Go Box – Toll for heavy vehicles
Drivers on holiday in Austria are usually on the road in a passenger car. Therefore, the term “Go Box” usually isn’t relevant to them. Yet, you may still come across it from time to time while driving on Austria’s roads.
Buy VignetteThis information is directed at truck drivers crossing the country. Truck drivers are also subject to tolls on the country’s motorways and expressways, but the charges are calculated differently.
In the following article, we will present what the Go Box Austria is all about, for whom it is relevant, and how it is used.
Vignette or Go Box
for Austria
Travellers driving on Austrian roads should be aware that they must pay tolls. Those who do not follow the local rules or who fail to correctly implement the regulations will face penalties. That’s why it’s important to understand what you require for your trip before driving to or through Austria.
Basically, there are only two options: the vignette or the Go Box. Travellers with a vehicle weighing up to 3.5 tons must buy a digital vignette for Austria or use the “old” sticker version. The cost depends on the validity period of the vignette. E-vignettes for 10 days, two months or one year are available. Vehicles over 3.5 tons must use the Go Box in Austria.
Vignette or Go Box
for Austria
Travellers driving on Austrian roads should be aware that they must pay tolls. Those who do not follow the local rules or who fail to correctly implement the regulations will face penalties. That’s why it’s important to understand what you require for your trip before driving to or through Austria.
Basically, there are only two options: the vignette or the Go Box. Travellers with a vehicle weighing up to 3.5 tons must buy a digital vignette for Austria or use the “old” sticker version. The cost depends on the validity period of the vignette. E-vignettes for 10 days, two months or one year are available. Vehicles over 3.5 tons must use the Go Box in Austria.
Who uses the
Go Box in Austria?
The vignette is used for vehicles with a total weight of up to 3.5 tons, and the Go Box is intended for everyone else. It is therefore used by drivers who travel with means of transport above the mentioned weight. For this reason, the Go Box Toll is often referred to as the Truck Toll—after all, it is mostly truck drivers who rely on this special device. The following vehicles are also subject to the Go Box Toll system.
Go Box for buses and heavy motorhomes
Some buses and motorhomes are required to have a vignette, while others must use a Go Box. Admittedly, distinguishing between the categories is not always easy. The most important detail to look for when answering the question of whether you need a Go Box is weight. Buses and RVs are by no means minivans or “small” RVs. It is the heavy, large vehicles that need to be equipped with this device.
Go Box for trucks
The Go Box is most often used for trucks. This includes not only standard trucks weighing over 3.5 t, but also semitrailers or truck tractors. Caution: small transporters or vans do not belong to this category. For them—just as for the ordinary passenger cars under 3.5, t—the regular obligation to have a vignette applies in Austria.
Go Box Toll in Austria-
How does the toll work?
Before you attach the Go Box to your vehicle’s windshield and you set off for the next on-ramp on the motorway, you need to pay attention to a few details when installing the device.
Basically, the Go Box is a device that connects to the toll portals on the roads via a so-called “microwave technology”. Since the Go Box Toll is a mileage-based toll, the distance travelled is measured. We will explain the most important steps, from registration to payment.
Registration for the Go Box takes place via the SelfCare portal of ASFINAG, the Austrian infrastructure company responsible for road tolls. Even after registration, you can continue to manage all stored data via this portal.
To open an account on the site, you need two reference numbers: the device number (OBU-ID) and the identification number (PAN - Personal Account Number). Both numbers can be found on the vehicle declaration, which can be obtained at one of the sales points.
The declaration can only be obtained if the respective vehicle’s registration certificate is presented and all other details (name, e-mail address, vehicle registration number, etc.) are complete.
It is only possible to order the Go Box online if you already have an active device or if you use the ASFINAG payment service (Go Direkt).
There are a total of 170 Go sales offices in Austria. These can be found in various states so that drivers have the option of stopping at one of the sales points at any time. Other Go sales offices can be found in Germany, Italy, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. So, even before crossing the border into Austria, you can pick up a box at one of these locations.
After issuing the Go Box, the device is attached to the inside of the vehicle. Before using it, you should check the status of the box and make sure that the information that will later be relevant for the calculation of fees is correct. This mainly means the number of axles. There is a button on the device, with which you can change the number (if necessary). Thanks to a buzzer, you are informed about the box’s functions due to signals sent while passing the toll gates. Comprehensive information about usage can be found on the ASFINAG portal.
The reason why it is so important that the number of axles appears correctly on the box is that it will be used later to calculate the costs for the distance travelled. There are three categories in total: vehicles with two axles belong to the first, and vehicles with four or more axles belong to the second.
Another factor that plays a role in the calculation is the Euro emission class. The classification ranges from EURO emission class EURO VI to EURO emission class EURO 0 to III. Vehicles with electric drive and hydrogen fuel cell drive are also considered when calculating the rates.
A distinction is also made between driving on Austria’s roads during the day or at night (22:00 and 05:00). Here, too, there is a difference as far as the Go Box Toll rates are concerned.
Since the truck toll is a distance toll, many people think that payment can only be made after the trip. However, payment is already made beforehand via a credit balance. The following payment procedures are available:
- Pre-Pay: using the Pre-Pay option, you can buy credit for the box. The credit is valid for two years. Since the Go Box can’t be purchased but only leased, the remaining credit is paid out upon return. As soon as the toll credit is under 30 euros, you are informed via the Go Box light display on the device.
- Post-Pay: the Post-Pay option can only be used if the funds on the device were insufficient. The additional payment must be made within a certain time.
Tunnels and bridges with the Go Box
In Austria, there are certain stretches of road where different regulations apply regarding the vignette and
tolls. These sections are called special toll routes.
Special toll routes in Austria
The special toll routes are certain motorways and expressways. These include, for example, the the A11 Karawankenautobahn, the A13 Brennerautobahn, or the S16 Arlberg Schnellstraße.
Car and truck drivers passing through the Karawankentunnel or the Arlberg road tunnel must be aware that special regulations and rates apply when using these routes.
Buy VignetteSpecial toll with Go Box
On the Austria’s special toll routes, drivers still use the Go Box, but higher rates apply on these sections. The driver does not need to change the settings on the device, as the costs are calculated automatically via the toll booths.