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Motorway Vignettes and Tolls in Europe: The Guide for Your Driving Holiday

Driving to a holiday park in Europe gives you plenty of freedom, but every border has its own rules: a compulsory Swiss vignette, a digital Austrian vignette, free-flow tolls in France and German low-emission zones (Umweltplakette). Here is an overview, country by country.

By Yourachmeholiday park comparison site

· 8 min read

The figures in this article cover the 33 parks we have studied in detail. The comparison tool now covers 595.

Budget

Forest road seen from above, over the conifers

France and the Benelux: free roads, classic tolls and free flow

Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have motorway networks that are free for private cars, apart from a few toll structures such as the Liefkenshoek Tunnel in Antwerp or the Kiltunnel near Dordrecht.

In France, most motorways have toll barriers. Some sections now use free flow, with no barrier: the A79 in the Allier, the A13 and A14 between Paris and Caen, and the Boulay interchange on the A4. Gantries read your number plate and you have 72 hours to pay online or at a tobacconist in the Nirio network.

Germany: free motorways, but watch out in cities

On German motorways (Autobahn), driving is free for private cars, with no motorway vignette.

  • Environmental sticker (Umweltplakette): required to enter low-emission zones (*Umweltzonen*), of which there were 36 according to the ADAC count in August 2026. It costs about €5 to €20 from vehicle inspection centres (TÜV, DEKRA) or online before you leave.
  • Winter equipment: German law requires 3PMSF-certified winter tyres as soon as conditions turn wintry (snow, black ice, frost).

Switzerland and Austria: the motorway vignette system

To reach holiday parks in the Swiss or Austrian Alps, a valid vignette is compulsory as soon as you join the motorway network:

  • Swiss vignette: a single price of CHF 40, valid for 14 months (from 1 December of the previous year to 31 January of the following year). It comes as a sticker or as an e-vignette linked to your number plate, sold by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) on e-vignette.ch.
  • Austrian vignette: 1 day at €9.60 (digital only), 10 days at €12.80, 2 months at €32 and 1 year at €106.80. The digital version is sold on the official Asfinag website; 2026 is the last year of the sticker vignette.
  • Section tolls in Austria: some Alpine routes (Brenner A13, Tauern A10, Arlberg S16) carry an extra toll, separate from the vignette.

Summary of motorway rules and tolls by country

Motorway rules and tolls for private cars in Western Europe
CountryMotorway systemFormat / PurchaseIndicative cost (7-10 day stay)
BelgiumFree (except Liefkenshoek Tunnel)None€0
NetherlandsFree (except toll tunnels, e.g. Kiltunnel)None€0
GermanyFree (Umweltplakette in cities)Umweltplakette for low-emission zones€0 motorway / €5 to €20 (Umweltplakette)
FranceToll per section (barrier or free flow)Card, cash, toll tag or online within 72 hVaries with the distance driven
SwitzerlandVignette compulsoryE-vignette or official stickerCHF 40 (valid 14 months)
AustriaVignette compulsory + Alpine section tollsAsfinag digital vignette or sticker (2026)€12.80 (10 days) + any section tolls

2026 prices for light vehicles. Always check the motorway operators' official websites before you leave.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you pay for a free-flow motorway in France without a toll tag?
On sections with no barrier (such as the A79 or the A13/A14), you have 72 hours to pay on the motorway operator's website (for example ALIAE or Sanef) with your number plate, or at a tobacconist in the Nirio network.
Is the Swiss e-vignette active as soon as you buy it online?
Yes, the e-vignette bought on the official e-vignette.ch portal is registered to your number plate and active as soon as you pay.
Is there an activation delay for the Austrian vignette bought online?
Yes. For consumers buying online from the official Asfinag portal, the right of withdrawal means 2-month and 1-year vignettes only become valid 18 days after purchase. Buy yours in good time.
Are all-season tyres accepted in Germany in winter?
Yes, as long as they carry the 3PMSF symbol (the three-peak mountain with a snowflake). Tyres marked only M+S are no longer considered compliant under German rules.

The author

Yourachme

Edits hoprat and holds editorial responsibility for it. hoprat is operated by the company Yourachme, Belgian company number BE 0771.759.318.

Driving times, facilities and public ratings come from the hoprat database and remain indicative: check them with the operator before booking. The guide explains how this data is put together.

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