From July 1, 2026, the Netherlands is fundamentally changing the way roads are paid for by heavy trucks: the temporary eurovignette is completely abolished and replaced with a kilometer charge (Dutch: vrachtwagenheffing). The change directly affects international transportation to the country and transit through it, including flows coming from Ukraine and Moldova through the EU — and therefore is worth the attention of everyone who plans a trip on the page for truck drivers.
What's changing:
So far, most heavy trucks in the Netherlands have paid a fixed contribution for a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual vignette, which provided unlimited travel on the paid network of participating countries. From July 1, 2026, this system in the Netherlands is being abolished.
- The charge applies to trucks in categories N2 and N3 with a technically permissible maximum mass of over 3.5 tons.
- The fee is charged per kilometer traveled on paid roads — mostly highways and individual national and local roads.
- The average tariff is around 0.16–0.19 euros per kilometer (in 2023 prices); the exact rate depends on the vehicle's mass, Euro environmental class, and CO₂ emissions indicator.
In practice, instead of a single vignette for unlimited mileage, each kilometer now creates direct costs.
How the charge will be collected:
To use the Dutch network after July 1, 2026, carriers must install a certified on-board unit (OBU), connected to a toll service provider. The device records the distance traveled on paid roads and transmits the data for invoicing.
- Conclude an agreement with a registered toll operator.
- Install the OBU in each relevant vehicle and configure it correctly.
- Check the correctness of the vehicle's classification (mass, Euro class, CO₂ category) — the rate directly depends on this.
Control will be carried out through roadside checks and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems. The absence of registration, a device, or non-payment threatens significant fines, and in serious cases — detention of the vehicle.
Impact on costs and routes:
For international carriers, the new model changes the very structure of costs: they are no longer "spread out" in a fixed vignette, but directly tied to mileage, route choice, and fleet efficiency. How this works with paid sections in other EU countries, we have collected on the map of European toll roads.
- Long transits through the Netherlands become more expensive compared to shorter direct routes.
- More modern trucks with lower emissions (higher Euro class, better CO₂ rating) receive a lower rate per kilometer.
- Carriers can review planning to reduce paid mileage in the Netherlands — taking into account driver work norms and waiting time at the border.
For Nakordoni.eu users, this means that Dutch costs will increasingly depend on the exact mileage within the country after crossing the border, and not just on the presence of a vignette. When planning a trip, it's worth considering the time in queues — for example, on the freight route Uzhgorod (waiting statistics) — and the new kilometer charge.
Who is affected:
The charge applies to both Dutch and foreign trucks over 3.5 tons, including from neighboring countries. So, the change is especially relevant for carriers from Germany, Belgium, France, and Poland, as well as for Ukrainian and Moldovan operators who transit through the EU to enter the Netherlands.
- EU carriers with regular trips to Dutch ports and logistics hubs.
- Ukrainian, Moldovan, and other non-EU operators transiting through EU territory.
- Logistics companies that use Dutch infrastructure as a gateway for long-distance transportation.
Since the eurovignette ceases to operate in the Netherlands on the same day the new charge starts, there is no transition period — you need to be ready from the first day.
What carriers should do now:
- Map existing and planned routes through the Netherlands and estimate future costs per kilometer.
- Review the fleet composition and prioritize more efficient vehicles for Dutch trips.
- Contact toll operators in advance to avoid queues for OBU installation before the start.
- Inform drivers, dispatchers, and clients about the changes, taking into account the new cost structure in prices and planning.
Technical rules, rate tables, and a list of certified operators are published on the official Dutch government portal for toll collection. You can track queues at EU entry points and plan trips conveniently through our section for truck drivers.