Scandinavian Tolls

[Robinhood]

I think I may be going to be a bit of a guinea-pig with this, but I thought it worth posting to see if anyone has any actual experience - though I suspect some of what I am about to lay out is a relatively new initiative.

 

We are off to Scandinavia again this year, to travel North via parts of Sweden as yet unseen, and back South through Norway (some of which will be new, and some already visited).

 

Having booked Hull-Rotterdam and return, we were looking at travelling from Rostock to Trelleborg by ferry (to avoid some mileage, and the bridge tolls, which are in themselves more expensive than the ferries). Having tried to coordinate the ferry timings, however, they don't ideally match our requirements, so it's back to considering driving, and the bridge tolls.

 

I can just about swallow the Storebaelt bridge toll at €51 each way, but the addition of the Oresundsbron bridge toll a further €96 each way is a bit of a hit.

 

In researching, it appears that it will be cost-effective for me to buy in advance a "Bropas" , (for €40) which will reduce the each-way charge from €96 to €44. This is something that is clearly recommended on the toll website for anyone making more than a single crossing in a year, and the arrangement (though recurring annually by default) is cancellable at any time. (There is also an implication that if you don't see the full year out, a portion of the up-front fee is also refundable, but the website is very "opaque" on the level this).

 

Patently, even without any refund, this arrangement will save some money for a return journey (possibly even enough to buy a couple of coffees in Norway ;-) ). There does, now, however, appear to be rather more advantage to its use.

 

Registering for Bropas means you will be issued with a "Brobizz" electronic transponder (the equivalent of an Austrian GoBox) which means you can use the automated toll lanes, and be electronically sensed, and charged back to the associated credit card from the Bropas arrangement.

 

This in itself isn't hugely exciting, but it appears that this "Brobizz" box is now part of the pan-Scandinavian "Easygo" system, and is also recognised and valid for automated tolls throughout Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

 

So, in a stroke, registering to reduce the single bridge toll will now allow automated crossing of the other bridge, and avoid the need to register the vehicle for Norwegian toll roads (and potentially pay a refundable deposit). All payments are taken by Oresundsbron through the association with a credit card, and they settle with other authorities behind the scenes.

 

As I say, I think this interworking via the "Easygo" system is fairly new, but I wondered if anyone had experience of any of the above?

 

(And if, for instance, you had a Norwegian "Autopass" box, this is also in the "Easygo" arrangement, and would allow automated tolling across the bridges. It also carries a discount for the Oresundsbron, but nowhere near the magnitude offered by "Bropas/Brobizz", so, if you are going across this bridge, pan-Scandinavian access is probably best achieved by buying the latter)

 

[snowie]

Robinhood - 2016-03-22 9:11 AM

I think I may be going to be a bit of a guinea-pig with this, but I thought it worth posting to see if anyone has any actual experience - though I suspect some of what I am about to lay out is a relatively new initiative.

 

I think you may be correct; and I wish you luck and look forward to hearing your experiences.

From the tolls quoted, It looks to me as though you may have a MH that's a bit longer than 6M?

 

Sweden is off the agenda for us this year, as daughter may be relocating shortly; a pity from our perspective, and hers too I think.

The route you propose sound like one I had in mind,

Regards

alan b

[Robinhood]

snowie - 2016-03-22 10:49 AM

 

It looks to me as though you may have a MH that's a bit longer than 6M?

 

 

.....7m with the bikes on the back, but 3500kg. (It's not under 6m even if we put the bikes inside).

 

The toll category is exactly the same as when we used the bridges last time 3 years ago (but with a different 'van), but the Oresund toll appears to have crept up somewhat :-(

 

I'm pretty sure that what I've set out is correct (and there is an attraction to not having to register again for Norway) but I wondered whether anyone had experience. (though, I suspect that all of the arrangements may not have been in place last year).

 

I'll just have to give it a try, and then post back on my experience!

