GRONINGEN, Netherlands, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Netherlands is introducing a truck toll per kilometre from 1 July 2026. Although many European countries already have similar systems, the Dutch approach differs on several points. The RDW warns that transporters who are not properly prepared risk fines or disruptions.
"During our talks with foreign drivers, we noticed that they are not always fully aware of how the Dutch truck toll works," says Jan Strijk, Toll Collection Director at the RDW. "Transporters often assume the system is the same as in other European countries, but that is not the case. These differences can lead to unnecessary problems on the road. It is therefore important to be well prepared before entering the Netherlands."The onboard unit (OBU) must always be switched onIn the Netherlands, the onboard unit must always be switched on, even on roads where there is no toll. This is different from countries like Germany, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, where the OBU only must be switched on toll roads. Drivers are advised to check before departure that their OBU is functioning properly and that the indicator light is green, as a switched-off or malfunctioning device may result in a fine.The Netherlands does not have a ticket systemThe Netherlands does not have a system for payment of individual or one-off trips, such as in Germany. Every truck must have a working OBU provided by an authorised service provider. The RDW has authorised six internationally operating European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) providers and contracted one national provider.
