How much will we pay in tolls driving from mid-Michigan to Maryland?
August 15, 2019 2:10 PM Subscribe
Yep, that's the question. Our destination is Boonesville, Maryland, specifically.
Neither Mr. Terrier nor I have driven on a toll road in generations. We'll be on the Ohio Turnpike for quite a spell. I understand that quarters don't do it anymore; better have dollars ready. But how much? Will they take credit cards? We do NOT have EZPass.
I don’t know about the Ohio Turnpike specifically but a lot of tolls are now assessed by license plate readers so drivers don’t have to have cash on hand.
posted by plastic_animals at 2:17 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by plastic_animals at 2:17 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, you two! Who would have thought?
I learned from the link to have at least $43 handy. That's a start!
Case closed.
posted by BostonTerrier at 2:22 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
I learned from the link to have at least $43 handy. That's a start!
Case closed.
posted by BostonTerrier at 2:22 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yes you can pay with a credit card on the Ohio Turnpike. How it works is you get a ticket that shows where you first enter the Turnpike and then the amount you pay is based on where you exit.
You could also invest in an E-ZPass transponder for $12 and get discounted tolls (and not have to stop to pay them). This might make sense if you run the numbers and see how much you'll save on discounted tolls and/or if you might use it for future trips. Here are the calculators for Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland that will show how much E-ZPass would save you.
If your road trip isn't happening imminently you could have one shipped to you, or you could just buy one once you get into Ohio [list of retailers in Ohio].
It doesn't matter what state you purchase an E-ZPass from or if you don't live in a state that doesn't use it. Note: You will need to set up the account online after you buy it (which can be done on a smartphone) but it's very straightforward and will be activated pretty much immediately.
posted by theory at 2:49 PM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
You could also invest in an E-ZPass transponder for $12 and get discounted tolls (and not have to stop to pay them). This might make sense if you run the numbers and see how much you'll save on discounted tolls and/or if you might use it for future trips. Here are the calculators for Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland that will show how much E-ZPass would save you.
If your road trip isn't happening imminently you could have one shipped to you, or you could just buy one once you get into Ohio [list of retailers in Ohio].
It doesn't matter what state you purchase an E-ZPass from or if you don't live in a state that doesn't use it. Note: You will need to set up the account online after you buy it (which can be done on a smartphone) but it's very straightforward and will be activated pretty much immediately.
posted by theory at 2:49 PM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]
FYI: You can get EZ Pass, uh, easily, even on the Turnpike, but there’s a 24-hour turnaround period.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 3:04 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 3:04 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I should have mentioned that some states charge a maintenance fee for E-ZPass. If you buy your transponder from Ohio they bill you $0.75 per month, so that may be a dealbreaker if you don't plan to use it much in the future.
posted by theory at 3:21 PM on August 15, 2019
posted by theory at 3:21 PM on August 15, 2019
I don't know about that stretch of road but the interstates in my area don't take cash. It's EZ Pass or license plate reader (they send you a bill) only, there are no humans at the tolls. So cash is always useful but you may not need it.
posted by epanalepsis at 4:18 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by epanalepsis at 4:18 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you do decide to go the pass route, check out Illinois’ iPass too. I drove Minnesota to Maryland quite a bit for a couple years and the iPass worked in all the same states I needed as EZ Pass, and was cheaper to acquire, and I could auto-reload less money. This was 4 years ago, so things may have changed, but I think I saved at least $10 at the start and saved plenty more in tolls over my drives.
posted by JannaK at 4:54 PM on August 15, 2019
posted by JannaK at 4:54 PM on August 15, 2019
For whatever it’s worth, I live in Wisconsin and have an iPass for when I travel to Illinois. The Illinois tolls are 50% off for the iPass vs what you would pay for cash.
posted by Slinga at 5:11 PM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Slinga at 5:11 PM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]
You'll need to pay tolls on the Ohio & Pennsylvania Turnpikes. (As I aside, I assume you're going to Boonsboro, since I couldn't find a town named Boonesville in Maryland.) Credit cards are accepted on the Ohio Turnpike:
Q: Can I use a credit card to pay my toll fare?The Pennsylvania Turnpike also accepts credit cards. There do appear to be a few spots in the PA system that work on "pay-by-plate" tolling, but I don't believe you'll be passing those.
A: All interchanges accept major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express) or debit cards that are associated with a major credit card. The Ohio Turnpike does not accept foreign currency. ATMs are located in each of the Turnpike service plazas so that customers can easily obtain US currency.
What credit cards do you accept?posted by Johnny Assay at 4:39 AM on August 16, 2019
The PA Turnpike accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, JCB, and Diners Club.
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https://tollguru.com/car-toll-calculator
posted by MythMaker at 2:13 PM on August 15, 2019 [3 favorites]