Romania to Introduce New TollRo Road Charging System from 1 October

Starting on 1 October 2026, Romania will introduce the new TollRo road charging system for freight vehicles with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes. For this category of vehicles, TollRo will replace the existing rovinieta system and will also apply to foreign international road carriers.

The amount of the road charge will depend on the vehicle’s maximum authorised mass, EURO emissions class and the actual distance travelled on Romania’s tolled road network. This was reported by Moldova’s National Road Transport Agency (ANTA).

For trucks weighing more than 3.5 tonnes and up to 7.5 tonnes, the TollRo rate on motorways and express roads will range from RON 0.17 to RON 0.22 per kilometre, depending on the vehicle’s emissions class. On national roads, the rate will range from RON 0.08 to RON 0.11 per kilometre.

For vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes but less than 12 tonnes, the rates will range from RON 0.29 to RON 0.37 per kilometre on motorways and express roads and from RON 0.14 to RON 0.19 per kilometre on national roads.

The highest rates will apply to trucks with a maximum authorised mass of 12 tonnes or more: RON 0.48–0.62 per kilometre on motorways and express roads and RON 0.24–0.31 per kilometre on national roads. All rates include VAT.

TollRo charges will be payable in three main ways. Carriers will be able to conclude an agreement with an authorised electronic toll service provider and use on-board equipment (OBE) that automatically records the distance travelled. Alternatively, they will be able to purchase a prepaid route ticket for a specific vehicle and predefined route. A TollRo mobile application will also be available, requiring an active internet connection and geolocation during the journey.

The rovinieta system will not disappear completely. It will remain applicable to passenger transport vehicles and freight vehicles with a maximum authorised mass of up to 3.5 tonnes.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research

The Institute of Danube Research notes that Romania’s transition from a predominantly time-based road charging model to a distance-based system will have a direct impact on the economics of international road freight transport in the Danube and Black Sea regions.

“For carriers from Ukraine and Moldova, Romania is not only a destination market but also one of the key transit corridors towards the European Union and the ports of the Lower Danube and the Black Sea. Following the introduction of TollRo, the cost of a specific route through Romania will become much more dependent on its length, the type of roads used and the vehicle’s environmental class.

In practice, transport companies will receive an additional incentive to optimise logistics, reduce empty mileage and modernise their fleets. At the same time, for carriers regularly operating long-distance transit routes across Romania, road charges will represent a larger component of transport costs and will need to be taken into account when setting new freight rates.

This is particularly important for Ukrainian exports at a time when road routes through Romania remain one of the elements of the alternative logistics system alongside Danube ports and railways. Therefore, changes in Romania’s road charging system should be viewed not merely as a domestic transport reform, but as a factor affecting the cost and competitiveness of regional logistics,” the Institute of Danube Research notes.

The introduction of TollRo forms part of Romania’s broader transition to electronic road charging. Romania also plans further integration of the system with the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS). According to official information, the relevant interoperability is expected to become operational on 15 January 2027.