According to the latest data, the length of public roads in Poland is about 425,000 km. This includes paved highways (about 304,000 km), freeways marked with the letter A (about 2,105 km) and other highways.
Thousands of local drivers as well as foreigners travel on Poland's highways every year. But not everyone knows that the highway network includes some sections for which you have to pay a toll. For some drivers, especially foreigners, such highways pose a real problem. How to determine where the toll plazas are located? What is the cost of traveling on them? What are the payment methods?
In order not to get into an unpleasant situation during your trip, plan your route in advance and find out the cost of the highway, and don't forget to check the procedure for changing your driver's license if you plan to stay in Poland for a long time.
Toll roads in Poland
Roads for motorists in Poland come in three types:
- National highways. This is the most used highway network of roads. It includes all Polish toll-free roads except those listed below.
- Autobahns. Modern highways with clearly defined dimensions of shoulders, lanes, exits. There are no intersections on such highways. Autobahns do not pass through major population centers.
- Expressways. These are the most technologically advanced highways, which can have intersections and pass through the borders of major cities in Poland.
In Poland, as in other European countries, there are sections of roads, for travel on which you have to pay. Therefore, everyone who is going to go to this country on vacation, on business or for permanent residence should know about the location of such roads and their cost.
By the way, one highway may have two toll sections at once. Toll roads in Poland are marked with special symbols:
|
Highway (A) |
Toll sections |
Toll (PLN) |
Additional information |
|
A1 |
1 section |
29,9 |
Upon entry, a ticket is obtained, which is kept for the entire road |
|
A2 |
4 sections |
18 - 23 |
- |
|
A4 |
2 sections |
16,2 and 24 |
Tariffs are reviewed periodically |
Toll roads in Poland: what you need to know
How do I pay for toll roads in Poland? There are several ways to pay for a toll road. A number of factors are relevant here. You will learn about them below.
Time of payment
We are talking about road sections on which payment can be made both at entry and exit. First of all, this applies to passenger cars. As for trucks, they are subject to additional requirements.
Depending on the time of payment, there are open (otwarty) and closed (zamknienty) payment options:
- The open method is a method from the past, today it is not particularly popular among Poles. The open method often leads to queues. In this case, the highway toll is paid at the entrance.
- The closed method implies that when entering a toll road, the motorist receives a ticket, where the time of the start of driving on the toll road is fixed, and when leaving the toll road, payment is made for the actual distance traveled.
By method of payment
You can pay for the toll section either in cash (in euros, US dollars, zloty) or with Visa, MasterCard, Maestro bank cards. However, if you pay in cash, the change will not be given to you in the currency of payment, but only in zloty.
By method of service
At the checkpoints of toll roads, there may be several service options. For example, a traffic police officer can raise and lower the barrier. In this case, he also accepts payment.
However, the system is being improved every year, and raising/lowering the barrier, accepting payment, and calculating the kilometerage are done automatically. The driver can pay for the trip by bank transfer.
Road tolling via e-TOLL
As of December 2021, the A2 and A4 toll roads in Poland have been switched to the only possible method of toll payment. This is an electronic method via the e-TOLL system.
The modern method works thanks to satellite positioning technology. The system replaced the earlier viaTOLL system, which used short-range communication technology (DSRC). Accordingly, all barriers and toll booths on these road sections have been removed.
To pay for roads via e-TOLL, you need to buy a single ticket or a day pass, the price of which does not depend on your kilometerage.
There are two ways to pay for tolls using the e-TOLL system:
- Through the e-TOLL PL mobile app;
- An electronic ticket purchased from distributors.
You can pay your fare through partner apps, as well as at Orlen gas stations (the sales system is already operational) and Lotos.
You can buy a ticket 60 days before the trip. In this case, you have to specify the date when the trip starts. Thus, you can use the ticket within 48 hours from the specified date. Also, before the specified travel start date, the ticket can be refunded in the same way it was purchased.
Sometimes, if there are insufficient funds in your account or there is a technical failure during the payment, the payment can be made within the next three days and it will not be considered a violation.
Remember that if you do not pay on time, you can be fined 500 PLN. About a hundred police cars with cameras are distributed along sections of the A2 and A4 highways, where e-TOLL service points operate. These measures help to track drivers while they are driving without having to stop them. A fine is also issued if the vehicle owner does not have the location service enabled. If the fine is paid in less than 7 days, its amount can be reduced by PLN 100.
Conclusion
Toll roads in Poland are very easy to use, judging by the numerous reviews of tourists. Many note that it is worth driving on any of them just once, and it becomes clear how and how much to pay. Payment through terminals installed at the entrances to the toll road work without fail. The cost of toll roads in Poland can be paid in any convenient way.
Many people are pleased that on the roads of Poland there is an opportunity to make payments in euros and US dollars. Most importantly, you should be sure to keep the ticket until the end of the toll road. If the receipt is lost, the driver can be fined and will have to pay the maximum.