Transport
2 minute read • sennder Team • March 26, 2018

Overview: Truck Toll in Germany and Europe

Germany as a transit state charges since 1. January 2005, the road tax for heavy commercial vehicles in road traffic – the toll charge. For transport service providers on German roads, time and again the question is raised about what the exact parameters are on which basis the fee is calculated, or where the individual European States have introduced the toll charge.
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Germany as a transit state charges since 1. January 2005, the road tax for heavy commercial vehicles in road traffic – the toll charge. For transport service providers on German roads, time and again the question is raised about what the exact parameters are on which basis the fee is calculated, or where the individual European States have introduced the toll charge. Here is an overview:

The dynamics of the toll extension

Since 2005, only trucks with a permissible total weight of at least 12 tons were affected by toll payments. In October 2015, the tons limit was lowered, so that now trucks of a total weight of 7.5 tonnes have to pay the toll. In the meantime, the affected road network of the motorways of 4-lane federal extended streets with access to federal motorways was extended. In 2016, the Federal Government was able to realise a total of approximately 2,32 billion Euro on German roads by toll revenues. Also, in the future, the German government plans extensions: As of 01. July 2018, the truck toll charge is to be expanded to all federal roads to ensure the performance of the German transport network through those revenues.

The three parameters for the toll calculation

For the correct calculation of the rate (toll per km of a route) three important points are drawn into consideration:

  • Length of the route

  • Number of axes

  • Emission class of the trucks

The individual parameters are summarized in the toll table, that provides the exact information on the amount due.

Tolls in the other European States

In the case of cross-border transportation, it is also important to be aware of the legalities of the countries to be passed through, as also in other European countries toll charges are now raised. Basically, it is distinguished between:

  • distance-related toll (e.g. in France, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Portugal)

  • the additional special toll for bridges, tunnels or passports (e.g. in Austria, Italy, Switzerland)

  • Toll, based on purchasing a vignette (e.g., in Bulgaria, Austria, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia).

Minor to no charges exists, in turn, in countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Ukraine or Finland. Since 2016 truck-trips of over 3.5 tonnes are fee-based in the central regions of Belgium, implemented following the model of the German toll-collect system. Toll-collect in this country is responsible for the collection of the toll kilometres and the calculation of the costs, by the installation of a digital tachograph by the name OBU (onboard unit)

sennder keeps the toll developments in sight at all times

sennder is equipped with comprehensive expertise in the German and European road traffic law, with the technical equipment, to inform you of incurring tolls. These are automatically included in the total price of a transport service so that you can sit back, relax and not have to worry about additional costs. Our team is looking forward to your inquiry.

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