New toll developments in the Netherlands and Belgium: why cost per pallet matters more than ever

From 2026 onwards, road transport in the Benelux will face important changes. Both the Netherlands and Belgium are introducing toll-related updates that will have an impact on many international freight flows. For shippers, this means that transport costs will increasingly be influenced by kilometer-based road charges.

At Emons Cargo 2WIN, we are closely monitoring these developments and are currently finalizing our analysis of the impact on relevant customer lanes. As soon as this analysis has been completed, we will provide our customers with a clear overview of the expected cost impact per lane.

As previously communicated, the Netherlands will introduce a truck toll for heavy goods vehicles. This new charge is scheduled to take effect on 1 July 2026.

From that date, truck owners will pay a charge per kilometer driven. The toll will apply to almost all Dutch motorways, as well as several provincial and municipal roads.

There is also an important update. From 1 September until 31 December 2026, the Dutch government will apply a temporary 22.3% discount to this newly introduced truck toll. This temporary discount will partly reduce the cost impact in the Netherlands during the final months of 2026.

Although this discount is a positive development, the introduction of the Dutch truck toll still marks a structural change in the way road transport costs are calculated. From July 2026 onwards, kilometers driven in the Netherlands will become a direct cost factor for many freight flows.

At the same time, Belgium will introduce important toll changes in the Flanders region.

From 1 July 2026, toll rates in Flanders will increase due to the introduction of a new CO₂-based component in the kilometer charge. This means that the toll rate will no longer only depend on factors such as vehicle weight and Euro emission class, but also on the CO₂ emission class of the vehicle.

This change is part of a broader European movement towards road pricing that takes emissions into account. In practice, vehicles with higher CO₂ emissions will face higher toll costs, while lower-emission and zero-emission vehicles will benefit from more favorable rates.

For international freight flows through Belgium, and especially through Flanders, this development can have a significant impact on transport costs.

The exact cost impact of these changes will differ per customer, per route and per freight flow. A general toll increase does not automatically result in the same cost impact for every shipment.

The final effect depends on several factors, including the route, the number of kilometers driven in the Netherlands and Belgium, the vehicle category, the applicable toll rate and the specific loading profile.

That is why Emons Cargo 2WIN is finalizing a detailed lane-by-lane analysis. Instead of working with broad assumptions, we calculate the expected impact for the actual freight flows of our customers.

As soon as this analysis has been completed, we will share a clear overview of the expected cost impact.

When toll costs increase, it is easy to focus only on the price per kilometer. But for shippers, that is not the full picture.

A toll charge is calculated per kilometer, not per pallet.

That difference is important.

A conventional trailer and a 2WIN trailer can drive the same route, use the same roads and cover the same number of toll kilometers. The kilometer charge may be linked to the trip, but the impact per pallet depends on how much cargo is transported during that trip.

This is where 2WIN creates a clear advantage.

Because 2WIN carries more pallets per trip, the same toll distance is spread over a higher load volume. This helps reduce the toll impact per pallet compared to a conventional trailer.

In other words: the truck still drives the same kilometers, but those kilometers are used more efficiently.

The real strength of 2WIN lies in transport efficiency. By moving more pallets per trip, fewer trips are needed to transport the same volume.

That means fewer vehicles on the road for the same amount of freight, better use of driver and equipment capacity, and a lower cost impact per transported pallet.

In a market where road costs are becoming more expensive and more closely linked to distance and emissions, this becomes increasingly important.

The future of transport efficiency is not only about the lowest price per kilometer. It is about making every kilometer count.

With 2WIN, our customers are already in a strong position. The concept is built around higher capacity, fewer trips and better use of every driven kilometer.

As kilometer-based tolling becomes a more important part of transport costs, the advantage of high-volume transport becomes even more relevant.

Toll costs cannot be avoided when they are imposed by governments. But their impact can be reduced by transporting more freight per trip and by focusing on the right cost metric: cost per pallet.

That is exactly where 2WIN makes the difference.

The upcoming toll developments in the Netherlands and Belgium show that road transport is entering a new phase. Costs are becoming more directly linked to distance, vehicle type and emissions.

For shippers, this makes smart transport planning more important than ever.

At Emons Cargo 2WIN, we will continue to monitor these developments closely. We are finalizing our analysis of the impact per lane and will provide our customers with clear information as soon as possible.

One thing is already clear: when every kilometer becomes more expensive, every pallet position becomes more valuable.

And that is exactly what 2WIN is built for.