Road tolling to finance bridges, tunnels and roads has a long history in Norway. The cities Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim introduced toll rings between 1986 and 1991 as a means to discourage urban traffic and to finance infrastructure projects around those cities. Today toll rings circumscribe Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Haugesund, Bergen, Askøy, Bodø, Harstad, Grenland, Førde and Trondheim. Besides toll rings, road tolls are installed to finance certain road projects, and often also on the existing road to discourage people from using it. Some tolls use congestion pricing and/or environmentally differentiated toll rates.
There is an ongoing reform of the road toll sector, proposed by Prime minister Solberg's Cabinet. The toll reform has four parts: a reduction of the number of toll road operators, separation of the toll service provision for tolls and ferry tickets from the toll road operators, an interest compensation scheme for toll road loans, and a simplification of the price and discount schemes.[1]
The Norwegian electronic toll collection system is called AutoPASS, and is administrated by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. There are no manual toll stations left. The system involves the installation of a DSRC based radio transponder operating at 5.8 GHz (MD5885), originally supplied by the Norwegian companies Q-Free and Fenrits, and since 2013 supplied by Kapsch and Norbit,[2] [3] on the windscreen of a vehicle, and to sign a contract with one of the toll service providers. With an AutoPASS contract it is also possible to use the tag in Denmark and Sweden on ferries and bridges through the EasyGo partnership.[4] [5]
In December 2021, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration withdrew from EasyGo starting a transition period until 31 March 2022.[6] Providers need to be EETS-registered and approved by the operators in order for the OBE to be valid in those toll facilities after the transition period ends.
If a vehicle passes through a toll station without a valid transponder, a photograph is taken of the registration number. Norwegian-registered vehicles are invoiced directly by the toll road operators, and foreign vehicles are invoiced by Epass24.[7] [8] If a foreign vehicle is driven through a toll that uses environmentally differentiated toll rates, the highest rate will be charged unless the vehicle's Euro class and fuel type are registered. Registration is optional, but registering to the scheme, which is called "Visitors' Payment" will, in addition to the avoidance of paying the highest fee in tolls with environmentally differentiated rates, normally reduce the time from the journey until an invoice is received. The account also gives access to the invoices, the possibility to register for e-mail delivery and to make the payment.
If driving a rental car, the renter should register the car to receive the invoice directly. If it is not registered, the invoice will be sent to the rental company (the car owner). The company may add administration fees when collecting the amount from the renter.[9]
All vehicles that exceed and are primarily used for business, or are registered to a business, government, county municipality or municipality, must have a valid toll tag/agreement when driving on Norwegian public roads.[10]
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| For vehicles in vehicle group M1 with a weight exceeding 3500kg (7,700lb), an electronic tag and valid contract is required. | Mandatory tag: Vehicles registered to companies, or vehicles used for commercial purposes are required to have an electronic tag and a valid contract. | ||
| Vehicle groups with environmentally differentiated toll rates | Rate group 1 is divided into:
| Rate group 2 is divided into: | |
| General tag discount | 20% | 0% |
Toll fees for zero-emission vehicles in rate group 1 is introduced in a growing number of tolling projects. Zero-emission vehicle is a collective name for electric cars and hydrogen cars, and the toll fee is maximum 50% of ordinary toll fee after discount (i.e. if the toll fee is 10 NOK, it costs 8 NOK for those with a valid tag/agreement. The toll fee for zero-emission vehicles can hence be maximum 4 NOK). The introduction of payment for zero-emission vehicles is done according to the instructions from Prop. 87 S (2017-2018) and local government. Payment of tolls as a zero-emission vehicle requires tag and a valid agreement. Without a tag and a valid agreement, zero-emission vehicles will be charged ordinary fare like other vehicles.[13] [14] [15] The exception is in tolls that has environmentally differentiated rates (currently the toll rings in Oslo and Akershus and in Bergen). In these, an agreement is only needed to get the general tag discount on top of the (lower) zero-emission price rate.[16]
A toll road operator, who has signed a toll charge agreement with Statens vegvesen is responsible for the financing of all toll roads in Norway.[17] As a consequence of the toll reform, regional toll road operators, owned jointly by the counties, have been created:
