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Car Hire

Toll Roads and Charges

During Your Trip

Toll roads in Australia are cashless, and most hire cars have an e-Tag. The rental company passes on the tolls, often with its own fees, so ask how it charges at pick-up.

Using toll roads in a rental car

If you drive on toll roads in a hire car, you pay the tolls. Most hire cars have an e-Tag that records your toll use automatically, so you don't need your own account with Linkt or another toll provider. If you set one up, you may end up paying twice.

Toll roads in Australia don't accept cash. Tolls are collected electronically, through an e-Tag or number plate recognition. If your hire car doesn't have an e-Tag, cameras record the toll and it is charged to the rental company, which passes the cost on to you with its admin fees.

Expert Tip

Ask the rental company how it charges for tolls when you collect the car. Some offer unlimited toll packages, which can save money if you'll use toll roads often in Sydney or Brisbane.

Where are toll roads?

Most of Australia's toll roads are in Sydney, Melbourne and South East Queensland. Tolls vary by road and can change with the time of day and direction of travel. Check the toll operator's website for current prices.

Sydney

Sydney has the most toll roads of any Australian city. They include:

  • Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel
  • Eastern Distributor
  • Cross City Tunnel
  • Lane Cove Tunnel
  • M2 Hills Motorway
  • M4 and M8 (WestConnex)
  • M5 South West Motorway
  • M7 Westlink
  • NorthConnex

A trip across Sydney can use several motorways, and the tolls add up.

Melbourne

If you're hiring a car in Melbourne, toll roads include CityLink, EastLink and the West Gate Tunnel.

South East Queensland

Toll roads around Brisbane and the Gold Coast include:

  • Gateway Motorway
  • Logan Motorway
  • Legacy Way
  • Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7)
  • Airport Link

Rental company toll fees

On top of the tolls, rental companies add their own fees for managing them. These vary between rental companies and can include:

  • a daily toll management fee for using the e-Tag, which some rental companies charge whether or not you use a toll road
  • an admin fee each time a toll is recorded
  • an unpaid toll admin fee if a toll goes unpaid and the toll operator contacts the rental company

These fees can add up quickly, especially in Sydney, where one trip can use several toll roads. Ask about toll fees at pick-up, and consider whether an unlimited toll package is available and worth it for your route.

Avoiding tolls

Most toll roads have toll-free alternatives, although these are usually slower because of traffic lights and suburban roads. To avoid tolls:

  • Use Google Maps or Apple Maps. Both have an "avoid tolls" route setting.
  • Allow extra time. Toll-free routes across a city usually take longer.
  • Plan your route in advance. If you're driving from the airport to the city in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, check whether your route uses toll roads before you set off.

What happens with unpaid tolls

If tolls go unpaid during your hire, the process usually works like this:

  1. The toll operator identifies the car by its number plate and contacts the rental company.
  2. The rental company matches the toll to your rental agreement.
  3. The toll and an admin fee are charged to the card on file.
  4. You receive a statement showing the tolls and fees.

This can happen weeks after you return the car. If you think a toll charge is wrong, contact the rental company's customer service team and ask it to investigate. See unexpected additional charges.

Next steps

Part of During Your Trip in the Car Hire Handbook.