Toll Roads and Charges

During Your Trip

Australian toll roads are cashless and most rental cars have an e-Tag fitted. Learn where toll roads are, what they cost, how rental companies handle charges, and how to avoid tolls.

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Toll Roads in Australia: Charges & Hire Car E-Tags

Using Toll Roads in a Rental Car

If you're driving on Australian toll roads in a rental car, you'll be responsible for covering the toll charges. Most rental vehicles come with an e-Tag that automatically records your toll usage, so there's no need to set up your own account with Linkt or any other toll provider. If you do, you may end up paying twice.

Toll roads in Australia do not accept cash. All tolling is electronic — either via an e-Tag or number plate recognition. If your rental doesn't have an e-Tag, tolls are captured by camera and charged to the rental company, who then pass the cost (plus admin fees) on to you.

Expert Tip

Before you hit the road, ask your rental provider about their toll fee structure at pick-up. Some offer unlimited toll packages that can save money if you're driving through Sydney or Brisbane frequently.

Where Are Toll Roads?

Toll roads are concentrated in Sydney, Melbourne and South East Queensland. Other states and territories have no toll roads — if you're hiring in Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart or Canberra, tolls won't apply.

Sydney (10 toll roads)

Sydney has the most toll roads of any Australian city:

Road	Typical Toll (car)
Sydney Harbour Bridge / Tunnel	~$4.00
Eastern Distributor	~$8.50
Cross City Tunnel	~$6.50
Lane Cove Tunnel	~$4.00
M2 (Hills Motorway)	~$7.50
M4 (WestConnex)	~$4.50 – $9.50
M5 (South West Motorway)	~$5.00 – $7.00
M7 (Westlink)	Distance-based, ~$8.50 max
M8 (WestConnex)	~$5.00 – $8.00
NorthConnex	~$8.00

Tolls vary by time of day (peak vs off-peak) and direction. A single trip across Sydney using multiple motorways can easily cost $15 – $30 in tolls.

Melbourne (3 toll roads)

If you're hiring a car in Melbourne, there are three toll roads to be aware of:

Road	Typical Toll (car)
CityLink	~$6.00 – $11.00 (distance-based)
EastLink	~$4.00 – $7.50 (distance-based)
West Gate Tunnel	~$3.00 – $6.50

South East Queensland (5 toll roads)

Toll roads around Brisbane and the Gold Coast include:

Road	Typical Toll (car)
Gateway Motorway	~$4.50 – $5.50
Logan Motorway	~$4.00 – $5.00
Legacy Way	~$5.50
Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7)	~$5.50
Airport Link	~$5.50

Toll amounts are approximate and may change. Check the toll operator's website for current rates.

Rental Company Toll Fees

On top of the actual toll charges, rental companies add their own fees for toll management. These vary by supplier but typically include:

Daily toll management fee — some suppliers charge a daily fee (often around $3 – $5 per day, sometimes capped) for e-Tag use, regardless of whether you use a toll road
Per-toll admin fee — other suppliers charge a fee each time a toll is recorded (often $5 – $6 per toll event)
Unpaid toll admin fee — if a toll goes unpaid and the toll operator contacts the rental company, an additional admin fee (typically $15 – $30) may be charged per toll notice

These fees can add up quickly, especially in Sydney where you may hit multiple toll roads in a single trip. Ask about toll fees at pick-up and consider whether a daily unlimited toll package is available and worth it for your route.

Avoiding Tolls

Most toll roads have toll-free alternatives, though they're usually slower due to traffic lights and suburban roads. If you'd rather avoid toll charges:

Use Google Maps or Apple Maps — both have an "avoid tolls" option in route settings. This will route you around toll roads automatically.
Allow extra time — toll-free alternatives through Sydney can add 20 – 40 minutes to a cross-city trip.
Plan your route in advance — if you're driving from the airport to the CBD in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, check whether your route includes tolls before you set off.

For trips between cities on major highways (such as Sydney to Melbourne via the Hume Highway, or Brisbane to the Gold Coast via the Pacific Motorway), toll roads are generally avoidable without significant detours.

What Happens With Unpaid Tolls

If tolls go unpaid during your rental, the process typically works like this:

The toll operator identifies the vehicle by number plate and contacts the rental company
The rental company matches the toll to your rental agreement
The toll amount plus an admin fee is charged to the credit card on file
You receive a statement showing the toll charges and fees

This can happen weeks after you return the vehicle. If you believe a toll charge is incorrect, contact the rental company's customer service team — most will investigate and reverse errors.