Romania’s National Highways Company CNADNR has recently started working on a system that will speed up bridge toll payments at the Fetesti-Cernavoda station on the A2 Bucharest-Constanta highway, also known as the Sun Highway.

The authorities hope to implement the new electronic system by May 1, which is a holiday in Romania. Long queues usually form when paying the bridge toll, as many Romanians flock to the seaside for the first Black Sea swim session of the year.

With the planned system, users will be able to pay the fee outside the toll station, in advance or until 24:00 the next day, according to a statement of CNADNR.

Drivers will have several payment options to choose from: via text message SMS, through a network of authorized CNADNR partners, using a bank card after setting up an account on a web platform and via a mobile app to be provided by CNADNR.

The initial phase of the project involved the introduction of an automatic license plate recognition system (ANPR), through a series of video cameras positioned at the entry and exit points. They will identify the vehicles and classify them by category.

According to CNADNR, these ANPR cameras identify the vehicles’ crossing by applying a temporary mark and the GPS coordinates. If the toll is not paid by 24:00 the next day, the action could be considered a possible offense.

UPDATE: Romanian roads authority lifts bridge toll on Sun Highway to the seaside during certain weekend hours

Bridge toll lifted during weekends on Romania’s Sun Highway on lack of system to speed up payments

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com