[Robinhood]

..just as an update.

 

I haven't found any flaw in the reasoning or costs above, so I've taken the first steps.

 

I've subscribed to a "Bropas" account for €40, and was informed that my "Brobizz" electronic box would be with me shortly.

 

It was also confirmed that, even without the Brobizz, I had immediate access to the reduced pricing if I were to book ahead (online) via an e-ticket.

 

The Brobizz - similar to a Go-Box, arrived today.

 

We'll have to see how it all works in practice!

[Robinhood]

A further update from the very north of Sweden (Gallivare).

 

So far the initiative has worked very well:

 

I sailed through the 'biz' lane on the Storebaelt bridge, and subsequent checking of my account reveals I was charged the correct price minus a 5% discount.

 

Similarly the Ostersund bridge, where I was charged the much-reduced less than half-price.

 

The Storebaelt bridge requires care with a biz and a motorcaravan, as the automated lanes measure the height, and will charge you a higher (double) rate if you are over 2.7m. Motorcaravans have a concession regardless of height, and if you are over 2.7m, you should use a manned lane.

 

I am officially just under 2.7 unladen, so decided to risk it - successfully.

 

We also hit two other toll stretches on the way north. Infrastructure charges for bridges at Motala and Sundsvall. The amounts are small, and there is no other way of paying other than awaiting a bill from a local agent in the UK. (Frankly, it won't be cost effective to pursue it, but I won't be surprised if they do - there should be no mark-up).

 

I understand the congestion charge for Stockholm is now charged to foreign vehicles in the same way. Up to last year foreign vehicles were exempt.

 

Now to see how the biz works in Norway!

[Robinhood]

...and, as a further update, I can now confirm that the "biz" tag works on the Norwegian Autopass system.

 

I passed a toll section yesterday afternoon, and it is on my account today (with a 5% discount :-) )

 

 

[Robinhood]

I've now been through the full cycle of this, and the end result has been a success.

 

A number of the figures here may contain "rounding errors" because of the various currencies I've been billed in on the trip, so I'll keep it to just indicative amounts.

 

The BroPass agreement bought from the Oresunds Bridge site cost me DKK290; This came with a "Bizz" toll tag, and gave (much) reduced crossing prices on the Oresunds Bridge; a 5% discount on the (cheaper) Storebaelt Bridge; and a further 5% discount on various (much cheaper) tolls in Norway.

 

Having returned from holiday, I've now cancelled my BroPass agreement (and returned the tag, costing me £7.75 - tracked). In return, I've received a part-refund of DKK103 (which was always implied in the agreement, but the amount was undefined - the tag, if unreturned, would have cost an extra DKK200).

 

So, effectively, the running of the agreement for a month and a bit has cost me around DKK200, net.

 

The current standard one-way charge for my (over 6m) van on the Oresund Bridge is DKK780 (this is, I think, the slightly increased Summer price). With the agreement the charge is DKK318 each way, an overall saving of DKK924 on the two crossings, and around DKK724 if you subtract the net cost of the agreement.

 

This translates to an overall net saving of some £80 simply for the return Oresund Bridge crossing.

 

The additional 5% savings on the two Storebaelt Bridge crossings amount to an extra DKK36.5 (£4) and the 5% on various Norwegian tolls adds much the same again.

 

So, for a very easy administrative process, I've saved in the order of £90 in tolls - well worthwhile I think.

 

It is worthwhile noting that the savings on a sub 6m 'van would be considerably less, because of the pricing structure (but there again, the base price for such a 'van is considerably less).

 

Hope this helps anyone considering going to Scandinavia by the bridges.

[Steve928]

Almost 3 years on, a quick thank you to Robinhood for this excellent information which remains current.

 

Having explored all the various options for a forthcoming trip to Scandinavia the Oresund Bridge 'BroPas' and associated 'OresundBizz' tag remain the best option by far. Current annual cost for the tag is c. £36 with a pro-rata refund upon its return. It looks to simplify our trip no end and guarantee us the car rate throughout the EasyGo network (principally Norway for us).

