Toll roads, high fines and cheap fuel
The holidays are fast approaching. Before embarking on a summer trip, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the regulations in force in different countries, tolls and fuel prices. You can't go without it!
Planning a vacation trip, if we are going there by car, it is worth starting by checking the fuel prices in different countries and the fares for individual countries. You also need to know the maximum speed at which you can drive on the roads of the countries you are about to travel, where driving without headlights is punishable by a fine and where breaking the rules can be especially severe.
READ ALSO
How to ensure safety before traveling by car?
Are you going on a hitchhiking vacation?
Toll roads almost everywhere
In some European countries, including Poland, there are no free roads yet. In most of them, you have to pay for travel even through part of the territory (see table). Driving, for example, through the Czech Republic, to the south of Europe, you need to be ready to buy a vignette. 
Toll roads are marked, and it is very difficult and long to go around them. You can drive on free roads in Slovakia, but why not, because Slovaks have built a beautiful and inexpensive highway across the country, which you pay for by buying a vignette.
In Hungary, there are different vignettes for different motorways - there are four of them. You must remember this! The vignette is also valid in Austria. We can enjoy free excellent roads in Germany and Denmark (some bridges here are paid).
In other countries, you need to pay for the passed section of the motorway. Fees are collected at the gate, just in case it is better to have cash with you, although it should be possible to pay with payment cards everywhere.
When approaching the gates, make sure they accept cash or card payments. Some open the barrier automatically only for owners of special electronic "pilots" - that is, prepaid road cards. It will be very difficult to get out of such a gate, we will create a traffic jam and the police will not be very understanding.
Ruthless Police
You cannot expect understanding if you exceed the speed limit. Police officers are generally polite but ruthless. In Italy and France, officers must not know a single foreign language.
Austrian police officers are known for their strict enforcement of the rules and, in addition, have terminals for collecting fines from credit cards. If you do not have cash or a card, you may be placed in detention until the fee is paid by someone else.
Temporary arrest of a car in case of gross offenses is possible, for example, in Italy. It's also pretty easy to lose your driver's license there. Germans, Spaniards and Slovaks can also use this right. In all countries, you may be asked to pay a fine on the spot.
In accordance with the current legislation, credit tickets are not issued to foreigners. In some places there is a “deposit” in the form of part of the mandate. The rest we must pay after returning home to the specified account number. Breaking the rules abroad can ruin the average Pole's budget. The amount of the fine depends on the offense and 
can be approximately from PLN 100 to PLN 6000 (see table). Judicial fines of up to several thousand zlotys are also possible.
Cheaper without canister
A few years ago, many Poles, going "to the west", took a can of fuel with them in order to at least slightly reduce the cost of the trip. Now it is completely unprofitable. Fuel prices in most European countries are similar to prices in Poland.
We checked how much you will pay for fuel at popular holiday destinations. The most expensive in Germany, Denmark, France and, traditionally, Italy. The cheapest in Greece, the Czech Republic, Spain and Slovenia. It also happens that the average fuel prices are lower than in Poland. It is worth checking what tariffs apply in border countries. Perhaps it is better not to refuel under the traffic jam just before the border, but to do it behind the barrier.
Toll roads in Europe
VINIETS | PRICE |
Austria | 10-day ticket €7,60, two-month ticket €21,80. |
Czech Republic | 7 days 200 CZK, 300 CZK per month |
Slovakia | 7 days 150 CZK, 300 CZK per month |
Hungary | Depending on the route number, 10 days from 2550 to 13 forints, monthly from 200 4200 to 22 forints. |
Toll roads | PRICES (depending on section length) |
Croatia | From 8 to 157 HRK |
France | From 1 to 65 euros |
Greece | From 0,75 to 1,5 euros |
Spain | From 1,15 to 21 euros |
Slovenia | From 0,75 to 4,4 euros |
Włochy | From 0,60 to 45 euros |
Own source
Average fuel prices across Europe (prices in euros)
Country | Country designation | 95 | 98 | Diesel |
Austria | A | 1.116 | 1.219 | 0.996 |
Croatia | HR | 1.089 | 1.157 | 1.000 |
Czech Republic | CZ | 1.034 | 1.115 | 0.970 |
Denmark | DK | 1.402 | 1.441 | 1.161 |
France | F | 1.310 | 1.339 | 1.062 |
Greece | GR | 1.042 | 1.205 | 0.962 |
Spain | SP | 1.081 | 1.193 | 0.959 |
Germany | D | 1.356 | 1.435 | 1.122 |
Slovakia | SK | 1.106 | point | 1.068 |
Slovenia | SLO | 1.097 | 1.105 | 0.961 |
Hungary | H | 1.102 | 1.102 | 1.006 |
Włochy | I | 1.311 | 1.397 | 1.187 |
Źródło: Swiss Travel Club
Where and how at traffic lights in Europe
Austria | All year round 24 hours |
Croatia | All year round 24 hours |
Czech Republic | All year round 24 hours |
Denmark | All year round 24 hours |
France | It is recommended to use low beam all year round for 24 hours. |
Greece | Definitely at night; during the day is only allowed if visibility is limited by weather conditions. |
Spain | Low beam headlights must be used at night on motorways and expressways, even when they are well lit; marker lights can be used on other roads |
Germany | Low beam headlights are recommended for use outside built-up areas. all year round, 24 hours a day |
Slovakia | Mandatory within 15.10 hours in the period from 15.03 October to 24 March |
Slovenia | Wilderness all year round, 24 hours a day |
Hungary | In undeveloped terrain all year round, 24 hours a day. In urban areas only at night. |
Włochy | In undeveloped areas, incl. on the slopes, all year round, 24 hours a day |
MOTORCYCLES, mandatory use throughout Europe low beam all year round for 24 hours | |
Source: OTA
Speeding fines in Europe
Austria | from 10 to 250 euros, it is possible to keep a driver's license. |
Croatia | From 300 to 3000 kuna |
Czech Republic | from 1000 kroons to 5000 kroons |
Denmark | From 500 to 7000 DKK |
France | From 100 to 1500 euros |
Greece | From 30 to 160 euros |
Spain | From 100 to 900 euros you can keep your driver's license |
Germany | From 10 to 425 euros you can keep your driver's license |
Slovakia | From 1000 to 7000 SKK you can keep your driving license. |
Slovenia | From 40 to 500 euros |
Hungary | Up to 60 forints |
Włochy | From 30 to 1500 euros you can keep your driver's license |
Own source
