General information

The federal government has strict requirements with regard to the toll system in Germany.

The toll system must:

• Be able to detect a defined toll road network (around 13,000 kilometres of motorways and 38,000 kilometres of federal trunk roads), and only calculate the toll for these roads. It must be possible to extend this road network at any time;
• Take the emission class, axle class and weight class of the truck into consideration when calculating the fee;
• Provide a technological framework that will allow the introduction of additional fee classes, such as time and location of journey;
• Be a "free-flow" system that calculates the toll without stoppages or traffic jams;
• Be a dual system that offers both automatic and manual log-on procedures, thus ensuring that all truck drivers can use the toll road network without discrimination;

The toll system should also provide the technological capability to support other European systems.

With its automatic log-on option, which is based on innovative Global Positioning System (GPS) and mobile radio technologies, and its manual system based on the app and online access, the Toll Collect system fulfils all of these requirements.

The toll system calculates and collects the fees based on the distance travelled - in contrast to how vignettes work. The system also guarantees that the flow of traffic is not impeded during toll collection. Unlike most conventional systems, Toll Collect does not require vehicles to reduce their speed, stop or stay within prescribed lanes.

As a dual system, the toll system also provides two ways to log on: automatic log-on via the On-Board Unit and manual log-on via the app or online.

The automatic log-on system is based on an innovative combination of mobile radio technology (GSM) and a GPS satellite positioning system (Global Positioning System). The core element of the automatic log-on is an On-Board Unit (OBU), which determines the position of the truck and the distance it has travelled using satellite signals and other positioning sensors. The OBU sends this journey data and vehicle-specific characteristics to the computing centre, with a time delay and under encryption. As a result, the journey data is not allocated to the toll route network until it arrives at the Toll Collect computing centre. Once this is done, the toll for the roads subject to toll is calculated in the computing centre based on the vehicle-specific characteristics.

Alternatively, Toll Collect also offers a manual log-on option, which can be used via the app or the Internet. This works in a similar way to buying a train ticket. The driver enters all the relevant vehicle data, and sets the start date, start point and destination of the journey. Based on the data entered by the driver, the route calculation takes into consideration vehicle-specific traffic restrictions, such as closures and weight restrictions.

The easiest way for you to use the toll system is to log on automatically using an On-Board Unit (OBU) in your truck. To do this, you will need to register your company and vehicles in the Toll Collect customer portal. You will receive a confirmation of registration for each truck. Once all the vehicle data has been entered correctly, you can arrange an appointment to get an on-board unit fitted with a service partner authorised by Toll Collect.

The alternative to the automatic system is the manual log-on. This is mainly provided for truck drivers and transport companies who do not drive through Germany very often. You can log on your planned route using the Toll Collect app or online. You don't have to register to be able to log on manually.

More information:

The quickest and easiest way for users to register is online, using the customer portal. The registration process takes only a few minutes to complete. You will be given immediate access to all of the functions in the customer portal, such as the list of journeys still to be invoiced.

The Toll Collect system is designed to provide the technical framework to support other toll systems. Toll Collect already collaborates with the Austrian toll operator ASFINAG. Register for the TOLL2GO service. Then you will only need one On-Board-Unit for toll payment in Germany and Austria – the Toll Collect On-Board Unit.

If your tractor has a gross vehicle weight of at least 7.5 t, it is subject to toll. Under 7.5 t it is toll-free.

As soon as a vehicle with a trailer exceeds the gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 7.5 tonnes, it is subject to the toll. The weight prompt on the OBU at the beginning of the journey must be set to the correct weight class (< 7.5 t, ≥ 7.5 – 11.99 t, ≥ 12 – 18 t or > 18 t) and confirmed by pressing OK. The gross vehicle weight is selected in increments of 1.5 tonnes. The weight class cannot be set lower than the gross vehicle weight saved in the on-board unit. Once your journey has started, the OBU display will continuously show the selected weight class. The gross vehicle weight is determined by adding together the gross vehicle weights of the individual vehicles. Support and fifth-wheel loads are no longer included in this calculation.

If the vehicle is travelling without a trailer, the weight setting "< 7.5 t" should be selected before travel commences.

Trucks that have been retrofitted with a particulate reduction system pay significantly less due to this modern and low-emission exhaust technology than vehicles that cause high emissions. Therefore, vehicles assigned to emission class S2 in combination with particulate reduction class* 1, 2, 3 or 4 can use the lower category C toll rate. Vehicles assigned to emission class S3 in combination with particulate reduction class* 2, 3 or 4 pay the category B rates.

You will find the seven-digit customer number (formerly: user number), for example, on your toll statement in the top right-hand corner and on all our letters.

Our freephone number is available almost everywhere in the world. Only a few countries and providers do not support this service. In these cases, please dial: +49 30 25291303. Calls to this number are charged according to the conditions of your fixed-line or mobile phone provider.

The emission class of a truck registered in Germany or abroad can be determined and verified in various ways. Detailed information on this can be found in the 'Guide for determining the emission classes' from the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office. If you have any further questions about the information provided in the brochure, please contact the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office directly, tel. +49 (0) 221-5776-0.

Please let us know about any changes to your operating and vehicle data as soon as possible.

You can change your payment method in the customer portal. If the legal form of your company has changed, please notify us in writing. You will find the necessary forms in the Download Centre.

You can change your contact details in the customer portal, such as: address, telephone number, contact person and e-mail address. In addition, you can also deregister vehicles there and change the following vehicle data: licence plate number, emission class, number of axles, vehicle identification number, gross vehicle weight and country of registration.

Following your successful "user registration", you will receive your master PIN.

The master PIN is used to authenticate the registered customer. You will need it when phoning customer service and when changing your details.

The toll rate per kilometre consists of three parts:

• Infrastructure costs, based on axle and weight class
• Air pollution caused, based on emission class
• Noise pollution (flat rate)

The truck toll system uses four different axle classes:

• Axle class 1 = 2 axles
• Axle class 2 = 3 axles
• Axle class 3 = 4 axles
• Axle class 4 = 5 or more axles

As of 1 January 2019, only for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 18 tonnes is a differentiation made between toll rates for different axle classes:

• > 18 tonnes with up to 3 axles OR
• > 18 tonnes with 4 or more axles.

The axle class can be read off the toll-rate designation in the itemised journey list.

The weight class is a tariff feature used to calculate the toll. Vehicles are currently divided into the following weight classes:

• < 7.5 tonnes
• ≥ 7.5 to 11.99 tonnes
• ≥ 12 to 18 tonnes
• > 18 tonnes with up to 3 axles
• > 18 tonnes with 4 or more axles.

If the vehicle is travelling without a trailer, the gross vehicle weight of the tractor unit applies. If a trailer is attached to the tractor unit, the total of the two gross vehicle weights applies. As of 1 January 2019, support and fifth-wheel loads are no longer included in the calculation for the gross vehicle weight.

The gross vehicle weight that the customer provides upon registration is permanently stored in the on-board unit. If a trailer has been connected or disconnected, the weight must always be adjusted before starting the next journey. The gross vehicle weight cannot be set lower than the gross vehicle weight saved in the on-board unit during registration.

The weight class can be read off the toll-rate designation in the itemised journey list.