette; display of transactions on the user’s account; automatic selection of the best validity period; quick check of vignetting by license plate number.

Map of toll roads in Europe

Toll roads in Europe are a topic where there are no uniform standards. In most European countries, highways are tolled. Some European motorways require the purchase of a vignette or the rental of a toll device. Examples:

• In France, highway tolls are paid by credit card or cash.
• Most Eastern European countries have chosen vignette payment. If you don’t have a pass and drive in these zones, you risk a fine of up to 80 euros. Do your research before you fly and buy your pass online.
• In France, motorways have electronic tolling, marked with signs that read: “Electronic tolling only.”
• In central London you must have a travel pass to legally travel between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday. If breached, the fine can be up to £130.
• In Italy, the historical centers of large cities (Rome, Turin, Bologna, Milan, Florence, Pisa) have limited traffic areas. You must have a special permit issued by the mayor’s office.

Most European cities charge a parking fee. Be sure to pay because otherwise you will receive much higher fines in the mail.

European countries where roads are free

Countries with free or partial toll charges:

1. San Marino.
   The road network in San Marino reaches 292 km and can be used without tolls.
2. Germany.
   There are no tolls in Germany, even the impressive autobahns are free, so you can travel on German roads for free!
3. Ukraine.
   Highways in Ukraine are free.
4. Andorra.
   Andorra has 198 km of roads, of which for only 2.9 km the Túnel d’Envalira costs €6.80 per car.
5. Belgium.
   In Belgium there are free motorways for passenger cars; only the Liefkenshoektunnel near Antwerp is tolled (6 euros for manual payment).
6. Sweden.
   Tolls apply for crossing the Motalabron, Øresundsbron, Sundsvallsbron and Svinesundsbron bridges. Passenger car fares are SEK 5 for Motala, EUR 63 for Öresund, SEK 9 for Sundsvall and NOK 20 for Svinesund. Öresundsbron is an 8 km long bridge that, together with the 4 km long Drogden Tunnel, connects Copenhagen with the Swedish city of Malmö.
7. Estonia.
   Free for cars less than 3.5 tons.
8. Finland.
   Motorways in Finland do not require any expenses.
9. Iceland.
   The fee is only for travel through the 7.4 km Vaðlaheiargöng tunnel (ISK 1,500).
10. Denmark.
    The cost of crossing the Strebeltsbroen Bridge for passenger cars is 19 euros. 14 CZK for passenger cars to cross the Kronprinsesse Marys Bro. Over the Öresundsbron bridge – 63 euros.
11. Kosovo.
    Motorways in Kosovo are cost-free.
12. Cyprus.
    All roads in Cyprus can be placed free of charge.
13. Liechtenstein.
    All motorways in Liechtenstein are toll free. Liechtenstein has a road network with a total length of 630 km.
14. Lithuania.
    Roads for cars of category N1 (trucks up to 3.5 tons) and for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons are paid according to the road system.
15. Luxembourg.
    Passage for vehicles weighing more than 12 tons. Payments through the electronic fare payment system Eurovignette. The total length of the road network in Luxembourg is 2820 km.
16. Malta.
    The road network in Malta is over 3,000 km long and can be used without paying tolls.
17. Monaco.
    Travel to Monaco is free. The total length of Monaco’s highways is 77 km.
18. Netherlands.
    In the Netherlands, passage of the Westerscheldetunnel and Kiltunnel tunnels is paid. You will need to pay 5 euros for Westerscheldetunnel and 2 euros for Kiltunnel.
19. Montenegro
    The cost of travel through the Sozina tunnel is 2.5 euros for cars up to 3.5 tons. The planned toll for travel on the A1 motorway (Bar – Bogliare), part of Smokovac – Mateševo, is up to 3.50 euros for a car weighing up to 3.5 tons.

Payment for roads in Europe, for the time of their use

Interesting fact! Rome’s ZTL zones are congestion tolls designed to reduce traffic flow in the historic part of the city. They are open from 6:30 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from 14:00 to 18:00. Toll roads in Europe, where a fee is charged for the time of their use:

1. Austria.
2. Hungary.
3. Moldova Slovenia.
4. Switzerland.
5. Czech Republic.
6. Romania.
7. Slovakia.
8. Bulgaria.

A UTS route planning calculator is available for commercial trucks, buses, car rides and taxis that optimizes routes in seconds. Enter your trip details to see the cheapest, fastest and most up-to-date preferred routes in 2024. Save time, money and mileage.

European countries where roads are paid for the distance traveled

Toll roads in Europe, where a fee is charged for the distance traveled:

1. Croatia.
2. Spain.
3. Russia.
4. Serbia.
5. Portugal.
6. Poland.
7. Belarus.
8. Ireland.
9. Italy.
10. Greece.
11. Great Britain.
12. France.
13. Norway.
14. North Macedonia.

Interesting fact! There is a charge for entering London and driving in some areas of the city centre.