Motorway Tolls in Poland: Which Roads Are Free and Which Cost
Short answer: Cars up to 3.5 t pay nothing on the state A2 and A4. You still pay on concession sections of A1, A2 and A4: the A4 Katowice to Kraków costs 36 zł for a car since 1 April 2026.
Most motorways in Poland are free for a normal car. Since 1 July 2023, cars, motorcycles and vehicle combinations up to 3.5 tonnes do not pay on the state-run motorways A2 Konin to Stryków and A4 Wrocław to Sośnica. You still pay on the private concession sections: A1 between Rusocin near Gdańsk and Nowa Wieś near Toruń, A2 from Konin to Świecko (except the Poznań bypass) and A4 between Katowice and Kraków. This guide uses the road authority GDDKiA, the national e-TOLL service and the A4 and A1 operators' own price pages. Prices were checked in October 2026, and they can change, so look at the operator's page before a long trip.
Which motorways are free
The e-TOLL service says that under the law of 26 May 2023, the toll for light vehicles on the GDDKiA-managed sections A2 Konin-Stryków and A4 Wrocław-Sośnica was abolished from 1 July 2023. This covers cars, motorcycles and combinations with a permissible total weight of up to 3.5 tonnes.
There is one catch for caravans and trailers. If the permissible total weight in the registration document of the vehicle plus trailer is over 3.5 tonnes and you are towing the trailer, the vehicle counts as heavy. It then still has to pay the electronic toll in e-TOLL on those sections. So a car with a heavy caravan can still owe a toll on roads that are free for a normal car.
Where you still pay
GDDKiA's page on motorway charges lists the concession sections where drivers pay:
- A1, section Rusocin to Nowa Wieś,
- A2, section Konin to Świecko, except the stretch between the Poznań Zachód and Poznań Wschód junctions,
- A4, section Kraków to Katowice.
These are run by private concession companies, not by the state e-TOLL system. Each has its own prices and payment methods.
A4 Katowice to Kraków
The operator, Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska, publishes the rates in force from 1 April 2026. For a passenger vehicle with two axles (category 1) the rate is 18 zł, and for a motorcycle 9 zł. The operator explains that this amount is charged at each of the two toll plazas, in Mysłowice and in Balice, and that it is half of the price for the whole Katowice to Kraków section. So a full trip in a car costs 36 zł. A car with a trailer (category 2) pays 32 zł at each plaza.
Payment options at the plazas, according to the operator, include:
- videotolling, which means payment by number-plate recognition, through apps such as O!AUTO/Autopay, SkyCash, IKO and Yanosik,
- bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro),
- the Telepass electronic system (check with Telepass that your device works on this motorway),
- fleet and fuel cards,
- cash in PLN, euro and US dollars. Euro and dollars are accepted as banknotes only, and change is given in złoty.
The operator also states that the A4 Katowice to Kraków motorway is not and will not be covered by the e-TOLL system, so e-TOLL devices and the e-TOLL app do not work there. A motoring outlet, Otomoto, reports that the concession for this section ends in 2027 and that the road is expected to become free for cars from March 2027. We could not confirm that date on an official page, so check before you plan around it.
A1 Gdańsk to Toruń
On the A1, the operator AmberOne says tolls are collected on a 152 km section with twelve toll points, from Rusocin to Nowa Wieś. The system is closed: you take a ticket at the entrance and pay at the end of your trip, with the price depending on vehicle category and the distance driven. You must keep the ticket, because the fee is calculated from it. If you cannot show a valid entry ticket, you pay the maximum fee for your category and toll point.
On the operator's price table, the full run from Rusocin to Nowa Wieś for category 1 (a two-axle vehicle without twin wheels and without a trailer) is 29.90 zł. Shorter trips cost less, for example 3.50 zł from Rusocin to Stanisławie. For vehicles with a trailer, the categories are different, so use the operator's calculator.
A2 from Konin to Świecko
The A2 concession section is the longest paid one, and its prices depend on the part you drive. This guide does not give A2 prices, because we did not verify them on the operator's own page. Use the A2 operator's price list before you drive, and note that the Poznań bypass is free.
What if you took the wrong lane
On the state motorways that still have toll plazas, such as the A4 Wrocław to Sośnica, the Ministry of Finance explains how lanes work. The far-right lanes are for e-TOLL users with automatic barriers. A driver of a light vehicle who does not use e-TOLL should go to the left side of the plaza. If you enter by mistake in an e-TOLL lane, do not stop or turn back. Continue, and pay manually at the exit at the toll booth, where the charge is made for the longest paid section of that motorway. That avoids an additional fee. This page dates from 2021, before light vehicles became free, so read it as background for heavy vehicles and for how the old plazas work.
Tips for a trip
1. Before a long drive, list the motorways on your route. Only the concession sections charge a normal car.
2. For A4 Katowice to Kraków, have a bank card or a payment app ready, because you pay at each plaza.
3. For A1 Gdańsk to Toruń, keep the entrance ticket safe.
4. If you tow a heavy caravan, check whether the combination exceeds 3.5 tonnes. If it does, e-TOLL applies even on the free state motorways.
5. If you are new in Poland, see how to register a car in Poland and how to exchange a foreign driving licence.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay tolls on Polish motorways with a normal car?
Not on most of them. Since 1 July 2023 light vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes do not pay on the state sections of A2 and A4. You pay on the concession sections of A1, A2 and A4 listed above.
How much is the A4 between Katowice and Kraków?
From 1 April 2026, a standard car pays 18 zł at each of the two plazas, so 36 zł for the full journey, according to the operator.
Can I use the e-TOLL app on the A4 Katowice to Kraków?
No. The operator says the section is not covered by e-TOLL. Pay at the plaza by card, payment app, Telepass or cash.
Does a car with a caravan pay on the free motorways?
It can. If the total permissible weight of the car and trailer in the registration document is over 3.5 tonnes and you tow the trailer, the combination is treated as a heavy vehicle and pays through e-TOLL.
What happens if I lose my ticket on the A1?
You must pay the maximum fee for your category and toll point, according to the A1 operator.
