Croatia is to get an electronic payment system for its highways from the beginning of next year. At least that is what Transport Minister Oleg Butković announced in a statement.
Currently, motorists must pay the toll in Croatia at toll booths with card – or in cash. With a correspondingly high traffic density, this regularly creates long nerve-racking traffic jams, which sometimes lead to long waiting times during the vacation season.
However, this is soon to be an end, because Croatia is finally to receive an electronic payment system for its highways from 1.1.2024. This was announced by the Zagreb-based info portal Hr.n1info.com, which refers to a statement by Transport Minister Oleg Butković (HDZ – Croatian Democratic Community).
The new Croatian toll system is to operate contactlessly by means of an e-vignette
As far as has become known so far, the system is to be contactless and will be based on the latest technologies. In the future, payment is to be processed via a toll box, and vehicle license plates will be retrieved automatically in the form of an electronic vignette, the report adds.
To date, according to the report, 200 vehicles per hour have been able to pass through the conventional toll booths; with the help of the new system, this figure is expected to rise to 3,000 vehicles per hour, which is 15 times more. The project is to be financed by the National Construction and Resilience Plan with about 66 million euros.
Butković expressed his hope that the new electronic payment system will make Croatian highways even more attractive. Last year, a record toll revenue of almost 400 million euros was achieved, according to the information portal Hr.n1info.com. Despite inflation, however, there is to be no increase in tolls, the minister in charge is quoted as saying.
