Motorways and motorways in Europe are tolled in many countries, but charging is done in different ways. In some countries, you pay by the kilometres you drive, while in others you have to buy special vignettes in advance. And it is these that we will take a closer look at.
Electronic vignettes (e-vignettes)
What are electronic vignettes? E-vignettes is a modern road tolling system that has replaced the traditional paper stickers on vehicle windscreens. This system allows automatic tolling for the use of specific sections of road, bridges or tunnels in many European countries. Having a valid vignette is essential if you want to avoid a fine, and these can be really high. Therefore, before planning a journey, you should buy an e-vignette.
Main advantages of electronic vignettes
- Automation - Tolls are automatically recorded, often by means of in-vehicle devices or by reading the number plates through a camera system.
- Flexibility - Users can often choose between different payment plans, such as single journeys, daily, weekly, monthly or annually, so they can tailor the vignette to their journey.
- No need to stop - Thanks to the automatic recording of journeys, drivers do not have to stop at toll booths, which increases traffic flow, reduces journey times and increases driving comfort.
- Reducing fraud - electronic vignettes are more difficult to fake compared to traditional paper stickers.
- Ease of management - for the road administration, it is easier to manage the electronic system, monitor receipts and carry out traffic analyses.
- Eco-friendly - The lack of need to print and distribute physical vignettes means less use of resources and a reduction in waste.
How does the e-vignette work?
Electronic vignettes have replaced traditional vignettes which, until recently, had to be purchased from specially designated outlets and affixed to the windscreen of the car. The e-vignette is a .pdf filewhich you download onto your phone and, in the event of an inspection, simply show the file on the screen.
To obtain an e-vignette, you need to register in the dedicated system, enter your vehicle details, indicate the date of travel and select the number of days for which the vignette is to be valid. Once paid for, the e-vignette is usually sent to an email and available in the user's account in the chosen system.
Paying the vignette means that our vehicle has been added to the register and we can set off on our journey. On toll roads there are cameras or special readers that scan the number plates of passing vehicles. Once the vehicle has passed through the checkpoint, the system automatically verifies whether an e-vignette has been paid for the vehicle in question. If so, the vehicle can continue to drive unhindered.
Important: If the system detects that a vehicle is using the road without a valid e-vignette, a penalty may be automatically imposed. In many systems, the vehicle owner is notified of the infringement by post or electronically.
In which countries do e-vignettes apply?
In recent years, many European countries have switched to electronic tolling. Vignettes are currently in force in the following countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland i Hungary (to these countries you can buy vignettes via Autopay) or Romania.
Road tolls in Europe
How do I buy vignettes online?
With the change from traditional vignettes to those in electronic form, the way they are distributed has also changed. Currently vignettes can be purchased online - without leaving home, at any time using electronic payments.
You can buy vignettes of the Czech Republic, Austria or Bulgaria via the Autopay app and our service: mobility.autopay.eu/vignettes/buy. Vignettes for Slovakia can also be purchased in the same way. The list of countries covered by our system also includes Switzerland, Hungary and Slovenia.
How do I buy an e-vignette via Autopay?
Purchasing a vignette via Autopay is very simple. You can do this using the Autopay app or by using the website: mobility.autopay.eu/vignettes/buy.
Purchasing a vignette on the Autopay app
- Download the application (iOS, Android)
- Create an account
- Log in and complete your vehicle details
- In the 'E-vignettes' section, click on the flag of the country for which you need a vignette
- Select how many days the vignette is to be valid (and for some countries, specify the type of vehicle)
- Indicate the starting date of the vignette
- Confirm payment
That's all. Once your payment has been credited, you will receive the vignette file in your email inbox. The vignette will also be visible in your account in the Autopay app.
Purchasing a vignette in the Autopay shop
- Go tomobility.autopay.eu/vignettes/buy
- Select the country for which you need a vignette
- Select how many days the vignette is to be valid (and for some countries, specify the type of vehicle)
- Indicate the starting date of the vignette
- Fill in your vehicle details and your contact information
- Confirm payment
Once the payment has been credited, you will receive the vignette at the e-mail address you provided in advance. The vignette generation process usually takes up to 15 minutes.
In short, vignettes are electronic vignettes that have replaced the traditional vignettes which, until recently, had to be affixed to the windscreen of the vehicle. Nowadays, the required vignette can be purchased online - e.g. via Autopay - even a few hours before the planned trip. When approaching checkpoints, it is sufficient to slow down a little so that the camera system can read the registration correctly and you can continue driving. During a possible check, all you have to do is show the vignette file on your phone screen.
Vignette prices vary from country to country and usually change once a year. Current vignette prices are always visible when you log into the Autopay app.