Slovakia: New traffic rules and significantly higher fines from September 2026

In Slovakia, numerous new traffic rules will apply from 1 September 2026: stricter requirements at pedestrian crossings, new turning and parking rules, as well as significantly higher fines for speeding, mobile phone use and insufficient safety distance.

The changes affect all road users in Slovakia, including holidaymakers and travellers passing through on their way to the High Tatras, Bratislava or further on towards Poland and Hungary. Anyone who regularly drives to Slovakia should be aware of the most important changes.

What's changing for drivers

At pedestrian crossings, vehicles will in future have to stop as soon as a pedestrian clearly intends to step onto the crossing, rather than only once they are already on the road. At traffic-light-controlled junctions, U-turns are now generally permitted, provided it can be done safely and no traffic sign explicitly prohibits it; the previous general ban on U-turns no longer applies. Reversing at such junctions remains prohibited.

Outside built-up areas, the parking ban now also applies on main roads, not just on classified national roads. In pedestrian zones, the speed limit for authorised vehicles drops from the previous 20 km/h to 10 km/h, while it remains at 20 km/h in purely residential zones.

Significantly higher fines

Anyone exceeding the maximum permitted speed by more than 50 km/h within built-up areas or by more than 60 km/h outside them now pays 800 to 1,300 euros instead of the previous 500 to 1,000 euros, with an additional driving ban of six months to three years also possible. Other new fines include: insufficient safety distance 99 euros, mobile phone use while driving 249 euros, and failure to wear a seatbelt 78 euros. These offences can now also be penalised under "objective liability", meaning without the police having to stop the vehicle directly.

Tolls in Slovakia

The Slovak toll system remains unaffected by the new traffic rules: cars and motorhomes registered as cars (class M1) continue to require a vignette regardless of weight, as do vehicles and combinations up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight (for combinations over 3.5 t, an additional vignette is required for the trailer); motorcycles are exempt. For other vehicles over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, the distance-based toll applies instead, via the satellite-based eMYTO system with a vehicle unit (on-board unit). From 1 January 2027, Slovakia will switch the distance-based toll to a new system: anyone currently using an on-board unit from the operator SkyToll will need to re-register their vehicle (with the national provider CzechToll from 1 December 2026) and will receive a new on-board unit. Rates and the tolled road network remain unchanged. There is no separate special toll in Slovakia.

Anyone who regularly travels through several countries can often save money with the Vignette Flat Rate instead of buying a vignette for each country individually: for 12.80 euros* per month, vignettes for all eight supported countries are included.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

For more information, visit our overview page Vignette Slovakia as well as the page Tolls in Slovakia. Currently also relevant for travel through Slovakia: the roadworks on the D1 near the Tatras. If you have any questions, you can reach us at any time by email.