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Different countries, different customs: unlike in Germany, many other countries fall for the use of highways or expressways at an extra cost. Sometimes all-inclusive, sometimes depending on the route, or a combination of both.
Anyone driving into the Vacation drives to other European countries, has to Tolls and Vignette compulsory think. In many countries a fee is due for the use of motorways, tunnels, bridges or expressways. The ACE automobile club has compiled the most important regulations for popular holiday destinations.
What should you watch out for in the case of tolls?
Countries such as France, Italy, Spain or Croatia charge a toll for the use of motorways or, in some cases, for expressways. As a rule, a ticket is drawn when driving on a toll route, which is paid for when leaving or changing the toll road for the section driven. There is also the variant that a toll is due when driving on the route. Payment can usually be made in cash or with a major credit card. In some cases, bank and fuel cards are also accepted. The ACE recommends that you take enough change with you and make sure that you are in the correct payment lane. Lanes for paying by card or cash are marked with corresponding symbols.
The lanes marked with a “t” in France are reserved exclusively for the Télépéage system: Here, payment is processed electronically via a chip on the windshield. There are similar payment systems in Italy (Telepass), Spain (Télépéaje) and Croatia ("Electronic Toll Collect", ETC).
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Anyone traveling near Milan on the Italian motorways A36, A59 and A60 must be aware of the digital toll. The applied free-flow system replaces the toll booths. It is best to register in advance on the website https://apl.pedemontana.com/. Then the toll charges are automatically debited from the credit card. This is how you avoid paying penalties. Without registering, you can also pay the fee retrospectively in cash at the “Punto Verde” customer service center or at some petrol stations in the region. However, the use of the motorway must be paid for at the latest 15 days after use.
Tolls vary in Spain and Croatia. On the Spanish Autopistas (AP) the costs vary depending on the day of the week and the time of day. Some sections are charged at a flat rate. In Croatia, the tolls are based on the high or low season. Prices rise before the start of the holiday.
Rules of the game for vignettes
Switzerland and Austria rely on a vignette requirement. In Austria it exists for motorways and expressways. Only a few short motorway sections on the A1, A12 and A14 from the German border are excluded. The vignette requirement applies to motorcycles, cars and mobile homes up to 3,5 tons. The “Pickerl” is available as a sticker, but it can also be stored digitally. It is optionally available as a 10-day, 2-month or annual vignette. A kilometer-dependent toll system is used for vehicles with a maximum gross vehicle weight of over 3,5 tonnes.
Anyone traveling to Switzerland with a car, station wagon, motorcycle, caravan or truck and trailer up to 3,5 tons needs the annual vignette. It must be clearly attached to the vehicle when crossing the border. Vehicles with a trailer require two vignettes. In Switzerland, too, vehicles and trailers over 3,5 tonnes gross vehicle weight are billed differently. You have to pay a heavy vehicle tax at customs when crossing the border.
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In Austria and Switzerland, additional tolls are also levied. They occur, for example, in the Alpine republic on the Europe Bridge in front of the Brenner Pass or with the Confederates for certain tunnel sections.