Toll: what should you pay attention to when going on holiday?
The Netherlands does not have a vignette, toll box or toll for motorways for travelling with a camper. Neither does Germany. But if you want to go further, you have to be careful. The rules differ from country to country, even within the EU.
Austria has a motorway vignette for campers up to 3,5 tonnes technical maximum mass (F1 registration certificate). There is a GO-Box for heavy campers. Also fill in the environmental class correctly. If it goes wrong: fine. There is no "but".
Italy works with toll gates. Not manned and barrier up? Inquire, because the bill with fine will come anyway. You will pay.
To Hungary? On motorways (no toll booths) an e-vignette is required, for heavy campers a toll box. Slovakia arranges it digitally. It does not matter how heavy your camper is. In the Czech Republic a vignette is required and for heavier campers a toll box. Is the trip to France, Spain or Portugal? In those EU countries you pay for motorways, but beware: sections without toll booths ("péage en flux libre") must be paid within 72 hours with toll badge or otherwise. For Switzerland the toll can be arranged online. The bill from Norway comes automatically, but pre-registration is cheaper.
It is preparing and figuring out:
- via the country's websites
- www.anwb.nl/verkeer/buitenland/toloverzicht
- www.adac.de/reise-freizeit/maut-vignette/.
There are cabinets available to make it easier, but not for all countries and often not suitable for heavy campers.
Traveling through Europe without tolls or boxes is possible, but it costs more time, km and fuel. In Switzerland, a heavy camper must be paid for every day in the country.
For now, it's still makeshift with those toll systems. Prepare well, just pay, don't get annoyed, occasionally surprise, and above all, travel pleasantly.
Arie de Ruyter
Tineke de Ruyter
