Croatia is introducing a new way of paying motorway tolls from 1 March 2027. No more stopping at barriers, looking for cards or queuing at toll booths. Tolls will be charged electronically, but drivers will need to make an important change before their first journey. What does this mean for Slovenian drivers, how will we pay tolls in Croatia, and what should we do with our existing ENC devices?
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Anyone who drives to Croatia in summer knows the scenes at the toll booths all too well. Queues of cars, anxious drivers, people hunting for loose change and cards, and waiting for the barrier to lift. The Croatians have finally decided that this way of collecting tolls is outdated. From 1 March 2027, the new Crolibertas electronic tolling system is expected to be fully operational, allowing motorists to use motorways without stopping. Toll barriers will become a thing of the past, although charges will still depend on motorway use. Croatia is therefore not introducing vignettes like those we know in Slovenia.
How will we pay tolls in Croatia under the new system?
There will be two options for private cars. The first is number plate recognition via cameras, while the second is using an ENC device. If we do not use ENC, we will have to link our vehicle registration number to a valid payment method before using the motorway. Once we drive onto the motorway, cameras will recognise the number plate and the system will automatically charge the toll.
Registration will be possible through an online portal, a mobile app and designated sales or registration points. That means Slovenian drivers will be able to sort it out before setting off on holiday. ENC will be compulsory for lorries and other heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
What about existing ENC devices? Will we have to throw them away?
No. And that is probably the best news for everyone who already has a Croatian ENC device. Existing ENC devices will be integrated into the new system. Croatian law expressly requires motorway operators to allow owners of devices bought before the new system is introduced to include them in electronic tolling.
That does not mean simply having your old device in the car will be enough. Under the new system, the number plate, ENC device and payment method will all need to be properly linked. So existing ENC users do not need to rush out and buy new devices. Before the system comes into force, it will make sense to check the details in your user account and the motorway operator’s instructions.
What happens if we do not register?
This is where it becomes considerably less fun. Croatia has set out specific penalties in law for using a motorway without joining the electronic system. A driver using the motorway without being properly enrolled in the system will have to pay the toll, plus a €120 special statutory charge. For certain offences, the law also provides fines of between €300 and €600 for individuals.
So it will no longer be enough to arrive at a toll booth and work out how to pay there. We will have to make sure we are registered and have a valid payment method in place in good time.
Will Croatian motorways become cheaper as a result?
Do not count on it. The new system is not intended to make tolls cheaper, but primarily to keep traffic moving faster and collect money more efficiently. When the system was presented, however, it was announced that prices should not change solely because of its introduction.
Personally, I think scrapping toll barriers is an excellent move. If I can drive from Ljubljana to Krk, or further down towards Dalmatia, without stopping at toll booths, that will be a brilliant improvement. Provided, of course, that the Croatians create a system that is straightforward for tourists and occasional motorway users too.
Because the last thing I want before heading to the coast is another app, another password and another registration I have to complete just to use a motorway normally. So this is the key point: do not throw away your ENC devices for now, but before your first journey after 1 March 2027, check that you are properly enrolled in the new system.