Motorists driving cars or vans with trailers on Poland’s state-managed motorways received welcome news on 27 July when the Ministry of Finance announced the immediate abolition of electronic tolls for this vehicle category. The change, published on the official e-TOLL portal, extends last year’s toll-free policy for light vehicles (up to 3.5 t) to include any attached caravan or cargo trailer. The decision is expected to save holidaymakers an estimated PLN 150 on a return trip from Germany to the Baltic coast and should prove equally beneficial for foreign SMEs that shuttle goods through Poland en route to Ukraine and the Baltics. Car-rental companies near Warsaw–Chopin and Kraków airports are already updating price lists to reflect lower operating costs for customers who hire luggage trailers or camper vans. Infrastructure experts note that toll revenue from light vehicles represents only about 12 % of the e-TOLL system’s takings, whereas the political goodwill generated among voters and tourists is far greater. The National Revenue Administration confirmed that the platform’s geolocation devices (OBU/ELS) will automatically classify trailer combinations as toll-exempt; drivers do not need to modify existing profiles. However, heavy-goods vehicles above 3.5 t remain subject to distance-based charges, and random roadside checks will continue. Deloitte’s mobility tax team advises international courier franchises operating in Poland to review mixed-fleet registrations to avoid inadvertent mis-categorisation that could trigger penalties during audits. For the global mobility community the impact is twofold: expatriate families moving household goods by trailer across Europe will see relocation costs drop, while corporate shuttle services that tow promotional equipment between trade shows will gain new routing flexibility through Poland’s A2 and A4 corridors.
Source: e-TOLL (Ministry of Finance)
