Europe mixes three systems: vignettes for a period (Austria, Switzerland), electronic tolls without booths (much of Portugal) and classic toll booths (France, Italy, Spain).
- A rental car usually has a vignette for the country where you rent it, but not for the next country.
- Switzerland charges 40 francs for a vignette valid for the year, Austria offers vignettes from one day.
- Driving without one risks a fine plus an admin fee from the rental company.
You picked up a car in Munich and want to spend a day in Salzburg and two in Switzerland. Easy distances, but three different road charging systems. The car you rent is set up for the country you rent it in, not for the countries you drive to next. Here is what to check before each border, so the holiday does not end with a fine and an admin fee.
Three systems in one continent
| System | How it works | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Vignette | You pay for a period and may use the motorways freely | Austria, Switzerland |
| Electronic toll | Gantries read your plate or a device, no booths | Much of Portugal |
| Toll booth | You pay per section at a booth or by tag | France, Italy, Spain |
Several countries combine systems, for example a vignette plus separate tolls for certain tunnels or mountain passes.
Austria: vignettes from one day
Oesterreich.gv.at lists the 2026 prices for cars up to 3.5 tonnes:
| Vignette | Price 2026 |
|---|---|
| 1 day | 9.60 euros |
| 10 days | 12.80 euros |
| 2 months | 32 euros |
| 1 year | 106.80 euros |
There are two traps for rental car drivers. First, a digital vignette bought online by a consumer only becomes valid on the 18th day after purchase, because of the legal withdrawal period. Buy it at a petrol station or sales point near the border, or online well in advance. Second, the digital vignette is linked to the number plate, so make sure you enter the rental car's plate exactly.
Oesterreich.gv.at warns that driving without a valid vignette can lead to fines of 300 to 3,000 euros. From 2027, Austria will only sell digital vignettes.
Switzerland: one vignette for the year
Ch.ch explains that the Swiss vignette costs 40 francs, with no daily, weekly or monthly options. The 2026 vignette is valid from 1 December 2025 to 31 January 2027. You can buy a sticker at petrol stations, post offices and border customs posts, or an e-vignette online, linked to the plate. Driving without one costs a fine of 200 francs, plus the vignette itself.
A car rented in Switzerland normally has a vignette. A car rented in Germany, France or Italy usually does not.
Portugal: electronic tolls
Many Portuguese motorways have no booths. The official toll site of Infraestruturas de Portugal explains that rental companies must fit each car with a toll device and subscribe to a payment system, under Decree-Law 84-C/2022. Tolls are then charged through the rental company, sometimes with a service fee. Unpaid tolls are an offence with a fine of at least five times the toll and at least 25 euros. Read our guide to renting a car in Portugal.
France, Italy and Spain: toll booths
On toll motorways in these countries, you take a ticket and pay at the exit, or pay a fixed amount at a barrier. Cards are widely accepted. Some rental cars have an electronic tag; ask whether it is active and how the costs and any fee are charged. In Italy, watch out for something else entirely: limited traffic zones in town centres. See our post on Italy's ZTL fines.
The admin fee on top
When a toll or vignette fine reaches the rental company, it usually passes on your details and charges its own fee. Our guide on admin fees for fines with a rental car explains what is reasonable and how to object.
Before each border: a checklist
- Check the contract. Is the country allowed, and is there a cross-border fee? Read driving a rental car to another country.
- Check the charging system. Vignette, electronic toll or booths?
- Buy what you need before the border. Petrol stations just before the border often sell vignettes.
- Keep receipts and confirmations. Photograph the sticker or save the e-vignette confirmation.
- Check your card statement afterwards. Toll charges through the rental company can arrive weeks later.
Your Europe also advises telling the rental company in advance about cross-border trips, which helps you avoid surprises with cover as well as charges.
A short example
You rent in Munich and drive to Innsbruck for two days, then on to Lugano. At a petrol station before the Austrian border, you buy a 10-day vignette for 12.80 euros instead of two 1-day vignettes for 19.20 euros. Before Switzerland, you buy the 40 franc vignette at the border customs post. You keep both receipts in the glovebox and photograph the sticker on the windscreen.
Frequently asked questions
Does my rental car already have a vignette?
A car rented in a vignette country, such as Austria or Switzerland, is normally registered or stickered for that country. A car rented elsewhere usually is not. Ask at the desk, and check before you cross the border.
Can I buy a Swiss vignette for one day?
No. According to ch.ch, the Swiss vignette costs 40 francs and there are no daily, weekly or monthly options. The 2026 vignette is valid from 1 December 2025 to 31 January 2027.
Why did the Austrian online vignette not work straight away?
Oesterreich.gv.at explains that a digital vignette bought online by a consumer only becomes valid on the 18th day, because of the withdrawal right. Buy it at a sales point, or online well in advance.