Toll Bulgaria
Why do you have to pay tolls?
Most countries in Europe charge tolls. There is a so-called toll obligation. But what does that mean? Toll amounts are charged for the use of certain routes, tunnels and bridges. The money collected through the toll is invested in the road network, enabling you to have a smooth journey on your way to your holiday. The primary areas of investment are infrastructure, traffic management and road safety, as well as environmental protection measures.
Infrastructure: construction and maintenance of roads and motorways
Road safety and traffic management: new technologies such as intelligent traffic systems or toll bridges
Environmental protection: expansion of noise barriers or measures to reduce emissions
How is the toll collected?
The toll can be collected in various forms. These include the vignette obligation, the distance-based toll and special toll routes.
Vignette obligation: motorcycles, cars (+ trailers) & motorhomes
Under the vignette obligation, tolls are charged that are not calculated based on kilometres, but correspond to a flat rate that varies depending on the duration of the trip. With the vignette flat rate, you receive your vignette for Bulgaria and can use it to drive on all toll roads (except special toll routes).
The vignette obligation generally applies to vehicles up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight (GVW: permissible gross vehicle weight), but there are also exceptions. In Bulgaria, motorcycles are exempt from the vignette obligation, meaning you do not need to purchase a vignette for your motorcycle. For your car with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 3.5 t, you must purchase a vignette.
If you are driving a car with a trailer, you also only need one vignette, as long as the two combined (car + trailer) do not weigh more than 3.5 t GVW. If your car together with the trailer exceeds a permissible gross vehicle weight of 3.5 t, then you will need a second vignette for your trailer. Accordingly, your car + trailer is still subject to the vignette obligation, even if the weight exceeds 3.5 t GVW. The same applies to a trip to Bulgaria with a caravan. Regardless of the total weight of the motorhome, you only need to purchase one vignette and do not need to pay a distance-based toll.
Distance-based toll: trucks over 3.5 t GVW
Unlike the vignette obligation, the distance-based toll is not a flat rate, but is based on the kilometres driven, the vehicle class (number of axles) and the emission class (pollutant load). Accordingly, the amount of the toll can vary greatly. In Bulgaria, the distance-based toll applies to commercial vehicles such as trucks over 3.5 t GVW. Motorhomes and cars with trailers are exempt from the distance-based toll, even if they weigh more than 3.5 t GVW.
Payment of the distance-based toll is made either in advance using a route card (also called a route pass or route plan), in which you provide details of the route you wish to drive, or through an electronic transmitter device (on-board unit). The on-board unit must be fitted to your vehicle and enables contactless payment of tolls. The amount to be paid is automatically debited from your stored payment method. Another option for collecting the distance-based toll is the GPS tracker.
Special toll: applies to all vehicles
The special toll is charged for certain routes that are subject to neither the vignette obligation nor the distance-based toll. Accordingly, you must pay an additional fee to use a special toll route, even if you have already purchased a vignette or are paying the distance-based toll.
Special toll routes are often tunnels or mountain pass roads. Special toll routes in Bulgaria include the Danube crossings. The Danube flows through Romania and Bulgaria, separating the two countries from one another. If you want to use one of the many bridges or the ferry to cross, additional fees will apply.
Vehicle owners who need a vignette pay an additional amount on top of their vignette and must purchase a ticket to use the special toll route. Vehicles that are subject to the distance-based toll do not need to purchase a ticket, but still have to pay the special toll fee. The difference is that the amount is automatically taken into account by the transponder when driving on the route.
It should also be noted that most special toll routes can be reached via access roads subject to the vignette obligation or distance-based access roads. Therefore, it always makes sense to purchase a vignette or a transponder, regardless of the special toll route.
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
Order your digital vignette now conveniently from home with us and benefit from our simple ordering process. Protect yourself for your trip and register your vehicle for a digital vignette to avoid possible fines. We want your journey to be as pleasant as possible thanks to our digital vignette. If you would like to know whether you can avoid tolls in Bulgaria, take a look at our guide. We wish you a great trip. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us via email.
