Truck Toll Germany 2026: How much does it cost?

Quick answer: A 40 t truck pays €0.35–0.52/km in Germany (Euro 6, CO₂ class 1), typically around €0.35/km. Tolls apply to vehicles over 3.5 t on motorways and tolled federal roads and are charged per distance via Toll Collect.

The truck toll in Germany costs approx. €0.35–0.52/km in 2026 (40 t, Euro 6, CO₂ class 1) – for a 40-tonne truck on a typical motorway route around €0.35/km. Toll is charged by distance via Toll Collect (free-flow, no barriers); all vehicles over 3.5 t on motorways and toll federal highways are liable.

How the German toll system works

The German toll system is operated by Toll Collect GmbH; oversight lies with the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM). It works on the free-flow principle: vehicles are detected automatically at toll gantries via GNSS or microwave – no barriers, no waiting.

Toll is charged on:

• Federal motorways (A-roads) – in full
• Federal highways (B-roads) – selected sections
• Other federal trunk roads

State, district and urban roads are generally toll-free.

How much is the truck toll in 2026?

The toll rate depends on four factors:

1. Weight class (3.5–7.5 t · 7.5–12 t · 12–18 t · over 18 t)
2. Number of axles (over 18 t: 2–3, 4, 5+ axles)
3. Euro emission class (Euro 0–6)
4. CO₂ class (1–5, mandatory since March 2024)

Toll rates 2026 per km (Euro 6, CO₂ class 1, source: Toll Collect rates since 1 Jul 2024):

Older emission classes cost significantly more: A Euro-0 truck (5+ axles) pays €0.516/km instead of €0.348/km – the range runs from €0.15 to €0.52/km.

CO₂ class 1 (standard diesel without certificate) is the fallback – if you do not register a better classification with Toll Collect, you automatically pay this rate. With CO₂ class 4 (certified low emissions) the rate for a 5-axle truck drops to €0.269/km. Electric vehicles (class 5) are exempt from toll until 30 June 2031.

Special case 7.49 t: Vehicles up to 7.49 t permissible gross weight pay just €0.151/km – which is why many 7.5-tonne configurations (e.g. 7.49 t trucks) are popular in practice to reduce toll.

Example toll costs

Real route costs (calculated with tollcalc, 40 t / Euro 6 / CO₂ class 1, as of 28 Aug 2026):

Example Hamburg → Munich: 786 tolled km × €0.348/km ≈ €273. You can calculate your own route for free.

How do you pay?

• OBU (on-board unit): Toll Collect device, automatically detects via GNSS – best for frequent drivers.
• App / web booking: for occasional trips, book before departure.
• ANPR (licence plate recognition): emergency fallback only; without prior registration it leads to a surcharge.

How does toll billing work?

Billing depends on the payment method:

• With OBU: The toll is recorded automatically per trip and billed monthly as a collective invoice. The Toll Collect toll account is settled by direct debit or transfer – ideal for hauliers with many vehicles.
• Without OBU (single booking): The toll is paid immediately at booking via app or portal – no monthly billing.
• Receipts & toll account: All trips and invoices can be viewed and exported as receipts via the Toll Collect portal – important for audits and for passing toll on to customers (in freight forwarding, toll is usually a pass-through item).

Is the truck toll tax-deductible? (Tax & VAT)

The truck toll is a public-law fee – no VAT is charged. For hauliers and commercial fleet operators it is still tax-relevant:

• Business expense: The toll is fully deductible as a business expense – it reduces profit.
• Pass-through to customers: In freight costing, toll is usually shown as its own line item and passed through to the client (often as a “toll share” in the freight calculation).

Note: This information is general in nature and not tax advice – for individual cases please consult your tax advisor.

What happens if you don't pay the toll?

Driving toll roads without paying can have three consequences:

1. Subsequent toll collection (Nacherhebung): Under Section 8 BFStrMG, the toll can be collected retroactively by administrative notice – even weeks after the trip. The appeals authority is the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM).
2. 500 km flat-rate: If the actual route cannot be determined, a tolled distance of 500 km is assumed at the highest applicable rate (air-pollutant category F, highest CO₂ class). Depending on vehicle class this can quickly amount to €200 or more.
3. Fine: Driving without paying the toll is an administrative offence – the fine is up to €240 (driver and/or operator).

Enforcement is automatic via toll gantries (ANPR), mobile checks and stationary checkpoints at borders – foreign vehicles included. Driving without an OBU or without manual booking is virtually always detected.

Tip: For occasional trips, book in advance via the Toll Collect app (takes a few minutes). For regular trips, an OBU pays off – or check your route with the TollCalc toll calculator.

What share of transport costs is the toll?

