[C] Over the last decade, every start of the year has brought changes to road tolls.
We have grown used to them, but the last three years have introduced truly important changes: the introduction of CO₂ taxation in Germany and Austria, extensions of tolled networks, and differentiation based on emission class.
In 2026, we continue in the same direction. Some changes are moderate and predictable. Others change the logic by which we calculate transport costs. For us in the industry, it is becoming essential not just to track the updates, but to explain them to our partners in a clear, professional, and timely manner.
What is changing in 2026?
In recent years, we have encountered two types of changes to road tolls, which I have often explained at conferences and which I will summarize here:
- Indexing tolls with the inflation rate: small increases, but necessary to explain
These are moderate, predictable increases that occur every year, where countries like France, Italy, Spain, or Belgium add a percentage to the road tolls similar to the inflation rate of the previous year.
2026 maintains the usual pace of annual road toll indexing. The first states to announce changes are:
- France, where motorway concessionaires have announced an average increase of 0.87% starting February 1, 2026.
- Wallonia (Belgium) – here, Viapass has published the updated tariffs. Thus, starting January 1, 2026, an increase of 1.91% will be applied.
- Czechia – the new tariffs to be applied from January 2026 are already published there.
These values are already public and allow us to adjust estimates for the routes in each client’s portfolio. Even if, individually, the increases may seem small, they accumulate over an entire year and deserve transparent explanation.
ATTENTION! These are not all the road toll increases that will be implemented in 2026. Typically, the remaining changes will be published in the last days of the year or the first days of 2026. Based on the experience of previous years, both Austria and Hungary, as well as other states like Italy, Spain, or the Frejus tunnel, will announce toll increases.
2. Fundamental Changes: The Netherlands and Romania shift to kilometer-based taxation
While in other states we are talking about moderate adjustments, 2026 brings a major transformation in the Netherlands and Romania, which radically changes how we calculate the costs of a journey.
The Netherlands – shifting to kilometer-based taxation
Starting in 2026, the Netherlands will completely abandon the vignette system and introduce a kilometer-based toll for heavy goods vehicles. Although the final tariffs have not yet been published, official evaluations and industry analyses estimate a cost between €0.15 and €0.20/km for modern diesel vehicles, including Euro 6.
We are not talking about indexing, but a total repositioning of how transport costs are calculated in the Netherlands.
Romania – introduction of TollRO
Romania will also transition to a similar system, TollRO, in 2026, where the toll is calculated per kilometer and according to the vehicle’s emissions. The final tariffs are not yet published, but it is clear that the classic truck rovinieta (vignette) disappears, and costs will depend on the route and the emission class.
For many local and international companies, this will be one of the most important budget adjustments in recent years.
Additionally, we have new information from Belgium. In the Flanders region, authorities have already announced a much stronger increase of approximately 27% for heavy diesel trucks, applied to the kilometer-based toll system starting July 1, 2026, but this does not involve a transition to the CO2 taxation system applied in the rest of the European states. The increase is significant and must be treated appropriately.
What is next in 2027: the case of Alsace
Alsace is preparing to introduce a regional truck toll, estimated to come into effect in 2027, at a guide level of ~€0.15/km, applied to intensive transit routes (A35, A36). For hauliers who frequently cross the area, these changes are worth considering in medium-term planning.
How do you communicate all these changes?
Regardless of whether we are talking about an increase of 0.87%, an adjustment of 27%, or the introduction of a completely new toll of €0.15–€0.20/km, the common impact is the same:
it forces you into much more rigorous, clearer, and more responsible communication.
Your partners don’t need empty figures, but:
- context,
- realistic estimates for the routes you work on together,
- official sources,
- predictability.
When you explain changes in advance, you avoid unnecessary tension and build dialogues based on trust, not reaction.
Some practical recommendations for correctly managing the changes of 2026
To avoid surprises and maintain stable commercial relationships, here are a few clear actions I recommend:
- Communicate in advance what is changing, where, and when, even if some values are still being updated. An informed client can adjust their budgets without pressure.
- Use only official sources (Viapass, French authorities, the Netherlands, TollRO). Transparency minimizes tense discussions and consolidates trust.
- Calculate the impact on each client’s routes, not at a general level. A “+10 euro/journey on route X” is much easier to understand, accept, and incorporate into planning.
In parallel, ensure that your internal team is also prepared:
- Sales and dispatch must know exactly what has changed and since when, to respond coherently and professionally.
- For spot journeys, a short briefing can prevent taking on below-cost routes, in the context of increasing tolls.
And in the medium term:
- Review contracts and introduce toll adjustment clauses – these are essential in a market where these changes are annual and inevitable.
In conclusion,
Neither 2026 nor this article is about tolls, but about trust, predictability, and how we navigate change.
Don’t forget: costs rise, systems transform, but the most important resource remains the relationship between you and your clients. And in an industry where margins are sensitive and pressures increase year by year, transparency is a strategic necessity, not just a nice gesture.
Therefore, 2026 should not be viewed as a list of new tariffs, but as a test of maturity for how you communicate and how well you manage to offer predictability in a moment of change.