# Toll motorways



## DustyR (Jan 26, 2009)

We are planning to tour through France and down to Italy next month, this is only the second time abroad so we are still novices at this.

This may seem a daft question, ( we have never used a toll motorways before ), if you collect a ticket at the beginning of your journey but wish to turn off the motorway before the next toll booth how do you pay? or do you only pay for sections between toll booths.

Sorry for sounding a bit stupid on this but I fail to see how the system can work unless there is a collection booth at every motorway exit.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

yes there are booths at each exit! (Unless you pay up front for a short stretch). You can pay by credit / debit card to make it quicker - no PIN needed.


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

Toll booth at every exit - France and Italy.
Credit cards and cash accepted!


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

DustyR said:


> We are planning to tour through France and down to Italy next month, this is only the second time abroad so we are still novices at this.
> 
> This may seem a daft question, ( we have never used a toll motorways before ), if you collect a ticket at the beginning of your journey but wish to turn off the motorway before the next toll booth how do you pay? or do you only pay for sections between toll booths.
> 
> Sorry for sounding a bit stupid on this but I fail to see how the system can work unless there is a collection booth at every motorway exit.


We have been in this position. Wanted to exit at earlier junction and the only exit was through a unmanned tollbooth with a machine. Inserted ticket and had to use bank card to pay for that section of motorway used.. That is the only downside as you cannot then pay with cash.

Terry


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Dusty

To turn your query around, why would you want to use toll motorways unless you are in a tearing hurry (_and that ain't a holiday to me_)? They are as boring as hell, you see nothing of the countryside, and you can't stop at that nice little cafe for a coffee and a cake, or wander round an interesting town for an hour after a lovely picnic lunch by the river.

If you choose your route carefully you can make good progress and still make the journey part of the holiday - which is hardly possible when using toll roads.

Just my opinion of course.

Dave


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## DustyR (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks all for the info. I guessed it would be like that.

As Zebedee says why use them when you can enjoy the journey at a more relaxed pace on other main roads, I just hope they are of reasonable standard, I'll try to avoid them if I'm not in too much of a hurry.


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

We avoid French Toll roads where possible for similar reasons to Zebedee and in our case cost (class 3 or 4) but in Italy - ah that is a different story. First of all - thankfully they are cheaper than French toll roads, secondly we tended to use Italian toll roads where practical as the Italian A roads were dreadful on our suspension - constant thumping caused by gaps in concrete sections and pot holes the size of canyons. Maybe they have filled them in by now (but I doubt it)


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

it depends on how long a holiday and where you want to go.
I can see nothing wrong in useing toll roads to get you to an area then poodling about 

joe


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Vennwood said:


> We avoid French Toll roads where possible for similar reasons to Zebedee and in our case cost (class 3 or 4) but in Italy - ah that is a different story. First of all - thankfully they are cheaper than French toll roads, secondly we tended to use Italian toll roads where practical as the Italian A roads were dreadful on our suspension - constant thumping caused by gaps in concrete sections and pot holes the size of canyons. Maybe they have filled them in by now (but I doubt it)


I would echo that, Italian autostradas are much cheaper than french autoroutes, and there is quite often no real "free" alternative to the autostrada.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

joedenise said:


> I can see nothing wrong in useing toll roads to get you to an area then poodling about joe


Me neither Joe. There's nothing *wrong *with using toll roads all the time if that's what people prefer. :wink: We've done the same, and will again if we want to do as you suggest, but we still don't enjoy it, and don't consider the holiday to have started until we get there.

*Vennwood *- Same conclusions about Italy, especially in the north. The "ordinary" roads are pretty useless if you want to make any progress at all, and after several hours of thump - thump - thump they really do wear you down!

*Dusty *- Have you got Autoroute? There are other route planners, but AR is very convenient. You let it find a route for you, then you can drag and drop bits of the route you don't like - say to avoid toll sections. The route directions indicate the toll sections so they are easy to identify (not always the case with other planners) and if you click on the toll section in the directions, the maps moves accordingly so the bit you want is centred and indicated with a flag.

Most of the French N roads are pretty good, and you still find Frites stalls - though not as often, thanks to the motorways taking away the traffic. Frites and Merguez is one of the simple delights of a journey through France. :wink:

Dave


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Vennwood said:


> We avoid French Toll roads where possible for similar reasons to Zebedee and in our case cost (class 3 or 4) but in Italy - ah that is a different story. First of all - thankfully they are cheaper than French toll roads, secondly we tended to use Italian toll roads where practical as the Italian A roads were dreadful on our suspension - constant thumping caused by gaps in concrete sections and pot holes the size of canyons. Maybe they have filled them in by now (but I doubt it)


  Nope. No money. They just got bigger.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

I think Some of the newer French Autoroutes have the best scenery eg the A28. Also for info from 2014 most the A63 south of Bordeaux will become a toll road that will be difficult to avoid.Perhaps that is a sign of the future in France.
If you are going to use French autoroutes a lot get one of these it will save a lot of aggro at the booths

https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

DustyR said:


> We are planning to tour through France and down to Italy next month, this is only the second time abroad so we are still novices at this.
> 
> This may seem a daft question, ( we have never used a toll motorways before ), if you collect a ticket at the beginning of your journey but wish to turn off the motorway before the next toll booth how do you pay? or do you only pay for sections between toll booths.
> 
> Sorry for sounding a bit stupid on this but I fail to see how the system can work unless there is a collection booth at every motorway exit.


Hi

Having done this several times I find France the expensive way. Particualy if you intend to use the Mont Blonc tunnel.

We prefer to go to Basel and then through Switzerland. You will need a Vinegette for Switzerland but that will last for a year and is still cheaper. Try E-bay for a current one!

Enjoy your travels.

Mark


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Italy*

Hi

We go toll free where possible - even in Italy. There are some good dual carriageways - for example the SS1 from Pisa to Roma and the SS67 Pisa to Florence.

One thing re the none manned tolls in Italy. We have had a couple of occasions where the bank card is rejected and so the toll machine spits out a receipt - you can then pay online afterwards.

Russell


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## Cazzie (Feb 13, 2009)

One thing to watch out for if using toll roads in France and Italy is the fact that in France all tollroad signs(peage) are blue but in Italy they change to green.
Really got us confused when we arrived in Italy for the first time last year!
In France the N roads are signed in green but this changes to blue in Italy.


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