A round trip will cost nearly R$140 in tolls alone
On March 26, a federal highway linking Brazil's agricultural heartland to its southeastern corridor will become significantly more expensive to travel, as a new concessionaire assumes control of BR-153 with toll rates approved to nearly double at some plazas. The transition from Triunfo Concebra to Way-153 — born of a 2025 auction and sanctioned by the ANTT — reflects the enduring tension between infrastructure investment and the daily cost of movement. For truckers carrying harvests and families chasing weekend rest alike, the road ahead now carries a heavier price.
- Toll rates on BR-153 surge by as much as 97%, with Piracanjuba's plaza jumping from R$7.90 to R$15.60 overnight — a near-doubling that catches both commuters and commercial operators off guard.
- A round-trip across all five plazas now costs passenger vehicles R$139.80, a figure that reshapes the economics of interstate travel on one of Brazil's most strategically vital federal highways.
- Agribusiness and freight operators face compounding pressure, as multi-axle trucks pay proportionally higher rates along a 530.6km corridor that serves as a critical artery for agricultural exports between the Center-West and Southeast.
- Way-153 defends the increases as tied to a concession contract requiring billions in infrastructure improvements, including road repairs, capacity expansion, and emergency roadside services.
- Drivers seeking relief can reroute onto toll-free state highways, though the detour adds considerable travel time — a trade-off that may suit leisure travelers but is impractical for commercial logistics.
- With the ANTT's approval already in place and the March 26 date firm, affected communities and industries have little recourse beyond adaptation, making this a defining moment in the corridor's travel economics.
A partir do dia 26 de março, quem percorre a BR-153 entre Goiás e Minas Gerais vai sentir no bolso uma mudança significativa. Um veículo de passeio que faça o trajeto completo nos dois sentidos pagará quase R$140 em pedágios — R$69,90 por trecho, distribuídos entre cinco praças ao longo de 530,6 quilômetros de rodovia federal. Em Piracanjuba, no sul goiano, a tarifa quase dobra: de R$7,90 para R$15,60. Em Itumbiara, sobe de R$9,50 para R$14,90. As três praças mineiras — Prata, Fronteira e Campo Florido — passam a cobrar R$13,20, R$12,00 e R$14,20, respectivamente. Para caminhões e veículos comerciais, os valores são ainda mais elevados, calculados conforme o número de eixos.
A alta nas tarifas acompanha uma troca de gestão. A concessionária Way-153 assume o corredor no lugar da Triunfo Concebra, após leilão realizado em 2025 e homologado pela Agência Nacional de Transportes Terrestres (ANTT). O novo contrato prevê investimentos bilionários em obras de manutenção, ampliação de capacidade e serviços de assistência ao usuário. A ANTT, responsável pela regulação das rodovias federais pedagiadas, aprovou os valores que agora entram em vigor.
A BR-153 não é uma rota qualquer. Ela conecta o Centro-Oeste ao Sudeste e é fundamental para o escoamento da produção agrícola e para o comércio interestadual. O agronegócio depende dela de forma intensa, assim como os viajantes comuns. Para quem parte de Goiânia em direção a Caldas Novas, o novo pedágio de Piracanjuba já representa um acréscimo perceptível no custo da viagem. Motoristas que quiserem evitar os pedágios podem optar por rodovias estaduais sem cobrança, mas o desvio costuma acrescentar tempo considerável ao trajeto — uma alternativa viável para o lazer, mas pouco prática para o transporte de cargas.
Para caminhoneiros que cruzam estados com mercadorias, o impacto será mais imediato e direto. Mas mesmo uma família em viagem de fim de semana vai notar a diferença. O dia 26 de março marca uma virada real na economia do deslocamento nesse trecho — e, para muitos, o começo de um cálculo novo sobre quando e como usar a estrada.
Starting March 26, drivers crossing between Goiás and Minas Gerais on BR-153 will pay significantly more to use the highway. A passenger car making the round trip will spend nearly R$140 in tolls alone—R$69.90 each way across five toll plazas that span 530.6 kilometers of federal road. The increases are steep. At Piracanjuba, in southern Goiás, the toll for a standard passenger vehicle nearly doubles, jumping from R$7.90 to R$15.60. In Itumbiara, also in Goiás, the rate climbs from R$9.50 to R$14.90. The three toll plazas in Minas Gerais—Prata, Fronteira, and Campo Florido—will charge R$13.20, R$12.00, and R$14.20 respectively. Trucks and commercial vehicles face even higher bills, since their tolls scale with the number of axles.
The price jump comes with a change in management. Way-153, a new concessionaire, takes over operation of the corridor from the previous operator, Triunfo Concebra. The transition was decided through a 2025 auction and approved by Brazil's National Land Transportation Agency, the ANTT. Way-153 is now responsible for maintaining and improving the road under a contract that includes billions of reais in planned infrastructure work—repairs, capacity expansion, and roadside services like medical and mechanical assistance.
The BR-153 is no minor route. It connects the Center-West region to the Southeast, making it vital for agricultural exports and interstate commerce. Agribusiness relies on it heavily, as do ordinary travelers moving between states. For those driving from Goiânia to Caldas Novas, a popular tourist destination, the new Piracanjuba toll of R$15.60 will noticeably increase trip costs. Some drivers may choose to avoid the tolls entirely by taking state highways instead, though those routes typically add significant time to the journey.
The ANTT's approval of these rates reflects the terms of the new concession agreement. The agency regulates federal toll roads and has signed off on what amounts to roughly a doubling of costs at some plazas. For regular commuters and commercial operators, the March 26 date marks a real shift in travel economics. Truckers hauling goods across state lines will feel it most acutely. But even a family driving to a weekend getaway will notice the difference in their fuel budget.
Citações Notáveis
The contract includes billions of reais in planned infrastructure work—repairs, capacity expansion, and roadside services— ANTT approval terms for Way-153 concession
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does a single toll plaza nearly double its rate? That seems extreme.
The new concessionaire is taking over a 530-kilometer stretch with five plazas. The contract includes billions in planned improvements—road maintenance, capacity expansion, medical and mechanical services. The ANTT approved these rates as part of that larger deal. It's not arbitrary; it's tied to what the company says it will invest.
But couldn't the old operator have done those things?
The old company, Triunfo Concebra, apparently couldn't or wouldn't commit to that scale of investment. The 2025 auction was competitive—Way-153 won by offering a different vision of what the corridor could be.
So this is about the agribusiness corridor specifically?
It's strategic for that, yes. But it's also the main route between Goiás and Minas Gerais for anyone traveling between the Center-West and Southeast. Farmers, truckers, families, tourists—everyone uses it.
Can people avoid it?
Some drivers to Caldas Novas can take state highways without tolls, but those routes take longer. For commercial traffic, there's no real alternative. You pay or you lose time, and time is money in logistics.
When does this actually start hitting people's wallets?
March 26. That's when the new rates take effect. After that date, a round trip between the states costs nearly R$140 for a passenger car.