Portugal-based toll operator Via Verde has begun charging heavy-vehicle tolls in the Netherlands as of 1 July 2026, marking a significant international expansion for the group controlled by Brisa. The contract, awarded to the NedLinq consortium led by Via Verde and including Ascendi O&M and Yunex Traffic, replaces a decades-old flat-fee system with distance-based electronic charging across approximately 3,000 kilometers of Dutch highways and regional roads.
Why This Matters
• Policy shift: The Netherlands has abandoned the Eurovignette fixed-toll model, moving to a GPS-tracked, per-kilometer charge that rewards cleaner trucks with lower rates.
• Temporary discount: From 1 September through year-end 2026, all trucks benefit from a 22.3% rate cut, reducing average charges from €0.201 to €0.156 per kilometer for standard Euro 6 vehicles over 32 tonnes.
• Compliance deadline: Every truck above 3.5 tonnes operating in the Netherlands must carry an approved on-board unit (OBU) and sign a contract with a toll-service provider; fines start at €400 during the grace period and double to €800 after 31 December 2026.
• Portuguese expertise: The decade-long contract underscores the export potential of Portugal's 30 years of toll-collection know-how, now applied to one of Europe's busiest freight corridors.
What Vrachtwagenheffing Means on the Ground
The new vrachtwagenheffing (truck levy) applies to all goods vehicles in categories N2 and N3—essentially anything with a maximum authorized mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes. Coverage extends to the entire motorway network, selected provincial N-roads, and municipal arteries near major cities. Importantly, the system treats foreign-registered and Dutch-registered trucks identically; a haulier based in Portugal who crosses into the Netherlands will face the same per-kilometer charges as a Rotterdam-based carrier.
Unlike older gantry systems or vignette stickers, no physical tollbooths interrupt traffic. Instead, each truck carries a GPS/GNSS on-board unit that logs position data and transmits it to the back-office platform operated by Yunex Traffic, which handles billing and enforcement. This satellite-based architecture mirrors Portugal's own electronic free-flow lanes, though the Dutch implementation scales the technology to an entire national network and includes granular environmental pricing.
Drivers do not need to interact with the device during trips; the OBU remains powered throughout and automatically records which road segments attract a charge. Monthly invoices then land with the transport company, breaking down distance, vehicle class, and applicable tariff band.
Four Weight Classes, Five Emission Tiers
Tariff calculation rests on three variables: gross vehicle weight, CO₂ class, and—for the dirtiest trucks—Euro emission standard. Weight is divided into four brackets: 3.5–12 tonnes, 12–18 tonnes, 18–32 tonnes, and above 32 tonnes. Five CO₂ classes range from electric and hydrogen powertrains (class 5) down to older diesel units (class 1). Within class 1, further differentiation by Euro VI, V, IV, and earlier norms ensures the heaviest penalty falls on the oldest, least-efficient rigs.
A battery-electric articulated lorry over 32 tonnes pays roughly €0.038 per kilometer, while a conventional Euro 6 diesel in the same weight bracket faces approximately €0.201—a five-fold difference. Over an annual mileage of 50,000 kilometers, that pricing gap translates into a bill of €1,900 for the electric operator versus €10,050 for the diesel fleet, creating a powerful financial incentive to upgrade.
Mid-range hybrids and compressed-natural-gas models sit somewhere between. The Dutch transport ministry projects an average charge across the entire fleet of €0.186 per kilometer, with annual per-vehicle revenue in the region of €8,000 for a typical 40-tonne Euro 6 tractor-trailer.
Temporary Discount Eases Diesel-Cost Pressure
Recognizing that diesel prices climbed sharply in early 2026, the Netherlands Cabinet announced in mid-2026 a 22.3% discount on truck tolls for the period 1 September to 31 December 2026. In practical terms, a standard Euro 6 truck over 32 tonnes will see its rate drop from €0.201 to €0.156 per kilometer—an average saving of 4.3 cents per kilometer. Across the sector, the government estimates the rebate will deliver €80 M in combined savings, easing cash-flow pressure during the system's inaugural months.
The reduction applies universally across all weight and emission classes, so electric and hydrogen operators also enjoy the proportional cut, albeit from a much lower baseline. Cabinet officials have indicated the discount is not expected to continue into 2027 unless fuel markets remain volatile.
What Eurovignette Used to Look Like
For decades, heavy trucks entering the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Sweden purchased Eurovignette permits—time-based passes (daily, weekly, monthly, or annual) valid regardless of actual kilometers driven. A haulier running a single cross-border delivery paid the same daily rate as one crisscrossing the country multiple times. Crucially, the vignette ignored vehicle emissions, treating a smoke-belching Euro III lorry and a modern Euro VI alike.
