The Collectivité européenne d’Alsace (CeA) approved the details of the R-Pass scheme on 20 October. It will cover the region’s main road network and will take effect at the start of 2027. Rates will vary depending on vehicle weight and emission class, with an average cost of €0.15 per kilometre.
The lowest rate, €0.071/km, will apply to vehicles under 12 tonnes, while the highest rate – €0.345/km – will be charged for the heaviest trucks over 32 tonnes. For a Euro VI truck over 32 tonnes, travelling through Alsace from north to south will cost around €24.
The main goal of the new system is to reduce transit traffic, which has increasingly shifted from Germany to the French side of the Rhine in recent years due to the German LKW-Maut. Regional authorities estimate that truck numbers could fall by 5–10%, while annual R-Pass revenue is expected to reach €50 million. The system will be operated by T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.
Tax to apply to foreign hauliers
According to information published by the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace, the R-Pass will apply to all trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes, regardless of their country of registration. This means foreign hauliers will also be required to pay the toll when using the affected roads.
EU law prohibits discrimination between domestic and foreign vehicles in such systems, so the same rates and rules will apply to all users. The toll will use satellite-based technology and be integrated with the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS), enabling automatic charging and settlement for operators based outside France.
The list of tolled roads will include routes of key strategic importance for transit, particularly sections of the A35 and A36, which connect the north and south of the region along the German border.
Discounts and compensation for local operators
The president of the Alsace Agglomeration, Frédéric Bierry, acknowledged that the new toll “will not be neutral” for local transport companies. To mitigate the impact, the CeA plans to offer a 13% discount for carriers making more than 20 journeys per month, along with a compensation scheme.
According to Bierry, the compensations aim to help companies “make their operations more environmentally friendly” and support the shift towards rail and river transport, ultimately improving “economic mobility” in the region.
Difficult negotiations with the Grand Est region
Although the Alsace authorities have pledged support, the details of the compensation scheme have yet to be finalised. “Talks to reach an agreement on compensation are expected to begin at the end of November,” said Marie Breton, delegate of the TLF organisation in the Grand Est region.
The main obstacle is that CeA does not have the authority to provide financial aid. To make the compensation system operational, an agreement with the Grand Est region, which has the necessary financial capacity, will be required.
Tensions between Alsace and Grand Est further complicate the process. Nevertheless, regional officials remain hopeful of reaching a compromise — particularly since Grand Est also plans to introduce its own truck toll, covering 500 kilometres of routes in Lorraine from July 2027, six months after the launch of the Alsace scheme.
Experts warn, however, that this timetable could face significant delays.
