European Toll Tags
As previously stated on another thread I am looking into the possibility of a motorhome trip to Italy. In addition to Italy my route will take in France and maybe Switzerland and Austria.
I have been researching Toll Tags and trying to find one that will cover all four countries but have now got myself confused!
I've so far found these:
Emovis: Only covers France, Spain and Portugal? I'm not going to Spain or Portugal.
Ulys: Covers as above plus Italy which might be a possibility.
Eurotoll: Seems to have a plan for where I want to go but looks complicated and expensive in terms of equipment although I've not been able to find any prices - which usually means it's not cheap!
I know I can plan to avoid toll roads but I like to be prepared JiC. All advice gratefully received.
Comments
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I think I might have partially found the answer to my question!
Emovis tag only covers France, plus Portugal and Spain.
Ulys covers France and Italy?
Switzerland and Austria have a Vignette system in lieu of tolls which are purchased in advance.
And just in case, Germany has a toll system which is not relevant to vehicles up to 3500kgs.
I would still be grateful for confirmation of this and advice on the best Tag system to use.
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I think the key is that if you are 3500kgs and under things are pretty straight forward. The vignettes for both Switzerland and Austria can be purchased at the border for Switzerland and at Service Stations as you approach Austria. Whilst we had a Tag for France we never bothered with Italy. In France toll sections distances between paying tolls is relatively short. However in Italy our experience was that you took a ticket on entry to the toll motorway and paid when you left, there were no intermediate payments needed which perhaps makes the need for a Tag not so important in my view. Obviously if you can get one that handles both France and Italy that is a bit of a win, win situation. The Tolltickets website was a lot of information about tolls and vignettes and you can purchase from them in advance but they will make a service charge which you have to balance against the convenience.
David
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FG, you have answered your own question correctly provided that your motorhome is within the 3500 kg limit. All 4 countries you have named operate different systems for motorhomes heavier than that.
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In 2022, we had a two month trip to Sicily in our 7.5m 3,850kg motorhome which included France, Switzerland and Italy. We covered about 4,200 miles travelling via Eurotunnel, Reims, Langres and Basel, crossing under the Alps through the St Gotthard tunnel.
In Italy, we skirted Milan towards Lake Garda and then drove down the Adriatic coast from Rimini to Puglia and then across to Messina where we caught the "turn up and go" ferry (cost about £50 each way). A complete circuit of Sicily then followed (about 1,000 miles) - including stopping in a MH Aire in the very centre of Palermo where driving is not for the faint-hearted - before following the Mediterranean coast via Salerno, Rome, Livorno and Genoa.
We traversed the Alps again via the Mont Blanc tunnel (about a £50 toll for our MH) and wended our way back to Calais on the French motorway system and N roads via Macon, Nevers, Orleans, Chartres and Rouen.
To cover the french tolls for this trip, we used our Sanef Tag (Classe 2) which bills us monthly and collects payment by monthly direct debit from our UK bank account. For Switzerland we bought a vignette on-line using the Via App; this included use of the St Gotthard tunnel and cost about £25 for 10 days use in a 12 month period. In Italy (including Sicily) motorway toll booths are not so frequent so we took a ticket and paid on exit using our Halifax Clarity Card.
We also travel to Spain every year but have given up our Bip & Go tag (from Sanef) as most of the tolls down the east coast motorways have been abolished and many of the toll stations are being dismantled. We now just use our Clarity Card for the few tolls we encounter.
Planning how to pay for tolls when travelling throughout Europe can be quite a headache but hopefully the info above will help.
Happy travels
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Bip & Go covers France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. As stated above, you buy an Austrian tag at or approaching the border. If you are deffo going through Switzerland, you can purchase the vignette on line before you go. Often long queues at border, particularly if entering from France.
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That summary is correct for vehicles within the size limits.
But for Switzerland heavy motorhomes over 3500 kg need to pay heavy vehicle tax instead of getting a vignette
And for Austria those heavy motorhomes over 3500 kg need to get a GO Box instead of a vignette
And in France motorhomes or caravans taller than 3 metres high will very likely find that a normal tag won’t let them through a toll booth barrier
And in Italy they calculate tolls by measuring the height of vehicle above the front axle - and charge extra for twin axle caravans and tag axle motorhomes.
It ain’t simple.
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That’s very helpful; thank you. Our van is 3500kgs and 6.4m long. It’s apparently 3.03m tall and I’ve read that there are some issues to consider over 3m.
I am thinking of including the St Gotthard Pass rather than the tunnel.
Thanks again.
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How strict are they on height? The specs for my Autotrail Tracker are: 6.4m long, 2.36m wide, 3.03m high and 3500kgs.
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To cover the french tolls for this trip, we used our Sanef Tag (Classe 2)
Jim, You were lucky to get away with class 2 with a 3850Kgm motorhome. I stand no chance with my motorhome and have always been billed class 3 at the booths. Perhaps the height (3.4m) is a give away rather than weight although I am aware some toll gates are equipped with rolling weigh bridges.
FG I would have thought your Tracker height would not be a problem, the weight certainly isn't and you should comfortably be charged class 2 rates in France.
FYI Austrian tolls are one of the most expensive in Europe and in 2023, if you are over 3.5 tons, work out at about 50cents a mile.
peedee
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"Jim, You were lucky to get away with class 2 with a 3850Kgm motorhome. I stand no chance with my motorhome and have always been billed class 3 at the booths. Perhaps the height (3.4m) is a give away rather than weight although I am aware some toll gates are equipped with rolling weigh bridges."
PD. Fortunately both my previous 4,250kg Autocruise Gleneagle and my current 3,850kg Dethleffs Advantage were/are just under 3 metres tall. This was one of my essential buying criteria.
FG. As far as measuring height is concerned, it's done automatically as you enter the booth, but it's probably not centimetre perfect so you might get lucky and just "scrape" through as Classe 2 without needing to press the call button to get it changed.
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Thanks Jim; I’m assuming there’s no physical height barrier but if you are the wrong height they just don’t let you through?
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I think if it gets your class wrong you just get charged for a different class.
We don't bother with a tag, as it is pretty easy to use the pay machines with a credit or debit card (as long as you have a passenger if you are RHD!) We have a smaller MH so only need standard vignette in Austria and Slovenia or just avoid toll roads if pottering about.
The French tolls are moving to contact less which also makes it easier.
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Forest Gate, please don’t worry about French toll booths and tags on your way to Switzerland.
If you go from Calais via Lille, Namur, Luxembourg, Nancy, Remiremont, and then over the Vosges on the A66 you will reach the Swiss border at Basel without paying any tolls or confronting any tollbooths at at all. They are all big roads - mostly dual carriageway - and you don’t need any sort of tag at all.
Take care.
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Just had a look at Austrian and Slovenian vignette and it looks like you can now order digital versions online, it is linked to registration number.
Austria -10 E for 10 days seems reasonable.
Slovenia - 25 E for 7 days and they now clarify that motorhomes under 3.5t are included in the car category.
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