After fuel and driver wages, the toll is the third-largest cost item in long-haul transport. Example calculation for a 40-tonne tractor-trailer (curtain-sider) on 100 km of German motorway (Euro 6, CO₂ class 1):

Toll share: €34.80 / €137.20 ≈ 25% of variable direct costs on German motorways. On international routes (e.g. Germany → Poland) the share is lower because tolls in Eastern Europe are cheaper – in Austria (€0.50/km) and Switzerland it is higher.

Note: Simplified direct-cost calculation without insurance, maintenance, tyres, vignettes and overhead – the real toll share of total costs is therefore somewhat lower (~20–25%).

Toll special structures: Germany's toll tunnels

In addition to the distance toll, Germany has two privately operated toll tunnels for road traffic. They are paid separately from the Toll Collect toll and appear as their own line item in the TollCalc calculation (interaction: replace):

Herrentunnel Lübeck (B 75, Trave crossing)

Private toll tunnel in Lübeck under the Trave river – connects the B 75 between Lübeck and the A 1 towards Fehmarn/Scandinavia. Operated by Herrentunnel GmbH & Co. KG (herrentunnel-luebeck.de). Toll is paid directly at the tunnel (cash, debit/credit card, OBU tag not valid).

Warnowtunnel Rostock (B 103, Warnow crossing)

Private toll tunnel in Rostock under the Warnow river – relieves the city of through traffic towards the Baltic coast. Operated by Warnowquerung GmbH & Co. KG (warnowquerung.de · warnowtunnel.de). Payment also directly at the tunnel (cash, card, app).

Important for route planning: - The tunnel toll comes in addition to the normal distance toll – a 40-tonne truck pays +€12.10 (Herrentunnel) or +€13.00 (Warnowtunnel). - The Elbtunnel in Hamburg (A 7) is toll-free as a special structure – it is part of the motorway toll, no extra fee. - The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel (Denmark–Germany) is still under construction and is expected to open in the late 2020s.

International special structures (e.g. Mont Blanc/Fréjus tunnels FR/IT, Liefkenshoek tunnel Antwerp, Westerschelde tunnel NL) are also covered by TollCalc – see the live toll rules and the respective country articles.

Discounts and Concessions

Note: User-specific discounts are the exception in Europe – rates are generally determined by vehicle data alone (weight, axles, Euro/CO₂ class). Where operators do offer discounts, these apply per concession and are subject to conditions. Status: October 2026; the terms of the respective operator are authoritative.

Operator: Federal government (Toll Collect). Private tunnels such as the Warnowtunnel and the Herrentunnel Lübeck charge their own tariffs and in some cases offer discount cards or subscriptions for frequent users – contact the respective operator directly.

Official sources

• Toll Collect – Official website
• BALM – Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility
• BFStrMG § 8 – Subsequent toll collection (gesetze-im-internet.de)
• Herrentunnel Lübeck – Tariffs
• Warnowtunnel Rostock – Prices
• Live toll rules for Germany (rate tables & per-rule sources)

FAQ

Is the toll in Germany mandatory for 3.5 t vans?

No – toll liability starts at a permissible gross weight of more than 3.5 tonnes. Smaller vans are toll-free.

What does 1 km of truck toll cost in Germany in 2026?

For a 40-tonne truck (Euro 6, CO₂ class 1) approx. €0.35–0.52/km, depending on axle count and CO₂ class. Smaller vehicles (7.5–12 t) pay less, from about €0.30/km.

What happens if I don't pay the toll in Germany?

The toll can be collected retroactively by administrative notice (Section 8 BFStrMG). If the route cannot be determined, a flat-rate tolled distance of 500 km at the highest rate is assumed – plus a fine of up to €240.

How big is the toll share of transport costs?

For a 40-tonne truck on German motorways around 25% of variable direct costs (fuel, driver, depreciation, toll) – the third-largest cost item after diesel and driver wages.

Are there toll tunnels in Germany?

Yes – the Herrentunnel in Lübeck (€5.20–12.10 depending on axles) and the Warnowtunnel in Rostock (€5.50–13.00). They are paid separately from the Toll Collect toll, directly at the tunnel. The Elbtunnel in Hamburg is toll-free.

What is the toll for a 7.49-tonne truck?

Vehicles up to 7.49 t permissible gross weight pay approx. €0.151/km in 2026 (Euro 6, CO₂ class 1) – about half of a 40-tonne truck. That is why 7.49 t configurations are popular in regional transport.

How is the truck toll billed?

With an OBU automatically per trip and billed monthly as a collective invoice from the Toll Collect toll account. Without an OBU, the single booking is paid immediately via app or portal. All receipts can be exported in the Toll Collect portal.

What is the CO₂ class and why does it matter?

Since the toll reform of 1 March 2024, the CO₂ component is mandatory. Vehicles are split into 5 classes – class 1 (standard) is the most expensive tier; class 5 (electric/hydrogen) is toll-exempt until 30 June 2031. Without an active certificate, class 1 applies automatically.

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