Road tolls in Slovakia

If you want to travel by car or camper to our southern neighbors, Slovakia, you should learn a few key issues related to road traffic, so as to avoid surprises and unpleasant situations. Slovakia, like every country, has its own law and guidelines on this issue. One of the things you definitely need to familiarize yourself with is the toll system in force there. What are the regulations?

When it comes to road tolls, Slovakia imposes them on most vehicles that use its road system. The network of toll road sections in Slovakia is approximately 622 km of the D1, D2, D3 and D4 motorways and the R1, R2, R4 and R6 expressways. Of course, you can avoid toll sections, but this usually means taking longer to cover the distance.

Road toll system in Slovakia

The system in Slovakia is intended to finance, among other things, necessary investments or other activities related to road infrastructure. It includes various types of fees that are adapted to different types of vehicles, as well as specific roads. This system includes specific rates for using motorways, expressways and selected sections of high-class roads.

The collection system is fully electronic and works automatically, analyzing whether we have purchased the right to travel on a given section of the road. Depending on the weight of the vehicle we are driving, the number of its axles, the EURO standard, or the time we want to spend in Slovakia, we will need an e-vignette or e-toll. It is worth knowing that motorcycles are exempt from road tolls in this country.

In Slovakia, you can buy several versions of vignettes that differ in the time of travel using them. These are vignettes:

• annual;
• 30 days;
• 10 days;
• one-day (valid only on the day selected by the buyer until midnight)

Importantly, in the case of annual vignettes, you can choose a vignette valid for 365 days or for a given calendar year. In the case of the first option, the e-vignette will be valid for 36 days from the date indicated by us. The annual vignette is valid during a given calendar year - from January 1 or from the date of purchase, until January 3 of the following year.

Each type of vehicle has the option of purchasing an e-vignette for each of the above-mentioned periods and at the same price. Therefore , road tolls in Slovakia for a camper and a passenger car for a period of 10 days will be the same, because both vehicles belong to the same category (two-wheeled vehicle weighing up to 3.5 tons).

Road tolls in Slovakia - where to buy an e-vignette?

Buying the appropriate vignette, which entitles you to travel on paid sections of Slovak roads, is very simple and intuitive. You can buy it:

• at dedicated points of sale that handle cash and non-cash transactions (payment by payment card) - such points are located, for example, at border crossings, at petrol stations
• via a dedicated website or mobile application

When purchasing an e-vignette, you must provide some information, such as:

• registration number of the vehicle/towed vehicle
• name of the country of registration of the vehicle,
• type of vehicle (including whether it is a vehicle or a towed vehicle),
• the period of validity of the motorway vignette and the start date of its validity.

After finalising and paying for the e-vignette purchase, the registration number and details of our vehicle will be entered into the Slovak operator's database, and we will be entitled to use the toll road system for the period of our choice.

What are the consequences for not purchasing a vignette?

In the case of every country with road tolls, Slovakia also has a system for imposing penalties on drivers who do not comply with the regulations. For the lack of an appropriate or active vignette, we must reckon with the possibility of receiving a fine of €120 to even €600.

Slovakia - types of vignettes by vehicle category

Slovakia offers a well-organized road pricing system that is flexible and adapted to the different needs of road users, while promoting ecological and economical use of road infrastructure. The system is considered one of the simplest in Europe, so there is little chance of making a mistake when making a choice. Vignettes in force in this country are divided into two categories - vehicles or their combinations up to 3.5 tons and towed vehicles. What distinguishes the different types?

• category up to 3.5 tonnes – the vignette applies to all drivers who drive, for example, a passenger car, camper and a combination of vehicles (car with trailer), if the GVM of the vehicle and the combination of vehicles does not exceed 3.5t. Road tolls in Slovakia up to 3.5 tonnes may apply to both passenger cars and trucks, e.g. small delivery vans.
• a category covering a towed vehicle – a vignette of this type is intended for vehicles whose total GVM when towing trailers exceeds 3.5 tonnes. Therefore, for example , road tolls in Slovakia for trucks and TIR vehicles will apply to this category.

In addition to e-vignettes, there is also e-toll, a system of fees that covers vehicles exceeding the technical permissible total weight of over 3.5 tons. This group includes trucks and buses. Fees in this case are collected on motorways, expressways and main roads using a special OBU device.

Campers with a GVM above 3.5 t which have a vehicle category marked M1, N1, M1G or N1G in position J in the registration certificate are exempt from the requirement to register in the eMyto system and purchase an OBU device.

How much do we have to pay for an e-vignette in Slovakia?

The rates for vignettes in Slovakia in the Wizax-Winiety store are simple and transparent. If the vehicle we are driving meets the requirements for vignettes, the costs for individual periods, regardless of the kilometers traveled, will look like this:

• 75 PLN - 10-day vignette -> buy a vignette
• 98 PLN - vignette for 1 month -> buy a vignette
• 315 PLN - vignette for 1 year -> buy a vignette

We can buy an e-vignette electronically through special websites, such as Wizax. All you need to do is provide your vehicle details and the period you want to travel in Slovakia – that's all! In addition, Wizax offers a 24-hour hotline, which allows you to get the information you are interested in. To learn more about road tolls in Slovakia, it is worth using this link: www.winiety-wizax.pl .

Road tolls Slovakia - who is exempt from purchasing a vignette?

Although most drivers will have to pay the appropriate fees when driving on toll expressways and motorways, it is also worth knowing that some vehicles are exempt from the requirement to have an e-vignette. Which vehicle categories can benefit from such an exemption?

• vehicles of the armed forces and emergency services
• slovak government cars
• motorcycles
• vehicles registered to a person with a disabled person's parking card
• vehicles registered to a person using the vehicle to provide social services
• historical cars

It is also worth remembering that most privileged vehicles can be exempted from the need to purchase an e-vignette or e-toll only if the vehicle is registered in the Motorway Toll Collection Manager's system. The exemption therefore applies to the fees themselves, but not to registration in the system. Therefore, if our vehicle falls into this category, it is worth taking care to complete the appropriate formalities.