HGS vs OGS: Why Turkey Only Has One Toll System Now

There’s no choice to make. OGS was abolished on 31 March 2022, and HGS has been Türkiye’s only electronic toll system ever since. If a guide asks you to pick between them, it’s describing a system that ended four years ago.

This matters for practical reasons. Drivers arriving with outdated information often:

• Look for a windscreen device to buy
• Worry that a rental car has the wrong system fitted
• Assume they need two separate accounts

None of that applies now.

Here’s what each system was, what changed, and why the distinction still shows up in official language.

Key Takeaways

• OGS ended on 31 March 2022, and KGM confirmed collection would continue through HGS alone, with existing accounts converted free of charge by the banks.
• OGS used a windscreen transponder, while HGS uses plate recognition with a prepaid balance and no hardware at all.
• Official texts still say “OGS/HGS” in places, but that’s legacy wording rather than a live choice.

What the Two Systems Were

They solved the same problem in different eras of technology.

	OGS (Otomatik Geçiş Sistemi)	HGS (Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi)
Status	Abolished 31 March 2022	The only system in use
How it identified you	Windscreen transponder device	Licence plate recognition and RFID label
Hardware needed	Yes, a device to buy and fit	No, the plate does the work
Lanes	Dedicated OGS lanes at toll plazas	All lanes, including free-flow gantries
Launched	1999	17 September 2012

OGS worked, but it tied your account to a piece of equipment. Three things could go wrong:

• The device failed and you couldn’t pay at the barrier
• You changed cars and the transponder stayed behind
• The plaza needed dedicated OGS lanes, which limited its design

HGS removed the hardware dependency. Identification runs on the plate, so the system charges at full motorway speed with no barriers. That’s what makes free-flow gantry sections possible.

What Happened in 2022

The transition was handled centrally. KGM announced that OGS would be abolished, and that motorway and bridge tolls would continue to be collected through HGS.

Existing users didn’t have to do much. Banks that had issued OGS devices supplied HGS labels free of charge and moved the accounts across, so nobody lost a balance.

Since then every toll point in the country has been HGS only:

Where	System in use
Bosphorus bridges	HGS
Osmangazi and 1915 Çanakkale	HGS
The whole motorway network	HGS
Eurasia Tunnel	HGS, and nothing else at all

Why You Still See “OGS” Written Down

This is the confusing part. It’s worth explaining, because it makes people doubt the answer.

Some official texts, including the 15-day payment rule, still say “OGS/HGS subscriber”. That’s legacy drafting, not evidence of a live system. The rule applies to HGS, because that’s the only subscription available.

You’ll also find the pairing in three places:

Where you’ll see it	What it means
Older road signage	Not yet replaced, no live system behind it
Printed leaflets	Pre-2022 stock
English travel guides	Usually untouched since 2021, so prices are stale too

What This Means for You Now

For a visitor in 2026, the practical effect is simple.

• There’s no device to buy. Nothing gets fitted to the windscreen, and nothing needs collecting from a counter before you drive
• There’s one account type. You register a plate and fund a balance, and that covers every toll road, bridge, and tunnel
• Rental cars are already sorted. Fleets run HGS accounts on their vehicles, so a hire car needs nothing from you
• Foreign plates register the same way as Turkish ones. The system charges by plate, so the mechanism is identical

Bringing your own car? The only real obstacle is that official sign-up channels expect a Turkish national ID. Registering the plate in the Vignetim app avoids that, with no branch visit, no Turkish bank account, and instant activation. You can set it up here, and the full guide covers the alternatives.

The Short Version

HGS versus OGS isn’t a decision. It’s history. OGS ended on 31 March 2022, accounts were converted at no cost, and HGS has run the whole network alone ever since.

Reading advice that mentions choosing a system or fitting a transponder? Check the date on it. Those same pages usually carry toll prices from before the two increases Türkiye applied in 2026.

What you actually need is one funded plate:

• Start with how the HGS system works
• Check your route in the 2026 toll price guide
• Register a foreign plate if the car is your own

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OGS still used in Turkey?

No. OGS was abolished on 31 March 2022, and HGS became the only electronic toll system. Every motorway, bridge, and tunnel now charges through HGS alone.

What’s the difference between HGS and OGS?

OGS identified your vehicle with a windscreen transponder in dedicated lanes. HGS uses plate recognition with a prepaid balance, which allows charging at full speed without barriers. Only HGS still operates.

What happened to OGS accounts and balances?

They were converted. Banks that issued OGS devices supplied HGS labels free of charge and moved the accounts across, so balances survived the transition.

Do I need a device on my windscreen for Turkish tolls?

No. HGS charges by plate recognition, so nothing needs fitting. Turkish residents can use an adhesive label, but a foreign-plated driver registered through an app doesn’t need one.

Why do Turkish rules still mention “OGS/HGS”?

It’s legacy wording in documents drafted before the change and never re-edited. Where a rule says “OGS/HGS subscriber”, it means HGS, because that’s the only subscription available.

Does the change affect the 15-day toll rule?

No. The rule still gives you 15 days from a crossing to register the plate and hold enough balance, or pay online. Only the system name in the older text has changed.

Sources

• Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü – HGS
• PTT – HGS products and services