Toll roads in Poland: overview, scheme, cost and reviews

The Republic of Poland is a country in the eastern part of Central Europe, with a population (according to 2015) of thirty-eight and a half million people. Despite the fact that in the last ten to twelve years its economy is booming, Poland for the most part still remains a so-called transit country. If you look at the map of the world, it becomes obvious that the main automobile passenger and cargo traffic between Asia and Europe converges in this place, so the toll roads in Poland are an opportunity to quickly and inexpensively drive this rather big country in transit.

Transport Corridor

Track logistic ways is quite simple. In connection with the aggravation of political and economic situations in Ukraine and Turkey, these two automobile corridors, we can say, are practically closed. Therefore, the main stream of trucks and motorists converge in the last possible route to the central part of Europe - the Republic of Belarus. The bulk of the flow of goods from the countries of Central Asia, for example from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and other former Soviet republics, goes through Russia, to Moscow, then to Belarus, Minsk and Brest. And from Brest the goods continue their way already in Poland. From the Baltic region, the only way, for example, to the Balkans, also lies across the border of the pan-China.

Are there any toll roads in Poland ?

Many are asked this question, going on the road and working their way to their destination. The answer to it is simple - there is. But there are very few of them yet: only three. High-speed highways of the increased level of comfort every year in the country becomes more and more, but payment for travel on them while charge only on lines A1, A2 and A4. And even then not at all sites, but only at the busiest, with intensive traffic and increased wear of the road surface. Despite the relatively high cost of the tariff grid, toll roads in Poland are in high demand, and at the point of payment for travel often there are congestion, and sometimes, usually during peak hours, and traffic jams.

Even before the entrance to the paid site, drivers following in a passing direction, several times warn about payment (pobor opłat). The fundraising itself is carried out at specialized posts in the course of traffic, but, as a rule, when you leave the paid site or when you travel through the checkpoint of payment. Even before entering the toll roads in Poland, drivers are always able to leave the highway and go to its free analogue. Moving along it will not be so comfortable, the travel time will increase, but you do not have to spend money paying for travel.

Travel along the A1 highway

To enter the toll roads A1 and A2, the driver must take a ticket, wait for the opening of the barrier and continue driving. On the ticket information about the point of entry to the highway is recorded. The calculation of the fare depends on the type of motor transport (motorcycles, cars, cars with a trailer, buses, freight vehicles) and the distance traveled. On the A1 route there are ten payment checkpoints along its entire length.

The maximum fare on a car here is 29,90 Polish zł (about 7 euros, or 500 Russian rubles), on a car with a trailer - 71 zł (16.6 euros, or 1200 rubles). You can pay for the trip by cash or by a plastic card (credit or debit card). When paying in cash for payment, both the national currency and the euro and American dollars are accepted, but the latter only in banknotes (coins do not accept) and face value not more than 100.

Payment on the routes A2 and A4

The cost of toll roads in Poland is lower than in Spain, France or Italy (where a similar method of payment is used). However, for the local population it is still quite high, therefore, such highways are used, as a rule, by transit drivers or long-distance truck drivers.

A similar situation on route A2, which runs through the whole country and is a continuation of the route from Moscow through Minsk, Brest to Berlin and further to Central Europe. On the A2 highway there are four paid sites, they start from Lodz and go almost to the border with Germany. The total fare for this route for a car with two axles is 54 Polish zlotys and 10 groschen. In the euro equivalent, this amount is 12.5 euros or 880 Russian rubles. At the entrance to each paid site, the driver will need to take a coupon, and on departure to pay for the kilometers traveled.

One more toll road, the A4, connecting such large cities as Krakow, Katowice and Wroclaw (Breslau), drivers have to pay at each checkpoint of collection of money (there are only two of them: in Mysłowice and in Balice). Next, you will have to pay the fare based on the tariff of 10 Polish pennies (2.5 euro cents or 1.6 Russian rubles) per kilometer.

Infrastructure

Toll roads in Poland for cars are slightly more comfortable than for the rest of the transport. It is connected not only with the infrastructure of gas stations, shops, cafes, but also with the planning of recreational areas, places for recreation and arranging entrances to them. The road network itself and the scheme of interchanges are no worse than neighboring, more developed countries. Drivers are offered modern refueling complexes of famous brands (Shell, OMV, BP, Orlen, etc.), fast food restaurants (McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, etc.), as well as hotel rooms at European level of service. Equipped with rest areas for independent stays, camping sites, as well as stations for servicing autocampers.

Driving directions

The drivers who for the first time in their lives drive up to the places of collection of money, there is a slight panic, and in the head there is only one question: "How to pay for toll roads in Poland?" And it's no accident, because the highway is expanding dramatically, and before the eyes of the car enthusiast there are ten to sixteen fixed-payment posts. And almost in each of them there is a queue of cars.

Here the most important thing is not to be nervous, but to study the graphic information from the boards installed above each of the terminals. Basically such items are divided into those that work with cash (the image of coins and / or denominations), with plastic cards (the image of the card, usually with the inscription VISA), with special pass-cards (the image of specialized cards with the inscription PASS or other ), Travel using a transponder (the image of radio waves and the signature viaToll, TELEPASS or other). Your option is the first two. Experienced travelers are advised to go to where they accept cash, because there is usually an employee who, in extreme cases, will be able to help you, prompting further actions.

Toll roads in Poland are very easy to use, judging by the numerous reviews of autotourists. Many people say that it is worth to go through any of them only once, and immediately ceases to frighten the abundance of terminals and methods of payment. Also, reviews tell us that payment is fast. Drivers from other countries praise the opportunity to make payments in euros and in US dollars. Most importantly - remember (this is what is said in the reviews), that the coupon must be kept before departure from the paid site. If the ticket is lost, the driver is charged at the maximum tariff rate.