| Oslo and Akershus | Oslopakke 3 | Oslo, Viken | Fjellinjen AS | |
| Kristiansand | Samferdselspakke for Kristiansandsregionen | Agder | Ferde AS | |
| Nord-Jæren | Bymiljøpakken | Rogaland | Ferde AS | |
| Haugalandet | Haugalandspakken | Rogaland, Vestland | Ferde AS | |
| Bergen | Miljøløftet | Vestland | Ferde AS | |
| Askøy | Askøypakken | Vestland | Ferde AS | |
| Bodø | Bypakke Bodø | Nordland | BPS Nord - Veipakke Salten AS | |
| Fredrikstad | Bypakke Nedre Glomma | Viken | Vegfinans Bypakke Nedre Glomma AS | |
| Førde | Førdepakken | Vestland | Ferde AS | |
| Grenland | Bypakke Grenland | Telemark | Vegfinans Bypakke Grenland AS | |
| Harstad | Harstadpakken | Troms | BPS Nord - Troms Bompengeselskap AS | |
| Nordhordland | Nordhordlandspakken | Vestland | Ferde AS | |
| Trondheim | Miljøpakke Trondheim | Trøndelag | Vegamot AS |
| Svinesund Bridge, Østfold[18] | Viken | Svinesundsforbindelsen AS | ||
| Moss, Raukerud, Østfoldpakka, Østfold[19] | Viken | Vegfinans Østfold Bompengeselskap AS | ||
| Gardermoen-Biri, Akershus[20] | Viken | Vegfinans E6 Gardermoen-Moelv AS | ||
| Øyer-Tretten, Tingberg, Oppland[21] | Innlandet | Vegfinans E6 Oppland | ||
| Frya-Sjoa, Oppland[22] | Innlandet | Vegfinans Ringebu-Otta AS | ||
| Trondheim–Stjørdal[23] | Trøndelag | Vegamot AS | ||
Helgeland north[24]
| Nordland | BPS Nord - Nordland Bompengeselskap AS | ||
Helgeland south
| Nordland | BPS Nord - Nordland Bompengeselskap AS | ||
| Hålogaland Bridge[25] | Nordland | BPS Nord - Hålogalandsbrua AS | ||
| Trældal - Leirvik | Nordland | BPS Nord - Hålogalandsbrua AS | ||
| Bolstad, Vossapakko, Hordaland[26] | Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| Kongsvinger-Slomarka, Hedmark[27] | Innlandet | Vegfinans E16 Kongsvingervegen AS | ||
| Bagn-Bjørgo, Oppland[28] | Innlandet | Vegfinans E16 Oppland AS | ||
| Østfoldpakka, Østfold | Viken | Vegfinans Østfold Bompengeselskap AS | ||
| Gulli-Langangen, Vestfold[29] | Vestfold og Telemark | Vegfinans E18 Vestfold AS | ||
| Rugtvedt- Dørdal, Telemark | Vestfold og Telemark | Vegfinans E18 Telemark AS | ||
| Tvedestrand - Arendal[30] | Agder | Ferde AS | ||
| Damåsen–Saggrenda, Kongsberg | Viken | Vegfinans E134 Buskerud AS | ||
| Løten-Elverum | Innlandet | Vegfinans AS | ||
| Dynna, Lunner boundary, Oppland[31] | Innlandet | Vegfinans Rv4 Oppland | ||
| Sokna-Ørgenvika, Buskerud[32] | Viken | Vegfinans Hallingporten AS | ||
| Hardanger Bridge[33] | Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| Svelgane, Vossapakko | Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| Ryfylke Tunnel, Ryfast[34] | Rogaland | Ferde AS | ||
| Hundvåg Tunnel, Ryfast | Rogaland | Ferde AS | ||
| Slåttekås–Årnes, Ullevik[35] | Vestfold og Telemark | Vegfinans Rv36 Telemark | ||
| Dyrstad - Sprova | Vegamot AS | Trøndelag | ||
| Grime-Vesleelva, Oppland[36] | Innlandet | Vegfinans Fv34 Oppland | ||
Kvammapakken, Hordaland[37]
| Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| Toven Tunnel, Vefsn, Vegpakke Helgeland[38] | Nordland | BPS Nord - Helgeland Veiutvikling AS | ||
Kvammapakken, Hordaland
| Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| The old Svinesund Bridge, Østfold | Viken | Svinesundsforbindelsen AS | ||
| Old E18, Østfoldpakka | Viken | Vegfinans Østfold Bompengeselskap AS | ||
| Åsum, Kongsvinger-Slomarka, Hedmark | Innlandet | Vegfinans E16 Kongsvingervegen AS | ||
| Part of Vegfinans E6 Gardermoen-Moelv project | Viken | Vegfinans E6 Gardermoen-Moelv AS | ||
| Fulu, Kongsvinger-Slomarka, Hedmark | Innlandet | Vegfinans E16 Kongsvingervegen AS | ||
| Fåberg, Gausdalsvegen, Oppland[39] | Innlandet | Vegfinans Gausdalsvegen AS | ||
| Part of E134 Damåsen–Saggrendaproject | Viken | Vegfinans E134 Buskerud AS | ||
| Kambo, Østfoldpakka | Viken | Vegfinans Østfold Bompengeselskap AS | ||
| Øvstabø, Gjesdal[40] | Rogaland | Ferde AS | ||
| Finnøy Tunnel, Rennesøy[41] | Rogaland | Ferde AS | ||
| Bømlo Bridge, Bømlopakken, Hordaland[42] | Vestland | Ferde AS | ||
| T-Link[43] | Rogaland | Ferde AS | ||
| Laksevegen[44] | Trøndelag | Vegamot AS | ||
| Krinsvatn, Fosenpakken[45] | Trøndelag | Fosenvegene AS | ||
| Strømnes - Malm | Trøndelag | Vegamot AS | ||
| Rya Tunnel, Tromsø[46] | Troms | Ryaforbindelsen AS | ||
| Dynna, Lunner boundary, Oppland | Innlandet | Vegfinans Rv4 Oppland AS | ||
| Bagn-Bjørgo, Oppland | Innlandet | Vegfinans E16 Oppland | ||
| Frya-Sjoa, Oppland | Innlandet | Vegfinans Ringebu-Otta AS | ||
| Jørstadmoen, Lundgård, Gausdalsvegen, Oppland | Innlandet | Vegfinans Gausdalsvegen AS |
The following ferry crossings collect road tolls as a surcharge to the ferry ticket:[47]
| Mortavika–Arsvågen | Rogaland | Fjord1 | |||
| Langevåg–Buavåg | Vestland | Norled | Ferde AS | ||
| Husavik–Sandvikvåg | Vestland | Fjord1 | Ferde AS | ||
| Krokeide–Hufthamar | Vestland | Fjord1 | Ferde AS | ||
| Brekstad–Valset | Trøndelag | Fjord1 | Fosenvegene AS | ||
| Flakk–Rørvik | Trøndelag | ATB | Fosenvegene AS |