Vignettes in Europe 2026: Motorway Stickers Every ETIAS Driver Needs

A vignette is a pre-paid motorway permit, either a sticker or a digital record linked to the car’s registration, and eight countries from Austria to Bulgaria require one for driving on their main roads. The price of a short-stay permit depends on the country and how long it is valid. Driving without one risks an automatic fine that can be substantial. Vignettes are separate from your ETIAS travel authorisation.

Key facts

• Two systems: some countries use time-based vignettes, others charge distance tolls at booths (Your Europe, driving abroad).
• Eight sticker countries: Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
• Cost: the price depends on the country and permit length; annual versions cost more.
• Digital shift: Austria has sold a digital vignette since 2018; Switzerland added an e-vignette on 1 August 2023.
• ETIAS is separate: the ETIAS fee will be €20 (Regulation (EU) 2025/1411), and once the system launches, visa-exempt travellers will need it to enter the Schengen area. It will be valid for 3 years or until your passport expires. The EU has not yet announced a launch date.

Quick Facts: European vignettes	Detail
Sticker countries	8 (Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria)
Typical short-stay cost	€10–€40
Format	Mostly digital e-vignette or windscreen sticker
Penalty for none	Fines can be substantial
ETIAS (separate)	€20; launch date not yet announced

Getting this right saves both money and stress at the border. Before you set off, read our guide to driving in Europe on a UK licence, the EU motorway tolls comparison for booth countries, and our international driving permit guide.

Which countries use vignettes in Europe?

Eight countries require a pre-paid sticker or digital permit before you drive on their motorways: Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Most have gone fully digital and link the permit to the vehicle’s plate, so there is nothing to stick on the glass. The European Union explains the difference between sticker and toll systems on its Your Europe driving pages.

System	Countries
Vignette (time-based)	Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria
Tolls (distance / booth)	France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greece
Mostly free motorways	Germany, Belgium, Netherlands

Here is a real crunch point. Drive from Munich to Ljubljana and you cross three systems in an afternoon: Germany charges nothing, Austria needs a vignette, and Slovenia needs a second one. Map the border crossings before you leave, not at a petrol station queue. If your route dips into low-emission city zones, our low-emission zones guide covers those extra stickers too.

What does a vignette cost in 2026?

Short-stay motorway stickers vary by country and duration, with 10-day passes at the cheap end and annual permits much higher. Austria’s shortest vignette is a ten-day pass, while Switzerland sells only an annual permit at roughly CHF 40 introduced in August 2023. Each national road operator sets and adjusts prices every year, so check the official figure close to your trip.

Country	Shortest option	Rough price
Austria	1 day / 10 days	€9–€12
Slovenia	7 days	~€16
Switzerland	Annual only	~CHF 40
Hungary	10 days	~€15
Romania	7 days	~€3

Budget for stickers on a typical Alpine road trip through two or three of these countries. That sits on top of the ETIAS fee (€20, payable only once the system is launched), broken down in our ETIAS cost guide, and any green card car insurance your trip needs.

Where and how to buy your permit in advance

You can buy these motorway permits online before departure, through official national apps, or at border petrol stations, and buying digitally a day or two ahead is the safest way to dodge a fine. Every country runs its own official online shop, and vignettes are also sold at fuel stations near the borders.

1. Check which countries need one along your route using the EU driving pages or your sat-nav.
2. Buy from the official operator — for example ASFINAG in Austria or the Swiss federal e-vignette shop — one or two days before you cross.
3. Type the plate number exactly. Digital vignettes are linked to the plate, so one wrong character leaves you uncovered.
4. Save the confirmation on your phone in case plate cameras or police check it.

Renting rather than bringing your own car? Ask whether a vignette is already included, since many hire cars in sticker countries come with one. Our renting a car in Europe guide lists what to confirm at the desk.

Vignettes and ETIAS: two things drivers must not confuse

A vignette lets your vehicle use a motorway, while ETIAS lets you as a person enter the Schengen area, so you need both and one never replaces the other. Once ETIAS launches, visa-exempt travellers will pay €20 for it (applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt from the fee), valid for three years or until the passport expires, and they will still need to buy a sticker for each vignette country they drive through.

Picture two separate tickets: ETIAS for the border desk, a vignette for the tarmac. Switzerland is the clearest example — as a Schengen member it needs an ETIAS, and as a sticker country it needs a vignette. See our Switzerland ETIAS guide and Austria ETIAS guide, and the wider ETIAS requirements guide. Remember your days abroad count under the 90/180-day rule, whether you drive or fly.

Practical tips for vignette countries

To stay fined-free in vignette countries, buy your permit before you cross the border, match the number plate exactly, and remember that even a short motorway hop counts as use. Enforcement is largely automatic now, run by plate-reading cameras rather than staffed booths, so there is no chance to pay at the roadside.

• Buy early: a digital vignette can take up to an hour to activate, so do it the night before.
• Watch validity: Switzerland’s annual permit runs by calendar year, not from the day you buy it.
• Ignorance is no defence: fines apply from the first metre of motorway, even if you took a wrong turn.

Pro tip: Handle all your admin in one sitting about a week before you leave — buy each vignette, then apply for ETIAS once the portal opens. Both take minutes online, and doing them together means nothing is forgotten at 2am before an early ferry.

For the border side, you will apply for ETIAS on the official EU portal once it launches. The €20 fee is entirely separate from any road charge. Our step-by-step application guide walks through the form.

Frequently asked questions about vignettes in Europe

Which European countries require a vignette?

There are eight of them. Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia require a pre-paid vignette for their motorways, and so do Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Most of them now sell it digitally.

How much does a European vignette cost?

Short-stay stickers vary in price by country. Ten-day passes are cheapest; Switzerland sells only an annual permit at around CHF 40. Each national operator sets its own price.

Do I need a vignette and ETIAS?

Yes, if you drive in a sticker country inside Schengen. ETIAS will let you enter the area once it launches (fee €20, launch date not yet announced); a vignette lets your car use the motorway. The two are separate.

Where do I buy a vignette?

Buy from the official national operator’s website or app, or at a petrol station near the border. Do it in advance and double-check the registration you enter, because digital vignettes are linked to the plate.

What happens if I drive without a vignette?

You risk an automatic fine, often a substantial sum, caught by plate-reading cameras. Ignorance is not accepted as an excuse in any vignette country.

Are hire cars covered by a vignette?

Often yes, if you rent within a sticker country. Always confirm at the desk. Drive a hire car across a border and you may need to buy the vignette yourself.

Do motorbikes need a vignette too?

Yes, in most vignette countries motorcycles need their own permit, usually cheaper than the car rate. Check the official operator for the exact motorbike price.

Disclaimer: europe-visa.eu is an independent information website. We are not a government body. Once ETIAS opens, you apply directly on the official EU portal; the fee will be €20. For official rules, see UK guidance on driving in the EU and the EU vehicles pages.

About the author: The europe-visa.eu editorial team tracks ETIAS, Schengen and cross-border driving rules for non-EU travellers, with links to official European Commission and national government sources.

Last updated: 2026-10-26