European Union directives updated the Eurovignette framework in recent years to allow—and eventually require—member states to differentiate charges by CO₂ performance, but most signatory countries kept the time-based structure. The Netherlands has gone further, abolishing the vignette outright in favor of true distance pricing. This shift aligns with similar schemes already operating in Germany (LKW-Maut), Austria, and Switzerland, though the Dutch model includes more granular emission bands and extends coverage to lighter vehicles in the 3.5–12 tonne segment.
In tandem with the new toll, the motor-vehicle tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) for trucks up to 12 tonnes has been scrapped entirely, and rates for heavier trucks have been cut to the EU minimum, meaning fleet operators see a partial offset of toll expenses through lower annual registration fees.
Impact on Portuguese Transport Firms and Expats
Any Portugal-based logistics company running international routes to or through the Netherlands must now budget per-kilometer charges and ensure every vehicle carries a compliant OBU before 1 July 2026. Failure to do so triggers an immediate €400 fine during the grace period through year-end 2026, rising to €800 after 31 December 2026. Multiple violations can compound quickly, and enforcement cameras installed along the network read number plates and cross-check OBU activation.
Via Verde itself offers NedLinq-branded OBUs for non-resident carriers, with no subscription fee beyond a refundable deposit. Portuguese hauliers already familiar with Via Verde's domestic electronic-toll service will find a similar interface: register the fleet, install the box, and receive consolidated monthly invoices covering both home and Dutch tolls if they hold multi-country EETS (European Electronic Toll Service) agreements.
For small owner-operators or one-truck companies based in Portugal, the administrative burden is modest but non-negotiable. Missing the deadline means being unable to legally drive freight on Dutch roads—a significant risk given that the Netherlands serves as a gateway port cluster (Rotterdam, Amsterdam) for goods moving between Iberia and northern Europe.
Revenue Reinvestment and Zero-Emission Zones
Dutch transport officials have committed to channeling toll revenues back into sustainability programs: subsidies for electric-truck purchases, charging infrastructure along freight corridors, and pilot projects for hydrogen refueling. This "closed-loop" model mirrors funding strategies in Austria and Switzerland, where heavy-vehicle tolls finance rail-freight expansion and alpine tunnel upgrades.
Separately, 14 Dutch cities—including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague—have enforced zero-emission zones since 1 January 2025 for vans and trucks. These local rules go beyond the national toll, banning diesel and petrol commercial vehicles entirely within designated perimeters. Hauliers must either deploy battery-electric or hydrogen units for last-mile urban deliveries or face additional fines and access restrictions. Together, the toll and the city zones form a two-tier regulatory push toward fleet electrification.
Via Verde's International Footprint
The NedLinq award extends Via Verde's reach well beyond the Iberian peninsula. The company already operates tolling on the A-24 Blankenburg tunnel connection since December 2024, using technology developed by A-to-Be, another Brisa group subsidiary. In addition, Via Verde acquired Axxès, a French specialist in heavy-vehicle electronic tolling, broadening its product suite and client base across Western Europe.
Eduardo Ramos, CEO of Via Verde, described the Dutch contract as proof that Portuguese engineering and operational models can compete at the highest tier of European transport infrastructure. Over three decades, Via Verde has processed hundreds of millions of transactions annually—566 M transactions worth €1.4 billion in 2024 alone—and now applies that scale and reliability to satellite-based systems that demand continuous uptime and split-second GPS accuracy.
The Triangle BV joint venture, approved by the European Commission in February 2025, binds Via Verde, Ascendi, and Yunex under a 10-year operating agreement with the Dutch vehicle-registration authority (RDW). Although the contract's financial value remains undisclosed, industry analysts note that the Netherlands' dense highway network and high freight volumes position the scheme among Europe's most lucrative tolling concessions.
What Comes Next
As the Dutch system's performance is evaluated over its first year of operation, other EU member states are watching closely. If the system delivers measurable emissions reductions and operates administratively smoothly, expect neighboring Belgium and Denmark—both still reliant on Eurovignette permits—to accelerate their own distance-based reforms. Conversely, any technical glitches, billing disputes, or enforcement gaps could slow the broader European shift.
For Portugal-based carriers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: Dutch freight corridors now operate on the same user-pays, emissions-sensitive model that has long governed Alpine crossings. Investing in cleaner trucks reduces per-kilometer costs immediately, and the upcoming wave of EU freight-decarbonization subsidies—funded in part by toll revenues—may further tip the business case toward electric and hydrogen powertrains. As Via Verde extends its international footprint, Portuguese logistics expertise is becoming an export in its own right, positioning the country as a center of excellence in smart-mobility infrastructure.
