Truck tolls in Europe change frequently. An increasing number of countries are linking their tariffs to vehicles’ CO₂ emissions, introducing distance-based models, or adjusting existing rates. This means that transport companies and shippers face constantly varying costs depending on the routes and regions they travel through.
This toll radar compiles the most important developments regarding truck tolls in European countries. We continuously update the overview as soon as new changes are pending or take effect.
Changes in EU Countries
Belgium – June 25, 2026
Starting July 1, 2026, the truck toll in Belgium will change. While Brussels and Wallonia are implementing a regular rate adjustment, Flanders is introducing a structural change. For the first time, the toll calculation will factor in CO₂ emission class, in addition to region, weight class, and Euro standard. This change will bring Belgium into compliance with the EU Directive on the charging of heavy goods vehicles (Eurovignette Directive), following the lead of countries such as Germany and Austria.
In Flanders, there are five CO₂ classes ranging from Class 1 (highest emissions, highest surcharge) to Class 5 (no direct emissions). The cost for modern diesel trucks in Euro 5 and 6 classes will increase by about 1 to 8 cents per kilometer, depending on their classification. In some cases, operating older vehicles will actually be cheaper. Vehicles first registered before July 1, 2019, are automatically classified as Class 1.
Unlike the toll rate adjustment itself, this classification is not applied automatically. Before July 1, 2026, vehicle owners must use the Viapass calculator to determine their vehicles’ CO₂ class and submit the results to their OBU service provider. This applies to all vehicles subject to tolls, including those that only travel in Brussels or Wallonia.
Netherlands – June 25, 2026
Effective July 1, 2026, the Netherlands will introduce a kilometer-based truck toll, called the Vrachtwagenheffing. Unlike in Belgium, this is a change in the system, not a surcharge. The previous flat-rate Eurovignette will no longer apply in the Netherlands and will be replaced by a charge based on kilometers driven.
The Netherlands is thus catching up with countries such as Germany, Austria, and Belgium. The toll affects all domestic and foreign trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons (categories N2 and N3) on nearly all highways as well as selected provincial and municipal roads.
The toll is based on the vehicle’s weight, Euro emission class, and CO₂ class. Trucks with lower emissions pay less. The toll is collected via an on-board unit from an approved EETS-compatible provider. The Eurovignette is now only required for routes through Luxembourg and Sweden. Concurrently, the Netherlands is lowering its motor vehicle tax (Motorrijtuigenbelasting – MRB), which will offset some of the new toll costs, depending on the vehicle.
For transport companies, this fundamentally changes how they calculate costs. Those who drive through the Netherlands occasionally can benefit, while those with high mileage will face higher costs. Details and official rates are available from the Dutch toll operator at vrachtwagenheffing.nl.
New Eurovignette Directive Comes into Force from 2024 – November 17, 2023
New EU road charging rules have been approved by the European Parliament in 2022 and will have a practical impact from 2024. The aim is to scale road haulage charges based on CO₂ emissions and environmental friendliness.
In concrete terms, this means that if a member state collects truck tolls, the respective tariffs must be based on the CO2 emission classes of the vehicles from March 25, 2024 – however, the individual member states have a great deal of flexibility, so there will not be changes everywhere.
France – November 17, 2023
France is cutting back: toll barriers and ticket booths are increasingly disappearing from the motorways - but the toll is still due. This is possible thanks to the "free-flow toll". Drivers passing through toll gates are recorded by cameras. If truck drivers do not have an electronic toll badge, which enables automatic payment of the toll by subscription, they will later receive a payment request by post with a penalty fee.
As of today, this affects the A4 towards Metz at the Boulay motorway entrance and exit and the A79 in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Other motorways are to follow in the coming years, e.g. the A13 in Normandy and the A14 north-west of Paris in 2024.
Austria – November 17, 2023
The amendment to the Austrian Federal Road Toll Act will come into effect on January 1, 2024. The two previous constituents of the truck toll tariff in Austria – infrastructure costs and costs for traffic-related noise and air pollution – will be expanded to include CO2 emissions.
The CO2 share of the truck toll will be gradually increased over three years from 2024. As the inflation adjustment of the truck toll, which is usually applied in Austria, will be omitted in 2024, toll charges are expected to rise by an average of around 7.4 percent. The Austrian toll service provider Asfinag has launched an online calculator to determine the respective emission class.
Lithuania – November 17, 2023
Lithuania is also applying the EU guidelines as of January 1, 2024 by significantly increasing tolls in the high-emission classes.
To compensate for this, fully electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles are exempt from all toll charges until the end of 2025 – however, this is obviously no major plus factor for road freight in the near future.
Hungary – November 17, 2023
Since October 2023, toll charges for the Hu-Go electronic toll collection system have been 17.6% higher in Hungary. These increases have nothing to do with the EU directive, but are in line with the annual inflation rate in Hungary from July 2023 as determined by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office.
Wallonia – Southern Part of Belgium – November 17, 2023
Toll charges for vehicles over 3.5 tons will be increased in the Belgian sub-region of Wallonia on 1 January 2024. As in Hungary, this increase of 4.08 percent will follow the Belgian inflation rate (from August 2023). This is the second rise in a short space of time: the truck kilometer charge of the Walloon freeway operator Sofico was already adjusted to inflation on 1 July 2023.
Changes in Non-EU Countries
UK – November 17, 2023
If you have not crossed the English Channel by truck for a while, you may not have noticed: On 1 August, the British Department for Transport introduced a modernized levy system for trucks with over 12 tonnes permissible total weight. This follows a three-year suspension of the British HGV toll. The new HGV Road User Levy is applicable to the use of any public road. The levy is based on vehicle type, total weight, and length of stay in the UK and must be paid on entry.
Switzerland – November 17, 2023
No change in charges, but a system change is pending in Switzerland: At the end of 2024, manual toll service at the EU borders will be out of operation. Instead, there will be a complete switch to the electronic toll service EETS (European Electronic Toll Service). The Swiss authorities recommend that all parties involved in Swiss road freight transport migrate to EETS in good time.
Truck Tolls in Europe: We’ll Keep You Updated
The EU is committed to making tolls for trucks in Europe more dependent on CO2 emissions. The member states have a great deal of leeway when it comes to the specific structure of the respective toll charges, so that there are still very different models at national level. DHL Freight and DHL Group will keep you informed about the expected changes.
