How to make your toll trips more affordable

According to the Australian Automobile Association’s Affordability Index for June 2023 (PDF)

, the average capital city household spends $66.19 per week on tolls.

Using toll roads often provides a more direct route to your destination, saving travel time and, with less stop and starting in traffic, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t smart ways to manage your toll costs.

1. Get an e-tag account

Australian toll roads use an electronic system where an e-tag in the vehicle communicates with towers at certain points to determine how much of the toll road the vehicle has driven on and thereby the toll cost.

If you don't have an e-tag account, it means you won't just be paying for the toll itself – because your car lacks the appropriate electronic identification, you'll also be paying vehicle-matching and/or other administrative fees.

Setting up an e-tag account is the easiest and most affordable way to pay for regular toll road travel.

2. Link your number plate to your account

As mentioned, toll-road operators allow you to link your account to a certain number plate/s. If you don't do this and forget your e-tag, they can't link your vehicle to your account and you'll receive a costlier toll invoice instead.

3. Plan your trips

Toll road operators typically cap trip costs at a certain point but blithely driving through toll points obviously isn't a path to minimising your spend. While the toll roads typically offer the most direct, efficient route, there are circumstances when taking an earlier exit or alternative route might be better.

So instead of just winging it, try a little planning and – in the case of a regular commute – experimentation. It could yield small savings that add up over the long term.

4. Drive the right vehicle

Different vehicles are charged differently, with light-commercial and heavy-commercial vehicles incurring higher costs than cars and motorcycles cheaper again. If possible, ditch the car for the bike or leave the light truck at work and grab the car.

5. Don't sit on trips

If you rarely travel on toll roads you might not want an e-tag account or the user-friendly – but fractionally costlier – apps and tagless accounts made for occasional users.

That's fine – you can still drive on them – but don't sit around waiting for a toll invoice to roll in. Be proactive and buy a trip pass ahead of the trip or within a stated time frame after the trip and you'll avoid the fees associated with these notices.

6. Claim toll relief

The NSW Government is currently offering toll-relief schemes for eligible motorists, who can claim a $60 toll cap rebate and 40% toll relief rebate for money spent on tolls up to June 30, 2024. Find out more at Service NSW

.

7. Work related toll trips

While you cannot claim a tax deduction for tolls on trips between home and work, you may be able to if you incur them on work-related trips. If you regularly travel for work, keeping a record of all trips on toll roads will make things easier – and more fruitful – come tax time. Find out more at ATO

.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}