Testing of the Via Toll system has begun – 70 percent of the project’s tasks have already been completed
In preparation for the launch of the Via Toll electronic road toll system, 70 percent of all project tasks have already been completed. Technical and legal project documentation has been prepared, integration with other partners’ systems is underway, and testing of the Via Toll system and mobile app began in September.
“The process of introducing e-tolling system in the country stalled for five years, but this year we took concrete steps, and today we are already in the final stretch. The Via Toll system, set to launch on January 1, will bring to Lithuania a fairer road-use toll system that is already widely used in Europe. This means that vehicles with a greater impact on roads and the environment will contribute more to improving road conditions. We will also ensure that funds related to road infrastructure are returned to where they are needed most – back to Lithuania’s roads,” says Minister of Transport Juras Taminskas.
“Preparations for the launch of the Via Toll system on January 1, 2027, are proceeding according to plan – by the end of August, we had completed the majority of the tasks required to launch the system. We have a functioning test environment, so we are now focusing primarily on system testing, security, and integrations. The goal for the coming months is not only to be technically ready for the system’s launch but also to enable carriers to complete the necessary preparatory steps in advance,” says Martynas Gedaminskas, CEO of Via Lietuva.
According to M. Gedaminskas, Via Lietuva, which is implementing the project, aims not only to ensure that Via Toll operates smoothly and is user-friendly starting next year, but also to allow future users to test the system and take the necessary preparatory steps before the end of this year.
The system will be available for testing later this year
Kapsch TrafficCom, the Austrian company implementing the Via Toll system’s technological solution, has completed the bulk of the programming work. After creating a test environment, system testing began in September and is expected to continue through November.
According to M. Gedaminskas, the testing will evaluate the core functionalities of the Via Toll system and mobile app, data exchange with other systems, as well as the system’s stability and security. Any issues identified during testing will be promptly resolved, and the system will be refined and prepared for its end users.
Once the testing phase is complete, future Via Toll users are scheduled to be granted access to the system later this year. This will allow them to register in advance and take other necessary steps to be ready to use the system starting January 1, 2027.
“Since all vignettes automatically expire on the last day of this year, operators and drivers of vehicles used for freight and passenger transport must be ready to use the Via Toll system as of January 1, 2027. This will be the only way to record their trips on toll roads and pay the toll based on the distance travelled,” notes the CEO of Via Lietuva.
Via Lietuva strengthens its customer service team
Preparations for the launch of Via Toll involve more than just implementing the system. A great deal of attention is being paid to process documentation and other preparatory work: procedures for connecting external service providers have been developed, and preparations are underway to shut down the current vignette system and issue refunds for the unused portion of vignette validity periods.
The launch of the Via Toll system is a significant change for Via Lietuva as well. Internal resources are being reallocated for the implementation of the new system, and new internal procedures are being developed. After assessing the expected number of customers and inquiries, it was decided to form a separate customer service team dedicated to assisting Via Toll users.
“By the end of the year, we plan to expand the customer service team, which will provide information to Via Toll users 24 hours a day in Lithuanian and English. We understand that as carriers transition from the vignettes they’ve used for many years to the new toll model, they will have practical questions, so we want to be ready to help resolve them even before the system goes live,” says M. Gedaminskas.
Carriers are encouraged to look into partner integration
By the end of this year, some of the most important tasks for the project will be to complete testing of the system and mobile app in collaboration with Kapsch TrafficCom, prepare the production environment, and confirm that the system meets all security standards.
Integration with third-party providers will also continue so that, from the very launch of Via Toll, transportation companies can pay tolls using the methods most convenient for them – such as fuel cards, OBU devices, or EETS services.
“We urge carriers who currently use fuel cards, OBUs, or EETS services to check now whether their service providers are preparing for integration with Via Toll. This will help avoid additional hassles starting on the first day of 2027,” advises M. Gedaminskas.
Via Toll, which will go into effect on January 1, 2027, will replace the current vignettes. Operators of vehicles in categories M2, M3, N1, N2, and N3 will pay tolls based on the actual distance travelled on toll highways and regional roads – this will ensure a more proportionate contribution by heavy-duty vehicles to the financing of road infrastructure.
Via Toll will not apply to drivers of light vehicles in category M1; they will not face any new road tolls.