We recently reported here on the changes to the Croatian toll system. Now, new details have been released: although initial work has begun on the A3 motorway between Popovača and Kutina, all construction work, installation of the portal and equipment for the system, as well as connection to the HAC’s power grid and fiber optic network, are not expected to be completed until the end of September next year.
The installation of a new toll system on Croatian highways has begun and should finally make long traffic jams a thing of the past (SeaHelp has reported on this several times here). The first work has now begun on the A3 motorway between Popovača and Kutina.
All construction work, the installation of the portal and the equipment for the system, as well as the connection to the power grid and the HAC fiber optic network, are expected to be completed by the end of September next year, project manager Hrvoje Dorčić told net.hr/danas. HAC stands for Hrvatske autoceste d.o.o. (HAC), the Croatian state motorway company responsible for the construction, management, and operation of most Croatian motorways.
The new toll system will be put into operation slightly later than originally planned
In plain language, this means that the new toll system will be put into operation “slightly later” than originally planned, as “this work is an important part of the system” and “a prerequisite for its operation,” Dorčić continued. In addition, once the work has been completed, “numerous tests” will have to be carried out to “ensure the full functionality of the system” before it goes into operation.
According to the report, the first internal test is scheduled to take place in December of this year, immediately after the portal has been set up, followed by further factory tests and initial on-site tests. Dorčić: “However, as three months are planned for the parallel operation of both systems, we assume that the system will be technically ready for use in the last quarter of next year.”
Car drivers must have their ENC device linked to their license plate before using the toll stations
The article also states that the new toll system is “easily accessible and user-friendly”; existing ENC users can continue to use it – they just need to link their device to their vehicle’s license plate. Citizens who want to pay for their cars using the new technology must link their license plate to a valid payment method.
Dorčić promised that the system would be “technically ready in the last quarter of next year”; once all tests have been successfully completed, the system will be put into operation, and he expects that there will then be “no more crowds at toll stations on the highways.”
The new toll system is not expected to be fully operational until early 2027 at the earliest
In plain language, this means that the introduction of the new Pro Libertas toll system in Croatia will be delayed; as riportal.net.hr confirms, it is unlikely to be fully operational until early 2027 at the earliest. Due to the construction work, temporary traffic regulations will be introduced, and drivers are asked to be patient and cautious during this time.
The system enables “uninterrupted traffic flow,” which is intended to increase throughput and make driving on highways easier. The system is being implemented by the Croatian Motorway Authority in cooperation with the Slovak company Sky toll and the Czech company Toll net; The contract value amounts to just under €80 million net. Financing is being provided through the national recovery and resilience plan, reports net.hr.
