How Do Czech Vignette Vending Machines Work?

Czech vignette vending machines are self-service kiosks you will find at petrol stations near the border and along major motorway routes. If you are driving on Czech motorways or express roads, you are legally required to have a valid e-vignette before you set off on your journey. There are no toll booths along the way; everything is enforced automatically using roadside cameras that scan your licence plate as you pass.

How do you actually buy a vignette?

One option is to use a vending machine. These self-service kiosks are available at many border petrol stations and motorway service areas, and they will get the job done. That said, as you read through this guide and learn how they work—the queues, the card requirements, the no-correction policy if you mistype your plate—you may decide that buying online before you leave home is the easier option. We will walk you through both, so you can decide what works best for your trip.

We have tested these machines ourselves at multiple Czech border crossings and motorway locations throughout 2025 and 2026—including at the ORLEN service station on the D11 at Osice—so everything in this guide is based on real, first-hand experience.

What is an e-vignette vending machine?

A Czech e-vignette vending machine is a freestanding touchscreen kiosk operated by the Czech Road Directorate (SFDI). It lets you purchase a digital motorway vignette on the spot, with no need to go inside the petrol station.

That said, during our visits, we often saw queues at these machines, especially at busy border crossings. If you are travelling during peak times, like summer holidays or public holidays, expect longer waits.

If you are quick and know what you are doing, you can purchase your vignette via the vending machine in a couple of minutes. But if there are several people ahead of you in the queue, it can easily turn into a 15–30 minute wait.

The machines themselves are easy to spot: tall, white-and-blue freestanding units on a blue base, clearly branded with the SFDI e-vignette logo. At the top, you will see the four vignette options displayed with colour-coded icons, along with a red banner reading: ZDE V PRODEJI / FOR SALE HERE / VERKAUF HIER.

How to use a vignette vending machine: step-by-step

The process is straightforward once you know what to expect. Here is exactly how it works, based on our own testing and the official SFDI guidance on Edalnice.cz.

Want to see it in action before you go? We filmed every step of the purchase process at the ORLEN service station on the D11 at Osice. Check out our video above so you know exactly what to expect when you get there.

1. Select your language — The touchscreen offers several options, including Czech, English, German, Polish, Russian, and Hungarian. Tap your flag to continue.
2. Enter your country of registration and licence plate number — Use the on-screen keyboard to type your country code and full registration number. Take your time here; accuracy is crucial.
3. Select your vehicle's fuel type — Sometimes, the system will fill this in automatically. If not, you will need to select it manually from the options on screen.
4. Choose your vignette type and duration — Select from 1-day, 10-day, 30-day, or annual (see our current Czech vignette prices). All four options appear on the top panel of the machine with colour-coded icons.
5. Set the date — Your vignette can begin immediately or on a future date up to 30 days ahead. If you are travelling right away, select today's date.
6. Review all details carefully and confirm — The screen shows your licence plate, fuel type, vignette duration, and start date. This is your last opportunity to catch any mistakes. Once you confirm at the kiosk, there is no correction option at the machine.
7. Pay by card — These machines accept Visa, Mastercard, and V Pay, including contactless. Cash is not accepted. You must have a Visa or Mastercard with you.
8. Collect your receipt — A confirmation slip prints from the slot at the bottom of the machine. Your vignette is now active and linked to your licence plate in the edalnice.cz system.

If you drive an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, it is worth checking in advance whether you qualify for an exemption or reduced rate (see Czech motorway toll exemptions).

Where can you find vignette kiosks?

