Electronic toll system

Basic information

The electronic toll system currently covers more than 8,309 km of designated road sections in the Slovak Republic. Of this, approximately 924 km of designated motorway sections and 1,637 km of designated class I road sections represent sections subject to toll payment, i.e. sections charged at a non-zero toll rate. The remaining approximately 2,123 km of designated sections of so-called other class I roads and 3,625 km of designated class II road sections are charged at a zero toll rate. Further information on the network of designated road sections can be found on the page Tolled sections.

In the Slovak Republic, the obligation to pay toll applies to motor vehicles and combinations of vehicles with a maximum technically permissible total weight exceeding 3,500 kg (except for category M1 motor vehicles and combinations of vehicles consisting of a category M1 or N1 motor vehicle and a category O1 or O2 trailer). More detailed information on the categories of vehicles subject to the obligation to pay toll, as well as on vehicles exempt from toll payment, can be found on the page Tolled vehicles.

The electronic toll system includes the on-board unit (OBU), an electronic technical device with which every vehicle subject to the toll payment obligation must be equipped before driving on designated road sections. The on-board unit transmits to the electronic toll system the data necessary to evaluate the vehicle's journey and calculate the relevant toll amount. In the electronic toll system, the on-board unit is assigned to a specific vehicle according to its vehicle registration number and cannot be transferred between vehicles. More detailed information on the issuing, use and return of the on-board unit can be found in the section On-board unit.

The amount of toll is determined according to the distance travelled on designated road sections, the relevant toll rate and the data recorded for the vehicle, in particular its category, emission class and number of axles. More detailed information on toll rates, toll calculation and discounts on toll rates can be found on the page Toll rates and discounts.

Responsibilities

The Toll Collection Administrator in the Slovak Republic is the National Motorway Company, a.s. Toll services for toll payers in the prepaid toll regime are provided, under an agreement with the Toll Collection Administrator, by CzechToll s.r.o. as the Toll Services Provider.

Under this agreement, the Toll Services Provider ensures, in particular, for toll payers in the prepaid toll regime:

• vehicle registration and the conclusion of related contracts,
• the provision of on-board units and their assignment to specific vehicles,
• the distribution, logistics and operation of on-board units,
• the management of data on vehicles, on-board units and toll accounts in the electronic toll system,
• the receipt and recording of prepaid toll payments,
• the provision of customer services through customer points, the customer information portal and the customer line,
• the handling of customer submissions,
• the provision of other customer services and support related to the prepaid toll regime.

More detailed information on the scope of customer services provided and on customer channels is available in the section Customer support.

Technology

The electronic toll system in the Slovak Republic is based on advanced satellite toll collection technology, in which the vehicle's position is determined via the on-board unit, and the vehicle journey data thus obtained is transmitted to the electronic toll system via mobile communication networks. This technology also provides a high degree of flexibility and scalability of the electronic toll system in the event of changes to the scope of designated road sections, adjustments to charging rules, and the further development of electronic toll services.

The on-board units used in the Slovak electronic toll system integrate the following three basic technologies:

• satellite positioning of the vehicle – used to obtain data on the vehicle's journey on designated road sections,
• GSM-GPRS mobile communication – used to transmit data between the on-board unit and the electronic toll system,
• 5.8 GHz short-range microwave technology – used mainly for toll collection control.

The technological solution of the Slovak electronic toll system also supports the technical interoperability required for the functioning of the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS).

Toll collection

Before driving on designated road sections, a vehicle subject to the toll payment obligation must be registered in the electronic toll system and must also be equipped with an activated on-board unit that is correctly positioned in the vehicle and has correct and up-to-date vehicle data set.

Within the Slovak electronic toll system, a prepaid toll regime is available to toll payers. Toll services under this regime are provided by the Toll Services Provider. Under a single agreement on the use of designated road sections in the prepaid toll regime, it is possible to register one or more vehicles to a single toll account. As needed, a vehicle operator may also have several toll accounts set up, for example for the separate management of vehicles or costs, with each toll account being kept under a separate agreement on the use of designated road sections. Before driving on designated road sections, the relevant toll account must have sufficient funds to cover toll, i.e. a sufficient prepaid toll balance.

While driving, the on-board unit obtains data on the vehicle's position and sends it for processing to the electronic toll system. The electronic toll system evaluates this data against current geographical data on designated road sections and, based on map matching, identifies whether the vehicle used a section subject to toll payment.

If use of a section subject to toll payment is determined, the electronic toll system establishes the distance travelled and calculates the relevant toll amount according to the applicable toll rate and the data recorded for the vehicle. In the prepaid toll regime, the calculated toll is continuously deducted from the prepaid toll balance on the relevant toll account.

More detailed information on the use of the on-board unit while driving on designated road sections is available on the page Use. The procedure for registering vehicles and concluding contracts in the prepaid toll regime can be found on the pages Vehicle registration and required documents and Contracts and contractual relationships. Further information related to toll payment can be found on the page Toll payment options.

Toll collection control

The agenda of toll-collection control is ensured by the Toll Collection Administrator in cooperation with the Police Force of the Slovak Republic.

Toll collection control serves to verify compliance with the toll payment obligation and other obligations related to electronic toll collection arising from applicable legal regulations. This control mainly verifies the correct use, placement and settings of the on-board unit, as well as the accuracy of the data recorded for the vehicle and the data set in the on-board unit, which are decisive for the calculation and settlement of toll.

For this purpose, stationary or mobile control devices are used, which make it possible to record vehicle data, verify the use and settings of the on-board unit, and compare the data found with the data recorded in the electronic toll system.

Suspicious findings recorded by control devices are registered as so-called toll incidents and are subsequently re-verified. If the suspicion is confirmed, the toll incident is further dealt with as a minor offence or an administrative delict in accordance with applicable legislation.

Details on toll collection control, the handling of toll incidents, minor offences, administrative delicts and fines for breach of obligations in the area of electronic toll collection are available on the website of the Toll Collection Administrator.