Humanitarian aid

does anyone know what countries if any exempt you from lorry bans when you are transiting with humanitarian aid? and do they also exempt you on the return journey?
i know romania, and hungary do. i know i don’t have to buy a benelux vignette, or german maut. so i know a bit, but maybe not quite enough.

Depends on where your heading. Austria don’t make any exemptions ( well not for us going to Kosovo). We still have to pay the daily vignette for Hungary but can drive on a Sunday.

I used to take NATO goods to Kosovo years ago, Austria was free back then. No eco stamps (before the go-boxes), Brenner was free, run Sundays bank hols etc. I’m sure it was the same then for Humanitarian Aid also.

Its all changed in Austria now they don’t recognise Kosovo as being in a “state of emergency” so normal commercial traffic laws apply. It must be the dearest of all the countries we transit.

CZ:

  • normal toll rates apply unless you’re delivering to a place in state of emergency or war or you’re driving a military vehicle - in either case you’ll need the OBU to tell toll gantries you’re exempt;
  • a permit is required to exempt you from driving bans, issued by Ministry of Transport, but only in cases of emergency;

SK:

  • normal toll rates unless you’re driving a military vehicle;
  • normal driving bans apply - exemption can be granted by the Police, but it is not clear who/where/why/how (general exemtpion is often granted/between holiday periods (Christmas, Easter…) to allow drivers to get home).

No exemptions on the way back.