Sweden is a beautiful country with a well-developed road network. It is one of the top destinations for foreign visitors travelling through Europe. If you are planning a road trip that includes Sweden, you may be wondering about all the aspects you need to keep in consideration when planning the road trip.
One common question that most foreigners ask is about the payment of road tolls. Like its other regional counterparts, whether you have a local or a foreign registered vehicle, you must pay the requisite road tolls.
While driving on roads in Sweden is mostly free, there are a few exceptions, which we have discussed below. Continue reading to learn how to pay Sweden tolls as a foreign vehicle.
Types Of Road Tolls In Sweden
Sweden has defined two different kinds of schemes for road tolls, and they are categorised as Congestion tax and Infrastructure charge.
Both schemes are applied via cameras on fixed scaffoldings while the vehicle passing through is identified via the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition). Here is a brief description of the two systems so you can understand what the schemes imply.
Infrastructure charges In Sweden
The bridge tolls were introduced in February 2016, whereby all vehicles, whether local or foreign, must pay bridge tolls in Sundsvall and Motala, among others.
The Svinesund Bridge is constructed over the Idde Fjord of the Svinesund Bay and is located on the border between Norway and Sweden. This arch bridge is a part of the Oslo Gothenburg Road. There are no payment points on the bridge, and toll payment is automated.
Another such bridge is the Oresund Bridge which runs over the Oresund Strait. It connects Malmo, a Swedish city, with Copenhagen. This bridge offers payment options on the spot.
You can pay via credit card or any other payment card. Then we have the Sundsvall Bridge crossing the Sundsvall Bay and the Motala Bridge between Buren Lakes and Vetter. Payment for these bridges is completely automatic.
The toll is a part of the infrastructure charges required to partially finance the construction of a new road, a mountain pass, or a tunnel. Hence if you pass through the road, the toll you are charged will go towards financing for the construction of new infrastructure.
The good thing is that the system is entirely automatic, and when you drive past a certain control point that leads to the bridge, that instance is recorded and registered, while the payment slip is communicated to the vehicle owner.
As a foreign-registered vehicle, you will be charged via the Epass24.
The Swedish Transport Agency has delegated this task to a notification partner, the EPC or Euro Parking Collection so that the vehicle owner can be identified and sent the invoice while the payment for the toll is received via the Epass24.
Congestion Taxes In Sweden
If you are in Gothenburg or Stockholm, you will need to pay a congestion tax, which applies to locally registered vehicles and those registered abroad. However, if you are in Gothenburg in July, you will not be charged a congestion toll tax.
Here again, the Swedish Transport Agency has delegated this task to a notification partner so that the vehicle owner can be identified and sent the invoice while the payment for the toll is received via Epass24.
Epass24 In Sweden
Whether in Norway or Sweden, you will be charged the road toll via the system employing the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras. These cameras automatically detect the registered vehicles passing through toll stations.
Thus, you will not need to stop at the checkpoint to pay the toll. Instead, when you cross a checkpoint, the surveillance ANPR camera will record your vehicle’s registration number. Your vehicle’s photo is sent to the Swedish Transport Agency, where it is identified and charged according to the rate.
Thus when you register with the Epass24, you do not have to worry about making payments manually. However, if you do not make the payment in due time, the Swedish government will apply a late payment fee of SEK500.
Thus with Epass24, the toll amount will automatically be charged you will always be able to make your payment on time. You can also check if you are paying the correct toll charge through your Epass account.
An Epass account is free, and you do not have to pay anything other than the toll amount. So whether it is your vehicle, rented or leased, you can register at Epass24.
When you register, you will be required to provide some information that will be used to send you the invoice. Once registered, you can easily pay for the invoice online via your credit or debit card or in a local bank.
