Switzerland changes road tax in 2026: switch to a smart pan-European solution!
Switzerland is removing national road tax payment solutions, so to be compliant when driving in Switzerland you need to secure an EETS solution with Swiss coverage.
If you have one, the transition should be automatic. If you don’t have one, it’s time for a European solution that also covers Shweiz: Lumesia-1
Read more about Lumesia-1 at this LINK
Switzerland
From January 1, 2026, the old EMOtach is no longer valid for paying road tax in Switzerland.
The solution is an automatic EETS system or buying a “Route Ticket” through an online solution.
Detailed information can be found on this Swiss site: LINK
A brief summary of the essence is as follows:
Switzerland is modernizing its entire road tax system (LSVA) in 2026 and consolidating it into a single digital solution. Where carriers currently manage multiple systems such as Emotach, manual entries and different EETS devices, one standard will be introduced that automates the recording of kilometers driven, weight category and emission class. Emotach will be gradually phased out and electronic data reporting will become mandatory for both Swiss and foreign-registered vehicles.
Companies driving to or through Switzerland must therefore ensure early preparation: proper registration in the BAZG ePortal, compatible equipment and up-to-date vehicle data. Without preparation, you risk manual errors, delays at borders and fines when the new system comes into force.
Carriers that choose modern, EETS-compliant solutions and ensure stable data flows as early as 2024-2025 will enjoy simpler administration, faster throughput and more future-proof handling of the LSVA tax.
Road tax changes in Europe
By 2026, it will be significantly more expensive to drive trucks across Europe.
New figures from the French road transport committee CNR show that the differences between countries’ tolls are growing and that some corridors in particular are becoming very expensive for hauliers.
Austria tops the list with the highest kilometer charges for heavy vehicles – over five times the level on some Polish motorways – while introducing a new charging system in 2026 that further increases costs on key north-south routes through the Alps.
Denmark has already switched from Eurovignette to CO₂-differentiated kilometer tax, which particularly affects traffic between Germany and Scandinavia.
Wallonia in Belgium will also see an increase in mileage tax, while France remains on the expensive side due to highway tolls and relatively high diesel tax.
Overall, the article points to a clear trend: more countries are moving to kilometer- and CO₂-based tolls, and each small increase per km becomes expensive when multiplied by thousands of annual driving kilometers.
Exciting insights into European road taxes
International transportation margins are getting even tighter.
Over the next year, Austria, Denmark and Wallonia will all introduce new or increased tolls. This marks a clear shift towards kilometer-generated charges, which will increase costs for all carriers moving goods across Europe.
A broader European shift: kilometer-based CO₂ tax becomes the new standard
Beyond national changes, CNR points to a long-term development that international hauliers can no longer ignore: Europe is rapidly moving towards kilometer-based, CO₂-differentiated tolls. The revised Eurovignette regulation obliges member states to link charges more closely to actual road use and vehicle emission levels. As more countries introduce distance-based systems, the same development as in Denmark, Austria and Belgium is expected to spread across the continent.
CNR also emphasizes that when a country switches from vignette to mileage tax, total road costs typically increase. The new differentiated tariffs also mean that older diesel vehicles – which still make up the majority of Europe’s international fleets – face relatively higher operating costs than newer or alternative powertrains.
Read more on TRANS.INFO in English.
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