Driving to Romania, Hungary or Czechia? On the motorways there you need a vignette, a prepaid road permit. Here is where you need one, what it costs in 2026 and how to buy it on your phone in a few minutes.
What a vignette is
A vignette is a fee for using the roads for a set period: a day, 10 days, a month or a year. Almost everywhere it is now electronic. There is no sticker on the windscreen: the vignette is linked to your plate number, and cameras on the road read it automatically. So when you buy one, the key thing is to enter the plate number and country of registration correctly. One wrong character and, as far as the camera is concerned, you have no vignette.
Where you need a vignette and what it costs in 2026
Prices are for a passenger car up to 3.5 t. Euro amounts are approximate, at October 2026 exchange rates.
- Romania (rovinieta): needed on all national roads, not just motorways. From 1 October 2026 the price depends on the car's emission class (Euro). For Euro VI: 1 day 22 lei (≈€4), 10 days 30 lei (≈€6), 30 days 48 lei (≈€9). Older cars pay more, up to 29 / 39 / 62 lei.
- Moldova (vinieta): required for every foreign-registered car on any road, including transit. 7 days from €4, 15 days from €8, 30 days from €16.
- Hungary (e-matrica): for motorways. 1 day HUF 5,550 (≈€14), 10 days HUF 6,900 (≈€18), 1 month HUF 11,170 (≈€29).
- Slovakia (e-známka): 1 day €8.10, 10 days €10.80, 30 days €17.10.
- Czechia (e-dálniční známka): 1 day CZK 230 (≈€9.50), 10 days CZK 300 (≈€12), 30 days CZK 480 (≈€20). Electric cars drive free, but a foreign-registered EV has to be registered for the exemption in advance at edalnice.gov.cz.
- Austria (Vignette): 1 day €9.60, 10 days €12.80, 2 months €32. Bought online, the 1-day and 10-day vignettes are valid at once; the 2-month and annual ones only from the 18th day after purchase.
- Slovenia (e-vinjeta): no 1-day option. 1 week €16, 1 month €32. The Karawanken Tunnel on the Austrian border is paid separately.
- Bulgaria (e-vignette): from 1 August 2026, 1 day €5.30, weekend €6.60, 1 week €10, 1 month €19.90.
For a one- or two-week trip, expect to pay from €4 (Moldova) to about €18 (Hungary) per country. If you cross several countries in transit, count each one.
Where you don't need a vignette
- Poland: no vignette. Only some motorway sections of the A1, A2 and A4 are tolled (Gdańsk–Toruń, Świecko–Konin, Katowice–Kraków); you pay at toll plazas or via apps. State-run sections of the A2 and A4 are free for cars.
- Germany: motorways are free for cars.
- Italy, France, Spain, Croatia: no vignettes; you pay per distance at toll plazas when leaving the motorway.
How to buy a vignette online
- Use the country's official site: erovinieta.ro (Romania), evinieta.gov.md (Moldova), nemzetiutdij.hu (Hungary), eznamka.sk (Slovakia), edalnice.gov.cz (Czechia), shop.asfinag.at (Austria), evinjeta.dars.si (Slovenia), bgtoll.bg (Bulgaria). Resellers often add a fee, and some sell invalid vignettes.
- Enter the plate number without spaces and choose Ukraine (UA) as the country of registration.
- Pick the start date. You can buy in advance.
- Keep the confirmation (PDF or screenshot) until the end of the trip.
Vignettes are also sold at petrol stations and near border crossings, but in high season there can be queues.
What happens if you drive without one
Cameras read your plate, so a fine can reach you after the trip. In Czechia an on-the-spot fine can be up to CZK 5,000; in Austria, on top of the substitute toll, you risk a fine of €300 to €3,000. A vignette costs a few euros.
Fines incurred during the rental are paid by the renter. If NarsCars has already paid a fine, an administrative fee equal to the fine is added.
Driving to Europe in a NarsCars car
You can take a NarsCars car to EU countries and Moldova with the Travel Abroad service, from €250. The car must be returned to Ukraine. We issue the owner's permission to take the car abroad, and for Moldova and Romania (including transit) we prepare a roadworthiness certificate. The Green Card is paid separately; see our article "Green Card for travelling abroad" for how to get one.
The plate number is in your rental agreement, so you can buy the vignette online as soon as you pick up the car, before you reach the border.
Heading to Hungary or Slovakia? Pick up a car at our Uzhhorod office, right next to the Slovak and Hungarian borders.
Book at least 3–4 days before the trip so we have time to prepare the documents. Booking online on our website is 10% cheaper.
Book a car for travel abroad →
FAQ
Do I need a vignette in transit?
Yes. In Romania and Moldova on any road; elsewhere if you use the motorway.
Do I need to print it?
No. It is electronic and linked to the plate. Keeping the confirmation on your phone is enough.
Is there one vignette for several countries?
No, each country has its own.
When should I buy it?
In advance or before you join a toll road. In Austria, buy a 2-month or annual vignette online at least 18 days ahead.
