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Which motorway tolls are rising in France and by how much?
Overall prices are less than 3%, but considerably higher on some routes
France’s expansive motorway toll system is set to see prices increase on February 1.
Former Transport Minister Clément Beaune promised last year that the 2024 ‘péage’ (toll) increases would be ‘below 3%’... and he is technically right.
The overall increase from February onwards will be 2.93%, compared to 2023’s rates.
However, actual increases depend on the route in question, as each operator has increased payments by a different percentage.
It means that actual increases will vary depending on the routes drivers take, with some seeing costs increase by more than 3%.
This overall increase is lower than last year, when prices shot up by around 4.75%, but is still a considerable change for those who use routes regularly.
It is the sixth consecutive year that toll prices have risen in France.
What are the new changes?
The increases expected from each major motorway operator are as follows:
Vinci: 2.70%
Sanef: 2.79%
SAPN: 3.08%
APRR: 3.02%
Area: 3.04%
For the Millau Viaduct toll, a rise of between 5.5% and 5.83% will come into force.
A map showing which operator controls which road can be found here, although note that some of the companies listed may be subsidiaries of the major ones mentioned above.
The general director of Sanef, the company which operates motorways in the north and east of France, said that in many cases, the rises were out of his company’s hands.
“The contractual formula is 70% of inflation… . We don't have price freedom [and] we don't define toll prices,” said Arnaud Quémard to French news outlet RMC.
The price increases are validated by the Ministry of Transport, and are enforced by a government decree, he added.
Will prices remain in 2025?
Although 2024’s increases have yet to take place, some are already casting their eyes to 2025, where substantially higher rates are expected.
In light of a new tax on motorway operator’s profits, the companies may increase their tolls by up to 6.2% – if they can successfully argue the new tax can be passed onto drivers.
This will be decided over the course of the year, and come into force in February 2025 if route operators get their way.
One motorway that will look different in 2024 is the A13 between Paris and Normandy, which will become the first tollbooth-free motorway in France, after trials of the technology on sections of other roads last year.
The toll-free version of the motorway is expected to start in June; until that point, traditional tolls will be present on parts of the road.
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