Navigation app settings for Central Europe: tolls, cameras, maps

Most of what shapes the drive, from vignette motorways to camera alerts, is set inside each navigation app, so set it before the trip. Apps rename menus often, so look for the nearest match to the names below.

Tolls and vignettes

Motorways in Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia need a vignette, while German motorways stay toll-free for cars in 2026. Prices are in the vignettes guide. What matters for the apps is whether a setting can tell 'I have a vignette' from 'avoid every road that costs money'.

Google Maps can avoid tolls and motorways, either in its navigation settings or under Options on the directions screen. Its help pages mention no vignette setting and don't say whether vignette motorways count as toll roads.

Apple Maps has the same choice under Options when you get driving directions, and its guide mentions no vignette setting either.

Waze can avoid toll roads and motorways in its navigation settings. It also lets you add the vignettes you hold, under Toll and HOV passes (the name varies by country), and then guides you based on them. Remove a vignette when it expires.

TomTom's GO Expert app can avoid toll roads. It is now aimed at truck drivers but still works for cars.

Offline maps

Google Maps guides you offline only if the whole route is inside the downloaded area, and then without traffic. Its offline maps expire, and the app tries to update them over Wi-Fi when 15 days or less are left.

Mobile data

With a SIM from an EU operator, data in another EU country costs the same as at home, so live traffic works without roaming charges. Switzerland is outside the EU and not covered, so check your tariff or rely on offline maps there.

Camera alerts by country

The rules depend on the country. This is a summary, not legal advice, and the links go to the laws. ADAC is the German motoring club.

Turning camera alerts off

• Google Maps: in the navigation settings, turn off alerts for reported incidents, which include mobile speed cameras. Google doesn't say whether camera icons still show on the map, so in Germany check that none appear.
• Apple Maps shows speed checks on the map and lets drivers report them 'where allowed'. Apple documents no switch to hide them.
• Waze: under Alerts and reports > Cameras, turn off Show on map and Alert while driving for each camera type.
• TomTom: in GO Expert, camera alerts are under Sounds & Warnings in the settings.

In Germany, ADAC reports a Karlsruhe court ruling that the ban also applies when a passenger runs the app.

Vehicle and units

• Google Maps: set the engine type under Your vehicles in the settings. Kilometres are in the navigation settings.
• Apple Maps: EV routing works with selected cars only. Units follow the iPhone's own measurement setting.
• Waze: choose your vehicle type under Vehicle details, and for an EV add your plugs to see compatible chargers.
• TomTom: set the engine type to Electric in GO Expert's vehicle profile to see chargers along the route.

One EV rule no app handles: in Czechia electric and hydrogen cars pay no vignette, but cars registered abroad must file an exemption notification first, on the official edalnice.gov.cz site.

Before you set off

• Buy vignettes or turn on avoid tolls; in Waze, add bought vignettes as passes.
• Download offline maps for the whole route.
• Set engine type and kilometres, and file the Czech exemption for an electric car.
• Switch camera alerts off before entering Germany, Slovakia or Switzerland.
• Compare the apps side by side on Mapssy, then zoom in on the destination pin in the one you drive with (why).