Border crossing: Austria-Slovakia

Entry requirements and border controls

Within the EU, border controls have been largely abolished. However, Austria is currently carrying out temporary border controls at the Austrian-Slovakian border (since October 2023, most recently extended until 15.03.2027). You should therefore expect spot checks. For EU citizens, a valid ID card or passport is sufficient, and you should always carry it with you.

Well-known border crossings

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There are numerous road crossings between Austria and Slovakia. The best known include:

• Motorway crossing Kittsee (AT) – Jarovce (SVK) – toll required. The other border crossings can be used without a vignette. However, the motorway crossing at Kittsee is the fastest and offers a direct connection between the scenic capital cities of Vienna and Bratislava.

• Hohenau (AT) – Moravský Svätý Ján (SVK)

• Berg (AT) – Bratislava-Petržalka (SVK)

The border crossing between Angern an der March (AT) and Záhorská Ves (SVK) is crossed using a ferry. Motorcycles, cars, trucks, trailers, and passengers are transported across the Morava, a tributary of the Danube. The short crossing is usually significantly cheaper than motorway toll fees. However, a digital vignette is still required to make swift progress on motorways and expressways in both countries.

Austria

The following section gives you an overview of whether you need a vignette and whether there is a distance-based toll.

Austria: Vignette requirement (or not?)

Fees in the form of the vignette requirement apply for the use of the Austrian motorway and expressway network. This means that vehicles up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight require a (digital) vignette. You can find more information on tolls in Austria in our guide. With us, you can conveniently purchase your digital vignette from the comfort of your home.

In addition, there are also motorway sections free of vignette requirements as well as ways to avoid the vignette requirement. You can read about whether bypassing the toll makes sense in our article on bypassing the toll.

Distance-based toll in Austria

Please note that for vehicles over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, the vignette requirement no longer applies, and a distance-based toll must be paid instead. This mileage-dependent toll is billed using a GO-Box, which must be installed in the vehicle for data collection.

Special toll routes

In addition to the vignette requirement and the distance-based toll, there are certain special toll routes in Austria that you should take into account when planning your trip. Using these routes incurs additional fees, independent of the digital vignette or the distance-based toll. You can find more information on special tolls and a list of all relevant special toll routes in our article on special toll routes in Austria.

Slovakia

The following section gives you an overview of whether you need a vignette and whether there is a distance-based toll.

Slovakia: Vignette requirement (or not?)

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Slovakia also operates an electronic toll system on its motorways and expressways.

• Electronic toll boxes (on-board units): In Slovakia, only vehicles over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight that are not registered as passenger cars (class M1) require a toll box; for passenger cars, it is not an alternative to the vignette. The distance-based toll is recorded via satellite, with fees depending on the section traveled and billed through the toll box.

• Vignette: For passenger cars and all other vehicles subject to the vignette requirement, the digital vignette is mandatory, and you can also purchase it through our website. Within the selected period, you can then use Slovakia's motorways as often as you like. Which procedure applies depends on the vehicle class and weight, not on your choice. Take care of this before starting your journey to avoid fines.

Distance-based toll

A distance-based toll must be paid if your vehicle exceeds 3.5 t gross vehicle weight (passenger cars and motorhomes of class M1 excepted). This means that buses and trucks have had to pay a satellite-based, distance-dependent electronic toll since 2010. This distance-based toll therefore replaces the vignette; a vignette is no longer required in this case. The distance-based toll applies in Slovakia on expressways, motorways, and some selected sections of class 1 and class 2 roads. On January 1, 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 December 1, 2026) and will receive a new on-board unit. Rates and the tolled road network will remain unchanged. By the way: for motorhomes registered as passenger cars (class M1), no distance-based toll needs to be paid regardless of weight, meaning that even if your motorhome weighs over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, you only need to purchase a vignette.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

We wish you a safe journey and are happy to help with any questions about toll regulations. Feel free to use our route planner to plan your trip perfectly and see suitable toll products displayed. If you have any further questions about your trip or our digital vignette, feel free to contact us via our email.