Forbes Border toll set at US$170 for heavy trucks once upgraded post opens

The new schedule, published on 6 November under Statutory Instrument 179 of 2026, lists tolls of US$30 for minibuses, US$120 for goods vehicles and US$300 for abnormal loads. Light goods vehicles are listed at US$30 and motorcycles at US$5. The published toll figures exclude VAT.

What operators would pay

Parking is separate and charged for each day or part of a day. The listed charge is US$10 for coaches and minibuses, US$40 for heavy trucks and goods vehicles, and US$80 for abnormal loads.

Using the listed amounts, a heavy truck that uses the parking facility for one day would incur US$210 in toll and parking charges before any applicable VAT. The equivalent total would be US$160 for a goods vehicle and US$380 for an abnormal load.

The schedule also lists US$20 for passenger vehicles. A government summary says the consortium can collect project tolls from commercial vehicles. Whether that provision brings private motorists under the US$20 charge still needs clarification.

What the upgrade is meant to change

Cabinet approved the project as a public-private partnership in November 2024. Forbes Border Consortium is responsible for designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining the upgraded facilities. The plans include new roads, parking areas and weighbridges at the crossing, which connects Zimbabwe to Mozambique’s port of Beira.

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority figures for January to June 2025 show that Forbes cleared 88,660 outgoing commercial trucks, compared with 62,964 at Beitbridge over the same period. Those figures cover outbound trucks during that six-month period.

The government set a separate toll schedule in October for the modernisation of Chirundu Border Post on the Zambian frontier. That schedule lists US$100 for heavy trucks and US$315 for abnormal loads. Its charges are also tied to the opening of the upgraded facility and a commencement date set by the minister.

For operators using the Beira route, the Forbes schedule gives them figures to budget for. How long drivers spend in queues and how quickly goods clear the border will show what the upgrade delivers once it opens.