# how to pay tolls?



## ritaz1964 (Sep 29, 2009)

HEllo, I know, most probably its been asked, but I did a search for tolls and I got a lot of info about how much, but not how its charged.

Going to a few different countries.... is there a universal toll payment system? Are there booths that take actual coin? Must you buy an e-tag or a go-box or whatever its called and where do you get them from?

I live in an area that has no tolls...very countrified here in middle of Queensland....! 

Cheers, Rita


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Rita 

in france all tolls can be paid by credit card (no PIN required) as well as cash, it's quicker than getting cash out & waiting for change. Not sure about the other countries in Europe. On the few places in the UK that charge tolls regular users can have a prepayment card that scans as you go through.


----------



## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

You can pay for tolls in several ways.

1. Cash
2. Credit Card (remember exchange rate and charges for foriegn exchange)
3. buy a season ticket, in your case not so good as you are going to several countries, and it is country dependent.


I always do cash or card.

Many people will extoll the virtues of not using the toll roads at all, and this can be done it is your choice.

Steve


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

In the UK you must use cash - none of the various tolls take credit cards.

In France you simply use a credit/debit card - many booths are unmanned.

I think the same applies to most €uropean countries, although the further east you go (the Balkans) it may be different.


----------



## ritaz1964 (Sep 29, 2009)

not going that far east.

Thanks for that, in the unmanned booths, can you drop coin into a slot?

Is there a toll form Heathrow airport to the euro tunnel?


----------



## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Rita the toll across the bridge from Heathrow to Dover I believe is £2


----------



## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

On UK toll bridges/tunnels (eg Severn and Dartford) you can drop exact coinage into a chute and the barrier will open.

If you don't have exact change then you give coinage or notes to the booth operative who will give you change.

You cannot pay by any other means - unless you register on the automatic system, but that is not practicable for occasional use.

Don't ask me about the London emissions zone - you don't want to go there!

As for France, we have only ever used our credit cards (no PIN needed) either direct into the machine or handed to the operator.

It is very easy and the automatic booths will have instructions in English.

A lot of the smaller Péage junctions do not seem to be manned at all so I don't know how you would pay if you didn't have a credit card.

Invariably, as you enter a Péage section you are required to take a ticket out of the machine. As you do so the barrier will open.

When you exit the Péage stage there is a one, two, three operation.
You insert the ticket into the machine, you insert your credit card, you remove your card and take the receipt, the barrier opens.

Be aware that Gendarmes frequently lurk nearby.

Because the driver is on the wrong side for the machine your passenger has to do the business. Because it is usually the smaller female of the species she has to undo her seatbelt to reach out of the window to the machine.
Do *not* drive off until she is fully belted back in her seat otherwise the Gendarme will spring out and issue you with a €90 fine, payable in cash on the spot!


----------



## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi where in Queensland do you live? we are not long back from Maryborough, been to see wifes sister during part of a 3 months trip.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

steco1958 said:


> Rita the toll across the bridge from Heathrow to Dover I believe is £2


Not if you go anti-clock or south route. It's free.

Ray.


----------



## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

pippin said:


> In the UK you must use cash - none of the various tolls take credit cards.


Hi pippin

not quite correct because the M6 toll only takes cards at the automated exits. I only know because I was caught out a few months ago 8O

But its not likely to apply in this case anyway


----------



## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

steco1958 said:


> Rita the toll across the bridge from Heathrow to Dover I believe is £2


you don't want to go that way go anti clockwise


----------



## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Give her a reason for your comment then!!

Rita was asking about the cost.


----------



## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

steco1958 said:


> Give her a reason for your comment then!!
> 
> Rita was asking about the cost.


there is no toll from heathrow to dover if you go the quickest
shortest route, the shortest would be through london but i would not recommend that,go anti clockwise on the m25 to the m20.
if you did go clockwise on the m25 there is a toll over the dartford bridge
the cost is about £2.


----------



## PeterandLinda (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi

Just to clarify the best route from Heathrow to Dover, you should take directions from Heathrow towards Gatwick and once on the M25, follow Channel tunnel which will take you via the M26 and onto the M20 which will take you to the Folkestone terminal of the tunnel or onto Dover via the A20 - no tolls or London pollution charges involved.

P&L


----------



## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

We pay our French tolls sometimes with card and now we have been on Sanef website and order a Liber-t pass.

You get charged 2 € month you use it plus tolls which I believe are 10% less, sometimes they are automatic and sometimes you have to hand it to the operator and she hands it back, you dont have to do the "death dangle" to get a ticket - the pass automatically clocks you through.


----------



## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

I have not found a toll road/bridge on the continent which does not take cards, even for pence

many UK toll roads/bridges only take cash either hand over a note for change or put coins into a basket which sorts and weighs them

No one in their right mind would go from Heathrow north and over the Dartford crossong to C Dover, go South via Gatwick

M6 Toll is card and cash
Severn is cash
Dartford bridge is cash but the tunnel back is free and so is the Woolwich Ferry
Humber cash or pre paidf multi use carnet
Mersey Tunnel cash

several like the mersey tunnel have a tag sytem for automated charging, but none are comptible with any system on the continent and continental sytems are country or motorway network specific


----------



## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

The Dartford tunnel back is not free. It's the same charge each way.

It's free from 10pm - 6am. both ways

Joe


----------



## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

France best pay by credit card at toll booth, Austria depends on van weight if under 3500kg just buy a motorway pass at most filling stations, shortest is for seven days, Switzerland buy pass at any border entry point. Italy pay by credit card at toll booth. That is all I know for sure but it is fairly easy to advoid toll roads in France and Italy but sometimes harder in the Austrian alps if some snow still around.


----------



## Tmax (Aug 5, 2006)

Hi, Best way to pay tolls in France is cash, If a peage booth is unmanned there will be a machine which will accept cards or cash. or pay by Nationwide Debit card and escape the foreign usage charges levied on credit cards usually £2.50 per transaction, this is not to be confused with currency exchange rates. I am pretty sure this the same in Spain, not sure about the rest.

Regards, Tom

Toujours a Vacances !


----------

