According to the amendments to the Toll Act adopted by the Saeima, starting January 1, the rates of road tolls (vignettes) for freight transport over 3 tons in Latvia will significantly increase. It will be impossible to evade them.
The authorities explain the need to raise rates by stating that heavy trucks increase the level of harmful emissions and accelerate the deterioration of Latvian roads, which are increasingly in need of additional funds for their restoration each year. Overall, the road infrastructure is suffering, and this problem needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, the treasury does not have sufficient funds for the proper maintenance of the roads, to put it mildly.
Therefore, starting January 1, 2026, the fees based on the vehicle's weight, number of axles, and emission class will be increased. And significantly.
Currently, for vehicles and their combinations with a total weight from 3.501 tons to 12 tons (if the engine emission level corresponds to Euro 0, I, II), the daily fee is 15 euros, the weekly fee is 37 euros, the monthly fee is 74 euros, and the annual fee is 760 euros. Next year, the daily fee for such vehicles will rise to 17 euros, the weekly fee to 43 euros, the monthly fee to 87 euros, and the annual fee to as much as 870 euros.
For vehicles and their combinations with a total weight from 3.001 to 3.5 tons (if the engine emission level corresponds to Euro VI or is less polluting), the daily fee will be 7 euros, and the weekly fee will be 18 euros, instead of the current 5 and 12 euros. So drivers will have to dig deeper into their pockets.
But that’s not all. To prevent drivers from evading the toll by choosing routes that are currently outside the scope of their application (i.e., not on the main state roads), it has been decided to extend the road tolls to state regional roads. That is, those that run parallel to the main highways or lead to ports.
The Ministry of Transport believes that such measures will promote the use of more environmentally friendly vehicles (although this sounds strange in relation to trucks), and most importantly, will provide the state with additional financial revenues for maintaining the road infrastructure.
