Truck Toll Poland: The e-TOLL System
Since 2021, Poland has operated the electronic toll system e-TOLL, which replaced its predecessor viaTOLL. The system is operated by the Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS), Poland's national tax administration authority. It records commercial vehicles on selected motorways, expressways and national roads fully automatically — no barriers, no waiting times.
Which roads are subject to tolls?
In Poland, vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 3.5 tonnes or more are subject to tolls on a defined network comprising:
- Motorways (A): Selected sections of the A1, A2, A4, A6 and other routes
- Expressways (S): Parts of the S-road network, particularly on key transit corridors
- Drogi krajowe (DK): Certain national trunk roads
Important: Not the entire motorway network is billed via e-TOLL. Some sections are handled separately.
Concession roads: a special case with toll barriers
A special case in the Polish toll system is the so-called concession roads. Here, private operators have taken over construction and operation and collect tolls independently via traditional barrier systems. A well-known example is the A1 on the Toruń–Gdańsk section, operated by Autostrada Polska. On these sections, drivers pay directly at the barrier — by card, cash or transponder — and not via e-TOLL.
For route planning this means: even on a route that appears to run entirely on Polish motorways, different payment methods may be required.
Which vehicle data determines the toll rate?
Toll calculation in Poland is based on two factors:
- Vehicle weight: A distinction is made between vehicles under 12 tonnes and vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of 12 tonnes or more.
- Euro emission class: Cleaner vehicles (Euro 5, Euro 6) pay less toll than older vehicles with higher emissions.
There is no CO₂ class as in Germany — this considerably simplifies the tariff structure. Current rates can be found in the toll rules for Poland.
How is the toll paid?
Registration and billing via e-TOLL is handled in several ways:
- OBU (On-Board Unit): A permanently installed device transmits position and vehicle data automatically via GPS.
- e-TOLL App: For vehicles that travel to Poland less frequently, the official smartphone app of the Polish Ministry of Finance can be used. The device acts as a mobile registration unit.
- Interoperable transponders: Devices such as Via EMYS or BeeTRACK work across borders and are also compatible with e-TOLL — practical for fleets operating in multiple European countries.
Tolls are calculated and billed in Polish Złoty (PLN).
Poland in a European comparison
Poland is one of the least expensive toll countries in Europe. For a fully loaded 40-tonne articulated lorry with a Euro 6 engine, the costs on Polish toll roads are significantly lower than in countries such as Germany, Austria or Belgium. This makes Poland particularly attractive for transit traffic between Western and Eastern Europe — and explains why hauliers frequently prefer routes through Poland over more northerly alternatives.
At the same time: not every kilometre on Polish motorways is subject to a toll. The actual toll share of the total distance depends heavily on the route chosen.