Last updated: 07.05.2025
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Toll Route: The Brenner Motorway A13
The Brenner Motorway is one of the main routes through the Alps and part of the European North-South corridor, specifically the European Route E45. In 2022 alone, 16.58 million cars and 2.73 million trucks crossed the Brenner Pass, which connects Austria and Italy, causing countless traffic jams. A route-specific toll (available digitally/online in our shop) is required on the A13 motorway, which runs from Austria to Italy via the Brenner Pass. It's important to distinguish between the Brenner Tunnel and the Brenner Base Tunnel. While the Brenner Tunnel is subject to the toll and serves road traffic, the Brenner Base Tunnel is being constructed for rail transport and is expected to be completed by 2032. More information about traveling from Innsbruck to Fortezza by train via the Brenner Base Tunnel can be found here.
The route-specific toll (also known as a special toll) is a fee charged independently of the vignette on certain motorway sections in Austria. However, a vignette is still usually required in Austria, as it is necessary for most access and exit routes.
The Europa Bridge
Located on the A13 Brenner Motorway and the Brenner Tunnel is the Europa Bridge, considered the centerpiece of the A13, situated between Patsch and Schönberg in the Stubai Valley. A route-specific toll is required to use the Europa Bridge. However, this toll is included in the overall fee for the Brenner Tunnel. This means that if you’ve already paid the toll for the entire A13, you don’t need to pay an additional fee for the bridge. You can purchase the A13 toll online from us. From 2040, the Europa Bridge will become a major construction site as it is set to be completely rebuilt, requiring demolition. The construction is expected to last four years and will cause significant travel disruptions.
Austria and Italy: Where Do Toll Rules Apply?
Austria and Italy have different toll and vignette systems. The Italian Brenner Motorway A22 transitions into the Austrian A13 motorway at the border. While the Austrian motorway requires a route-specific toll, no such toll is required for the Italian Brenner Motorway A22. Additionally, Italy does not use a vignette system—instead, tolls on the A22 are distance-based, meaning the toll is calculated based on kilometers driven and vehicle class.
Tolls can be paid in cash or by credit card at toll booths at motorway exits. It is also possible to pay with a VisaCard, a prepaid card for paying tolls on Italian motorways.
How Much Does the Brenner Toll Cost?
The cost of the route-specific toll (special toll) for the A13 Brenner Motorway depends on the type of toll pass purchased, i.e., the number of trips. A toll pass for the Brenner Motorway can be registered for 1 trip, 2 trips (e.g. round trip), or an annual pass with the following prices on Digital-Vignette-Online.at:
- 1 trip: €17 (Toll: €12, Processing fee: €5)
- 2 trips: €31 (Toll: €24, Processing fee: €7)
- Annual pass: €84.90 (Toll: €72, Processing fee: €12.90)
The annual pass allows unlimited travel on the Brenner Motorway throughout the year. The benefit of the digital toll is that the toll is registered to your license plate and automatically recognized. At toll stations on motorways with a route-specific toll, there are green-marked lanes dedicated to digital toll users (formerly video toll). These lanes do not have terminals for cash or card payment and are reserved exclusively for vehicles with a registered toll pass, resulting in significantly shorter wait times.
Where Does the Brenner Route Toll Apply?
Unlike other special toll routes that apply only to certain sections of a motorway or expressway, the entire A13 is subject to the route-specific toll. The toll station for the A13 Brenner Motorway is located near Schönberg.
Route Planner
With our route planner, you can quickly and easily find out which toll rules apply to your journey by simply entering the start and destination of your planned trip. You can also use our product finder to check which products you need for your upcoming journey.
The Brenner Pass
The Brenner Pass is a border pass between Austria and Italy and is considered one of the most important Alpine transit routes. It has been used for crossing the Alps since ancient times, and during the Middle Ages, the Via Raetia was one of the key roads through the Alps. In the 16th century, a postal route was established over the Brenner Pass, and in the 19th century, the Brenner Railway became the first rail route across the main Alpine ridge, connecting Innsbruck and Verona.
The Brenner Motorway was constructed in the 1960s and officially opened in the 1970s. It serves as a major transport link between Austria and Italy: the Italian European Route E45 and Autostrada A22 connect directly to the Brenner Motorway, making it one of the most important transit routes between the two countries.
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