Toll tag for Europe (France, Switzerland & Italy)

[Julie Stallard]

Hi lovely helpful people......
Previously we have used the Liber-t toll tag when we had our T6 and travelling in France but this year we're hiring a GC680 while we wait for our GC680 which is on order. We will be visiting France, Switzerland and Italy and seeing as this vehicle is over 3.5 tonnes is there a different toll tag that we'll need to use? Also when we get our GC680 we have ordered it with the A/C which will make the vehicle more than 3 metres and I believe anything over 3 meters and greater than 3.5 tonnes need a different toll tag.
I think for Switzerland we just need a vignette?
Can any seasoned travellers enlighten me please?

 

[Barbara]

RE "Switzerland we just need a vignette" When I had one of these it was stuck to the windscreen and not removable so you will pay for a whole year on a hire van. Can you get information from the hire company about how to pay tolls as I would worry that once set up I may be paying for the next person who hires the van.

 

[Julie Stallard]

Oh I hadn't thought of that, good idea thank you. I know our Liber-t toll tag can be used in any vehicle so it's not registered to one vehicle in particular

 

[pluc99]

RE "Switzerland we just need a vignette" When I had one of these it was stuck to the windscreen and not removable so you will pay for a whole year on a hire van. Can you get information from the hire company about how to pay tolls as I would worry that once set up I may be paying for the next person who hires the van.

Nope. This is valid only for vehicles below 3500 Kg. Vehicles over 3500 Kg have to pay a lump sum rate at the border based on the number of days in the country. Have a look at the official government site: https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/en/h...-and-lump-sum-/psva-for-foreign-vehicles.html

 

[andyinluton]

Oh I hadn't thought of that, good idea thank you. I know our Liber-t toll tag can be used in any vehicle so it's not registered to one vehicle in particular

The Liber-t toll tag is only supposed to be used on vehicles under 3.5tnne

You might want to check the toll rates for a >3.5tnne >3m high vehicle before venturing onto French Toll roads its a lot more than the car rates.

You are also supposed to use have the Angles-mort stickers which as well as warning cyclists that they are in danger highlight to the toll operators that you are over 3.5tnne and to the very nice French police that the lower speed limits apply to your vehicle.

 

[Julie Stallard]

Nope. This is valid only for vehicles below 3500 Kg. Vehicles over 3500 Kg have to pay a lump sum rate at the border based on the number of days in the country. Have a look at the official government site: https://www.bazg.admin.ch/bazg/en/h...-and-lump-sum-/psva-for-foreign-vehicles.html

This is very helpful thank you. So it looks like I need the Via app and I just pay for everything on that. It seems to work for France and Italy but when I select Switzerland it says the app can only be used for vehicles registered abroad?

 

[Julie Stallard]

The Liber-t toll tag is only supposed to be used on vehicles under 3.5tnne

You might want to check the toll rates for a >3.5tnne >3m high vehicle before venturing onto French Toll roads its a lot more than the car rates.

You are also supposed to use have the Angles-mort stickers which as well as warning cyclists that they are in danger highlight to the toll operators that you are over 3.5tnne and to the very nice French police that the lower speed limits apply to your vehicle.

This is all very useful information thank you looks like it might take us a little longer to get there than we thought lol

 

[bvddobb]

looks like it might take us a little longer to get there than we thought lol

Lower speed limits, stricter parking limits, road access limits, higher tolls, higher ferry fares: you will see all of that across all of Europe when you are >3.5 tonnes. One more set of reasons for us to stay with the van…

 

[NeillyG]

I used my tag last month. Worked a treat. Yet to be charged so no idea what the tolls will have been and I don’t think I’m going to bother looking. Just a holiday expense. Not a single bit of bad traffic in 2600 miles. I tended to stick at the 110km/h and the van feels quite happy there. France is hillier and windier than you imagine in places.
Some towns had 3.5T limit roads. Ignored some signs and it did get a bit tight in places.
Those death angle stickers are awful. Didn’t know about them. Might need to get them next time.
26mpg average. Was ok. Thought it might be better but there were a lot of undulating sections.
Drove brilliantly and ate the miles up much more comfortably than the old T5 did.
True parking in some towns was trickier as were some supermarket car parks and some of the more tight campsites required a bit of manoeuvring but still a joy.

 

[andyinluton]

I used my tag last month. Worked a treat. Yet to be charged so no idea what the tolls will have been and I don’t think I’m going to bother looking. Just a holiday expense.

I assume you've changed from a T5 - your profile still shows a T5 SE

Using the tag on something over 3.5tnne is fine until you get caught. Its a £646 euro fine, lack of Angle-Morts stickers is only £134 euro.

 

[NeillyG]

Assume you can get some magnetic death stickers.
Have just updated my vehicle. Can’t even remember entering that. Must have been years ago. That’s 11 months since the switch to 680. Not regretted it.

 

[andyinluton]

Assume you can get some magnetic death stickers.
Have just updated my vehicle. Can’t even remember entering that. Must have been years ago. That’s 11 months since the switch to 680. Not regretted it.

Yes magnetic ones are available. Its a gamble though, put them on & you are advertising that you are over 3.5tnne. leave them off & no-one will know unless you get a physical stop & paperwork check.

We switched in March, the jury is still out, its sitting on the drive doing nothing for too much of the time. Having said that an Ocean wouldn't have done many more miles