The Toll Decree, which has been modified by the Ministry of National Development, includes several important changes for 2012. In accordance with the regulations which will enter into force on 1 January, the four-day e-vignette will be cancelled; road use authorisation will become more expensive and the deadline for paying penalty charges will increase from 15 days to 30 days.

Based on the Toll Decree modified by the Ministry of National Development, the (gross) prices of road use authorisations will change from 1 January 2012 according to the following:

The sale of e-vignettes at the changed prices will begin on 1 January, and the pre sale of vignettes is not allowed according to the relevant legal regulations. The weekly road use authorisation for motorcycles will cost HUF 1,470.

In addition to prices, the rate of penalty charges for any unauthorised use of toll sections and the payment deadline will also be modified. The latter will increase from 15 days to 30 days.

The most important change in the Toll Decree is that the four-day e-vignette for D1 category vehicles will be scrapped. From 1 January 2012, the shortest road use authorisation (for category D1) will be the weekly version, which – in contrast with its name – will be valid from the starting day determined by the customer and for a further nine days, i.e. for ten consecutive days altogether.  Connected with this, annual e-vignettes purchased in 2011 are valid until 31 January 2012.

It should be also highlighted that, according to the applicable laws, the toll sections of motorways may only be used with a valid e-vignette, which must be purchased prior to entering the motorway. In 2012 the road use authorisation can still be purchased at the customer service centres operated by SMMC., via the company’s reseller partners, via the Internet or via mobile phones. Further information on virtual toll payment options can be found at the www.motorway.hu website (E-vignette & Toll payment / Online purchase).

It is also important to bear in mind that the signature of motorists purchasing e-vignettes in person – and the reply message to those buying vignettes via SMS – confirms the validity of the given data (licence plate number, toll category, starting date of validity), and so it is strongly recommended that you check this data before signing the receipt or sending a reply message. It is recommended that you keep the vouchers confirming your purchases, because it is essential to present the original voucher and counterfoils during customer service procedures (e.g. transfers, problematic cases or the administration in connection with any penalty charge). The legal regulations which enter into force from 1 January 2012 contain even more severe instructions in connection with this.

As it is the middle of the winter period, it is useful to know that you can receive information on road conditions and the traffic situation via a blue number (+36-40-40-50-60), which can be called at the local rate from anywhere in the country. Furthermore, the Variable Message Signs installed over the motorways, the motorway website (www.motorway.hu) and the SMS-based information services are all there to help motorists to find the necessary information.

For the price of a normal-rate SMS, this new service allows motorists to obtain timely information about the traffic situation on the expressways under SMMC Ltd's supervision. Information can be obtained by sending the code of the selected motorway (e.g. M0, M1, etc.) in a normal-rate SMS to the following number: +36 70 777 4636. The first reply message contains general information about the motorway in question (traffic and weather conditions), while the second details the two most recent road events, specifying the kilometre markers at which they occurred. These are usually descriptions of accidents, diversions, traffic restrictions and other unexpected events. The system will reply to a text message only once. A further message should be sent for an update on traffic conditions at a later time.