Toll prices on the A2 motorway in the Greater Poland region have increased again and are reaching levels that many drivers and transport companies consider extremely high. For heavy goods vehicles, toll rates are now approaching approximately PLN 3.20 per kilometer, which is fueling growing debate about the future of this route and the possibility of the state taking control of the motorway.

Another Toll Increase on the Private Section of the A2

The new toll rates have come into effect on the privately operated section of the A2 motorway between Konin and Nowy Tomyśl. Each concession-operated segment of the motorway has once again been subject to a price increase.

For trucks, this means costs of up to around PLN 3.20 per kilometer. In practice, traveling a single section of approximately 50 kilometers can cost more than PLN 150, while driving across the entire privately operated stretch of the motorway generates significant expenses for transport companies.

What Is Driving the Price Increases?

The motorway operator explains the toll increases mainly by:

• rising infrastructure maintenance costs,
• inflation and increasing operational expenses,
• investments in motorway expansion, particularly around the Poznań area,
• modernization of toll collection systems.

Price increases occur regularly, and the private motorway operator has the right to adjust toll rates in accordance with the provisions of the concession agreement.

Why Can’t the Government Stop the Increases?

The main reason lies in the concession agreement signed in the late 1990s. Under this agreement, the private operator has considerable freedom in setting toll rates for the motorway.

This means that even if government institutions disagree with the increases, they have very limited ability to influence the toll pricing structure. The current concession agreement remains in force until 2037, after which the motorway is expected to be fully transferred to state management.

Is an Earlier Government Takeover Possible?

The rising toll prices are prompting increasing discussions about a potential early takeover of the concession section of the A2 motorway by the government. However, such a move would require:

• buying out the concession from the private operator,
• paying substantial compensation,
• renegotiating the terms of the long-term concession agreement.

For this reason, various scenarios are currently being analyzed that could potentially lead to changes in how the motorway is managed.

What Does This Mean for the Transport Industry?

For the transport sector, the situation primarily means further increases in operating costs. The A2 motorway is one of the most important transport corridors in Poland, especially for freight moving between Germany and central and eastern parts of the country.

High toll rates result in several consequences:

• some carriers begin choosing alternative routes,
• traffic on national roads increases,
• transport costs in the Greater Poland region become higher than on many other European routes.

Summary

Toll rates on the privately operated section of the A2 motorway have reached levels that are generating growing controversy. Charges reaching approximately PLN 3.20 per kilometer for trucks are making the topic of a potential state takeover of the motorway increasingly present in public debate.

For now, however, one thing remains certain — as long as the current concession agreement remains in force, drivers and transport companies must be prepared to face high toll costs when using this route. 🚛