A new wave of toll increases will hit carriers in 2026

International hauliers face a more expensive year ahead as several European countries prepare to raise or overhaul heavy-goods vehicle tolls in 2026. New country-by-country data from France’s National Road Transport Committee (CNR) paints a clear picture: the cost of crossing the continent is far from uniform. And the price gaps between countries are set to widen further.

The detailed study, which compares tolls, axle taxes and diesel excise duties across Europe, shows that some networks are already far more expensive than others. With Austria, Denmark and Wallonia introducing new or higher kilometre-based charges next year, those differences will become even more pronounced.

Austria remains the costliest corridor and 2026 brings another reform

For international operators, Austria continues to be the most expensive country to cross. CNR’s simulations place Austrian motorway tolls at €0.5317 per kilometre for heavy goods vehicles, the highest rate in Europe and more than five times the level observed on certain Polish motorways.

France’s concessionary networks, at roughly €0.26/km, sit close to the European upper tier, but still well below Austria’s rates.

Despite already topping the cost rankings, Austria will go further in 2026 with the introduction of a new toll system. Details are still being finalised, but the CNR notes that the reform will add to the cost burden for hauliers using the country’s critical North–South corridors, including the Brenner, Pyhrn and Tauern routes. For operators running daily transit through the Alps, even small increases translate into substantial annual expenses.

Denmark’s move to kilometre charging reshapes Nordic routes

The CNR also highlights a major shift in Denmark, which replaced the Eurovignette with a kilometre-based CO₂-differentiated tolling scheme in 2025. The change effectively ends the predictability of the former flat-rate model and introduces a pay-per-distance structure that varies by vehicle type and emissions profile.

For fleets running Germany–Sweden or Norway–mainland Europe routes, the implications are immediate. The CNR describes the increase in toll costs following the switch as “marked”, and expects the effects to become more visible in 2026 as the system operates for a full year. Operators that previously relied on the stability of the vignette now face a cost structure that climbs with every additional kilometre.

Wallonia increases its kilometres-based system

Belgium’s Walloon Region, a major transit area linking France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, will also raise HGV charges in 2026. The kilometre tax will be indexed by +1.9%, a relatively modest change on paper but one that affects almost every east–west and north–south route crossing western Europe. For multi-country operators, these incremental increases accumulate across the year.

France faces its own competitive pressure

The CNR’s comparative tables also offer a clearer view of France’s position in the European cost landscape. Although France applies the EU-minimum axle tax, it remains comparatively expensive in two key areas: tolls and professional diesel excise.

On concessionary routes, French motorway tolls average between €0.20 and €0.30 per kilometre, placing France among the upper cost tier. The diesel excise applied to professional transport — around €0.136/km after rebates — remains above the European median (€0.121/km). In contrast, neighbouring Spain, Italy and Belgium operate closer to €0.10/km, offering more favourable cost conditions for cross-border operators based there.

The result is that French hauliers, despite being geographically central, operate from a structurally more expensive position than many of their competitors serving the same markets.

A fragmented Europe: what the numbers reveal

When viewed side by side, the CNR data reveals stark differences in toll levels across Europe.. Austria sits at €0.53/km, France at roughly €0.26/km, while Italy, Germany and Belgium occupy a middle band. Spain and Poland appear at the lower end, with Poland’s €0.093/km on certain motorways representing some of the cheapest paid road infrastructure in Europe.

Diesel taxation follows a similar pattern: Ireland sits at the upper end, France above the median, and several southern and eastern Member States close to the minimum. Axle tax disparities exist but have limited influence compared to fuel and toll costs.

For international hauliers, the combination of these three elements — tolls, excise duties and mandatory axle taxes — determines the true cost of running across borders. Even small differences, when multiplied over tens of thousands of kilometres, substantially affect fleet budgets and tender prices.

A broader European shift: kilometre-based CO₂ tolling becomes the norm

Beyond individual national reforms, the CNR emphasises a long-term trend that international hauliers can no longer ignore: Europe is moving decisively toward kilometre-based, CO₂-linked tolling. The revised Eurovignette Directive obliges Member States to align tolls with actual road use and emissions performance. As more countries implement distance-based systems, the trend observed in Denmark, Austria and Belgium is likely to spread across the continent.

CNR notes that whenever a country transitions from a vignette to a kilometre charge, the overall cost of road use tends to rise. The move toward differentiated tariffs also means that older diesel vehicles — still the majority of Europe’s international fleet — face higher relative costs than newer or alternative-fuel trucks.