Vehicles subject to electronic toll - holiday journeys with the viaTOLL system

viaTOLL is an electronic toll collection system that in Poland covers motorways, expressways and national roads. Find out which vehicles are subject to the mandatory electronic toll. This is especially important when traveling on vacation.

Which ramps are subject to a mandatory electronic toll?

The viaTOLL system requires the purchase of an appropriate viaBOX device and registration in a specially prepared system. This makes it possible to pay for journeys. During the holiday season, when the number of road journeys is increased, remember about the details related to the operation of this system. The viaTOLL system is valid on roads managed by GDDKiA. For which vehicles and under what conditions is it necessary to pay an electronic toll?

You should know that all vehicles with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes are subject to the viaTOLL system. These include, among others, buses, trucks and vehicle combinations weighing more than 3.5 tons.

In the case of vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes, drivers are left with the choice of using the electronic toll system. In the event of compulsory tolls on the motorway, drivers of passenger cars, goods vehicles and minibuses not exceeding the aforementioned limit in their weight may pay in a traditional or electronic way. It is worth mentioning that the use of the electronic option does not exclude the possibility of traditional payment by drivers of passenger cars in the future.

The sections requiring payment vary by vehicle category. In the case of passenger vehicles up to 3.5 tons, in Poland payments are only valid on sections of the A2 and A4 motorways. However, in the case of heavy goods vehicles, the list is much longer. Before setting off on the road, a professional driver using a vehicle with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes should carefully check the list of such roads. In the current pandemic reality, he should also check restrictions and required transport documents in Europe.

What is the difference between the viaTOLL and eTOLL electronic toll collection systems?

Apart from the viaTOLL system, there is also an even more modern eTOLL system. It is worth knowing what are the differences between them. eTOLL is a system based on satellite positioning. Like viaTOLL, it will be used to collect tolls on toll roads, but its operation will be even more digitized. In the eTOLL system, users will be able to use the following functions:

• current access to the history of fees and the ability to manage your account,
• online service without the need for personal visits to Customer Service Points,
• gathering all relevant data and documents in one place.

The eTOLL system will be supervised by the Head of the National Tax Administration. Similarly to the viaTOLL system, eTOLL is to apply on roads managed by GDDKiA. Apart from improving communication and the satellite positioning system, most of the principles remain the same under the new system. The electronic toll will still apply to passenger cars, goods vehicles and minibuses with a total weight of up to 3.5 tons only on selected sections of motorways. On the other hand, drivers of heavy goods vehicles, other vehicles and vehicle combinations with a total weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes will also be covered by the toll system on many other toll roads. It is worth mentioning that the parallel operation of both systems will last until September 30, 2021. It is until then that the transitional period lasts, allowing for an efficient change of devices in transport companies. After that date, the only system available will be e-TOLL.

If the transport company is not sure what the eTOLL electronic toll collection system looks like in the regulations , we recommend consulting OCRK experts. The company conducts comprehensive training in the field of changes introduced by the new system, as well as issues arising from the currently introduced mobility package, affecting, inter alia, for the working time of drivers.