 

[Robinhood]

...glad it is still of use.

 

I really like the flexibility of being able to use the bridges without booking a crossing day, but by way of experiment next time I'll again consider the TT-Line daytime sailings from Rostock to Trelleborg.

 

(We were considering crossing into Southern Sweden in May, but plans have now dropped back to restricting ourselves to Northern Germany. I could do a return crossing on the above for €104, and we now, after on-site research, know we could use a convenient Stellplatz at either end, and it saves 300-400 miles driving each way - depending on where you are coming from of course).

[mikejkay]

Try Varberg / Grenaa for the return trip and avoid the bridges altogether. Cheep cheep :-D

[Robinhood]

mikejkay - 2019-04-17 2:50 PM

 

Cheep cheep :-D

 

...but not as cheap as Rostock-Trelleborg ;-)

 

Given that the day crossing times on this service in each direction aren't too early, and there are very acceptable (at least for a night) Stellplätze within very close distance of the departure point, I think Rostock-Trelleborg will get my vote next time.

 

There is a Stellplatz just to the west of the ferry port at Trelleborg (a couple of hundred yards), We wlked to have a look at it, and it was OK, though I might chose the one 15 minutes away at Smygehamn (as we've used it before).

 

Warnemunde Stellplatz is but a short distance from the departure at Rostock, and is reasonably (if not outstandingly) reviewed.

 

Catching the day boat gives you plenty of time at the other end to find somewhere nice to stay. Heading North into Sweden, Kåseberga has a Stellplatz which is pretty good, and is a short walk from Ales Stenar (standing stones in the shape of a Viking ship, well worth seeing.

[Wortho]

We have a bizz tag as we usually cross the Oresund Bridge a couple of times a year and it can also be used on the ferry between Rodby to Puttgarden but I don't think its any cheaper on the ferry. We used it a couple of times in Norway last year as well but noticed it did not beep in Norway but still registered as we saw a green tick on a sign as we passed through, we came across tolls in tunnels in Norway where it wasn't accepted and non of the Norway ferries that cross the Fjords accepted it either. We also had issues where our 5.98m van was detected as over 6m on the Oresund bridge so we always stop at the toll booth and hand it to an attendant to scan while explaining our van is only 5.98m (lol)

[Steve928]

Wortho - 2019-04-18 9:09 AM

 

.. but noticed it did not beep in Norway but still registered as we saw a green tick on a sign as we passed through

 

It's good to be warned of that, thanks, we'll look out for the green tick.

 

We had a similar experience in Portugal with a Via-t tag that didn't beep in the Via Verde lanes but after the initial panic we learnt to drive slower than advised and watch the confirmation come up on a small screen at the end of the lane. Conversely it sometimes beeped 3x in Spain.

 

One question for the experienced Bizz users please; I already registered my reg. no. with Euro Parking Collection for paying tolls through them, prior to deciding to opt for the Bizz. Should I now de-register with ECP or is it safe/better to leave that to cover any Norway tolls not -payable through the Bizz or would there be a danger of being double-charged?

[Wortho]

Steve928 - 2019-04-18 9:08 PM

We had a similar experience in Portugal with a Via-t tag that didn't beep in the Via Verde lanes

We got herded into a Via Verde lane on a bridge into Lisbon and we didn't have a tag so a siren went off *-)

We didn't know as we had registered our credit card on one of the machines at the border and thought that was it for tolls. We later dropped into a Via Verde office on the motorway to pay the toll but they said we had to go back to the bridge to pay :-( I said no thanks and what happens if we don't pay and the reply was probably nothing. Didn't hear anything afterwards and at least we tried to pay ;-)

[derek500]

We did Travemunde to Malmö last Autumn with Finnlines. About 90€ each way which included two all you can eat buffets per crossing.