Our team visited several kiosk locations on multiple trips throughout 2025 and 2026. Here is where you are most likely to find them:

At border crossings and nearby motorway service areas:

• D5 / Rozvadov corridor (Germany border) — On 25 February 2026, we found an e-vignette self-service terminal operating at the ONE1 petrol station near the Rozvadov border crossing. This is a large truck-friendly service area with clearly visible self-service kiosks, multilingual help desks, and separate truck service counters.
• D8 corridor (Dresden direction) — We spotted vignette machines at petrol stations along this route, which we drove on 20 February 2026 on the Dresden–Prague approach. One important note: the official eDalnice map lists a vignette machine on the D8 near Chlumec. However, the address shown takes you to Samoobslužný kiosek IS EDAZ - D8, směr Praha - 3. Bear this in mind when using Google Maps.
• D2 (from Bratislava) — Machines confirmed at petrol stations along this corridor.
• D1 near Antošovice-Šilheřovice — On 28 February 2026, we found a vignette machine operating at the service area at D1, 711 00 Antošovice-Šilheřovice.
• Český Těšín (Czech–Poland border) — Also on 28 February 2026, we confirmed a vignette machine at Český Těšín. A EuroOil station near this crossing also had a machine installed.
• D11 at Osice (ORLEN service station) — We used the kiosk here personally when filming our video guide. The ORLEN station at D11 81, 503 26 Osice is a well-equipped motorway service area with a clearly signposted vignette machine on the forecourt.
• Prague — For travellers already in the city who missed the border purchase, there is one official machine located at the SFDI headquarters at Sokolovská 1955, 190 00 Praha 9. However, if you have already driven into Prague via the motorway to reach it, you have already used the toll road without a valid vignette, meaning the fine risk has already passed. The machine at SFDI is most useful if you are planning a motorway journey onward from Prague rather than correcting a missed border purchase.

On Czech motorways mid-journey: machines appear at motorway rest areas and larger service stations along the main corridors. That said, not every petrol station has a kiosk. On the D7 corridor after the German border, we encountered a station with no machine at all. The staff there offered to buy our vignette on their personal phone for an extra 40 CZK. That is not an official purchase point. Authorised machines and official resellers such as RoBiN OIL and EuroOil are the only legitimate options for offline sales points. Another option is to buy it at Czechvignette.cz and have it delivered via e-mail within a few minutes.

What to watch out for when using a kiosk

These machines work, but there are a few common pitfalls that catch drivers out:

• Licence plate typos — and no correction option at the machine. One wrong character means the vignette is registered to a plate that does not match your vehicle, making it immediately invalid. Unlike staffed sales points (Czech Post, EuroOil, RoBiN OIL), where an operator can correct an error within 15 minutes of purchase, there is no such option at a self-service kiosk. You will have to purchase a new vignette entirely. Double-check every character before you confirm. If you purchase from us, we can change up to 2 characters after purchase.
• Card-only payment — Visa or Mastercard required. Our team confirmed the machines accept Visa, Mastercard, and V Pay (contactless included) only. Cash is not accepted. If your only card is from a smaller bank or card scheme not on that list, you may be unable to pay. Make sure you have a Visa or Mastercard with you before you arrive at the kiosk.
• Queues at peak times — Several times throughout our visits, we spotted queues at border kiosks. At peak times, such as summer weekends and public holidays, expect these queues to be significantly longer. Travellers at busy crossings such as Rozvadov and Český Těšín report this consistently.
• Not all stations have a kiosk — We encountered petrol stations near the border with no machine at all. At one, staff offered an unofficial workaround at an extra cost using their personal mobile phone. This is not a safe alternative.
• Fines can be high — Driving on a Czech motorway without a valid vignette can result in an on-the-spot fine of up to CZK 5,000, or an administrative penalty of up to CZK 20,000. If you used a false exemption claim, this can rise to up to CZK 100,000. For a full breakdown, read our verified guide to traffic fines in the Czech Republic at Czechvignette.cz.

An easier alternative: buy your Czech vignette online before you travel

If you would rather avoid the hassle altogether, buying your vignette online in advance is the simplest solution. There are no queues, no forecourt stress, no card-reader uncertainty, and no risk of a costly typo you cannot undo.

You simply enter your details at home, double-check everything carefully (if you make a mistake before paying, you can easily correct it), and choose your start date. We accept over 20 payment methods, giving you far more flexibility than a card-only kiosk. Your confirmation arrives by email, and you are ready to go. You can verify your vignette is active at any point via our Czech vignette validity checker.

CzechVignette.cz is an independent third-party provider, not the official Czech Road Directorate. A service fee applies. You can review Czech vignette prices before purchasing to understand what is included.