Vehicles under 3.5 T
Good news for drivers traveling in Croatia is that there is no specific Croatia vignette for this country. Instead of vignettes, the Croatian authorities apply tolls for the use of highways, expressways, bridges and tunnels.
Croatia has a well-developed system of motorways and the tolls for using them vary depending on the number of kilometers traveled and the type of vehicle.
The cost of the motorway toll in Croatia is approximately 6-7 euros for every 100 km traveled.
Croatia toll roads – how to pay?
There are two road toll payment systems in Croatia, depending on how they are implemented on tunnels, bridges and highways.
- Closed system: This toll system applies to bridges, tunnels and some shorter highway sections in Croatia. In the closed system, you will pay a single toll when entering the respective road section. This is a fixed fee and there are no other payment costs upon exit.
- Open system: In the case of the open payment system, you will go through a toll station at the start of the motorway, where you will receive a ticket. At the end of the motorway section you are driving, you will have to pay the Croatia motorway toll depending on the type of vehicle and the number of kilometers driven.
Careful! It is very important to keep the ticket you receive when you enter the motorway, because otherwise, at the end of the journey, if you cannot present the ticket, you will be obliged to pay the equivalent of the longest stretches of motorway that you could travel according to of your vehicle category.
Vehicle categories for Croatia vignette
The vehicle categories for motorway tolling for vehicles under 3.5 T are as follows:
- Category IA: Motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles.
- Category I: Motor vehicles with two axles and a height of up to 1.90 m.
- Category II: Motor vehicles with two axles and a height greater than 1.90 m, but with a maximum authorized mass of 3500 kg, as well as motor vehicles consisting of two vehicles, where the motor vehicle is less than 1.90 m high and with a trailer with any number of axles and height.
Depending on the category of your vehicle and the kilometers traveled on the road section, you will have a certain amount to pay.
How do I pay tolls Croatia
You can pay the motorway Croatia toll roads (Croatia vignette) in different ways at the toll stations related to each type of system you pass through:
- Cash – you can pay the fee in euros or Croatian kuna;
- Debit/credit card – you can pay using your bank card;
- Fuel cards – some fuel cards can be used to pay motorway tolls.
It is important to note that, between June and September, a seasonal surcharge of 10% applies.
If you want more information about the related fees and payment systems, you can consult the official websites of the motorways:
- HAC (Hrvatske Autoceste) – https://hac.hr/
- BINA Istra – https://www.bina-istra.com/
- Autocesta Zagreb-Macelj (AZM) – https://www.azm.hr/
Tolls roads Croatia for tunnels and bridges
To cross the tunnels and bridges, a fixed fee is charged at the entrance to the corresponding road section. This tax is not calculated according to kilometers traveled, but depends on the category of vehicle. Thus, tolls for tunnels and bridges are paid at the toll station only when entering the respective structures. Each category of vehicle has its own rates, and the amount must be paid at the time of passing through the appropriate toll point.
For the KRK Bridge in Croatia, the toll for vehicles under 3.5 T starts at 21 Kuna.
In the case of the Sveti Ilija Tunnel, the toll starts at 12 Kuna for vehicle categories below 3.5 T.
Fine for Croatia vignette
The penalties for not paying Croatia toll roads are very severe. According to the penalty rules for failure to pay the Croatia motorway toll (Croatia vignette), the driver of the vehicle will be fined twice the fare for the longest route corresponding to the vehicle category, in the following situations:
- The driver no longer holds the ticket issued at the entrance to the highway section;
- The driver presents himself at the toll station 24 hours after the ticket was issued, without having any justification for the delay;
- The data recorded on the ticket issued at the entrance to the motorway can no longer be used to calculate the toll.
Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the tickets issued at the toll stations and pay in time to avoid such penalties.
Croatia toll calculator
If you want to be better organized and plan your route efficiently, you can calculate the costs of your chosen route from home, including related tolls, for a smooth and predictable journey.
For this, you can use the Croatia Tax Calculator, available here.
Vehicles over 3.5 T
Vehicles categories for Croatia vignette
Depending on the vehicle category and kilometers traveled, you will have to pay a certain amount for the Croatia vignette.
- Category III: Vehicles with two or three axles and a maximum authorized mass of more than 3500 kg, vehicles with two axles and a mass of more than 3500 kg with a single-axle trailer, as well as category II vehicles with a trailer with any number of axles attached.
- Category IV: Motor vehicles with four or more axles and a maximum authorized mass of more than 3500 kg, two-axle vehicles with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3500 kg with a trailer with two or three axles, as well as motor vehicles with three axles and a maximum authorized mass of over 3500 kg, with a trailer having any number of axles.
Croatia toll roads
If you are transiting or carrying out a transport in Croatia, you will be subject to the payment of road tax, and the costs will be determined according to the distance traveled on the highway and the category of your vehicle.
Tolls will be collected at toll stations on the motorways and will be calculated according to the number of kilometers traveled and the type of vehicle you drive.
This process is similar to that of vehicles under 3.5 T, which you can read more about in the first part of this article, in the related section.
Toll device ETC
The electronic tolling system ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) is an efficient option for paying road tax in Croatia. It is mounted on the windshield of the vehicle and can be configured either in pre-paid mode, where you can load the sums of money in advance, or in post-paid mode, where the payment is made later, depending on the route traveled and related taxes.
To load money in pre-paid mode, you can use the mobile application or make payments via SMS, using the bank card. This system facilitates transit on highways and reduces waiting time at toll stations.
For more information about the ETC service and how to use it, you can access this link.
