The complete guide to paying Melbourne tolls

Despite being roughly the same size, Melbourne doesn't have nearly as many toll roads as Sydney. But paying tolls in Melbourne can be confusing because those roads are run by two different companies.

With the main highway from the airport to the city requiring a toll payment, even visitors may need to understand some of the details of how toll roads work in Melbourne.

Fortunately, there are several options for paying tolls in Melbourne, so there should be a convenient option for any driver, whether you're a resident or a visitor.

Melbourne's toll roads are major pieces of transport infrastructure that are operated by private companies. In partnership with the Victorian government, the companies paid for the design and construction of the roads and so now they're able to charge tolls as compensation.

There are currently three toll roads in Melbourne and they are marked by blue signs with yellow lettering, rather than the usual green signs with white lettering.

The aim of these main roads is to connect important parts of the city along routes that are much faster than local streets, without traffic lights and hopefully with minimal congestion.

To understand how tolls work in Melbourne, it's important to know that there are two different companies that run the city's three main toll roads:

1. ConnectEast: ConnectEast runs the EastLink road, which goes from the northeastern part of Melbourne down towards the Mornington Peninsula.
2. Linkt: Linkt runs tolling for the CityLink road, which includes the highway between the airport and the city.
3. West Gate Tunnel: run by Linkt, The West Gate Tunnel will be an alternative to the congested West Gate Bridge.

If you need to check your account, buy a pass or make a payment for just one of those toll roads, you'll need to deal directly with the relevant operator.

None of Melbourne's toll roads have booths where you can stop to pay in cash. You don't need to slow down anywhere and the payments will all be done electronically based on factors like your vehicle type and distance travelled.

EastLink

EastLink is a 39-kilometre toll road that goes between the northeast and southeast suburbs of Melbourne, creating a connection between several main highways.

Starting from the end of the Eastern Freeway in the north, it crosses the Monash Freeway and finishes at the start of both the Frankston Freeway and the Peninsula Link down to the Mornington Peninsula.

CityLink

CityLink is a 22-kilometre stretch of toll road that creates a continuous connection between the ends of several highways around Melbourne.

It goes from the end of the Tullamarine Freeway near Melbourne Airport in the north west, to the end of the West Gate Freeway in the south west, and across to the end of the Monash Freeway in the south east.

West Gate Tunnel

The West Gate Tunnel is Melbourne's third toll road, although in practice it may feel like an extension of CityLink. That's because it will be run by the same operator and will cross and connect with the current CityLink toll road.

The West Gate Tunnel will be an alternative to the congested West Gate Bridge, creating a new route between the western suburbs and the CBD and Docklands, while also taking thousands of trucks a day underground and off residential streets.

Toll costs are calculated automatically based on the distance you travel, your vehicle classification and occasionally the time of day. Motorcycles pay tolls in Melbourne, though their rates are generally half the cost of a standard car.

• CityLink and EastLink: fees are distance-based, determined by the exact gantry points your vehicle passes.
• West Gate Tunnel: features fixed-rate components for cars, alongside an inbound weekday morning peak surcharge (between 07:00 and 09:00) to help manage city congestion.

There are no booths along Melbourne's toll roads and no need to slow down at any point for your trip to register.

The main way to pay tolls in Melbourne is electronically or online, with an account or with a temporary pass. However, there are several options to choose from, and you may find some are more convenient for you than others.

Melbourne toll passes

If you are visiting Melbourne short-term, a temporary pass is the simplest approach:

• Single-use pass: ideal if you only intend to cross the EastLink network once or twice.
• 24-hour or weekend pass: offered by Linkt, giving you unlimited access to CityLink for a flat timeframe.
• Melbourne Visitor’s Pass: the most versatile option for tourists. Valid for up to 30 days, it covers travel on both CityLink and EastLink, automatically calculating your usage as you drive. 

Important: if you travel on a toll road without an account or an active pass, you must buy a pass retrospectively to avoid a fine. This must be completed within three days for EastLink trips and five days for CityLink.

Tag account

A tag account is the most popular option for regular users of Melbourne's toll roads.

Once you set up an account and add your vehicle's registration number, you'll fit the electronic tag to your vehicle's windscreen. When you drive along the toll road, the tag will register your trip and the cost will be added to your account.

Your tag account can be either prepaid or postpaid. The main advantage of a prepaid account is that you can top it up with cash or BPAY. The main advantage of a postpaid account is that your debit or credit card is only charged once you use a toll road.

The tag account doesn't have any video matching fees and can also be used on any toll road in Australia.

Video account

A video account is similar to a tag account except that, rather than track your trips with a tag, the toll road operators use video cameras to scan your vehicle registration number.

You will still need to set up an account and add your vehicle registration number but you won't add a tag to the windscreen.

Like a tag account, your video account can be prepaid or postpaid.

However, there is an exception for motorcycles, which aren't required to install tags on the vehicle and so are exempt from video matching fees.

Cash

Paying for tolls in Melbourne with cash is not possible on the roads themselves because there are no toll booths.

However, you can top up a prepaid account or buy a pass (in advance or afterwards) in person with cash or a card at certain locations.

The EastLink toll road only has one service centre, which is in Ringwood. However, CityLink partners with dozens of retail outlets like petrol stations across the city.  

Interstate account

If you have a toll account with a tag from another state, such as New South Wales or Queensland, you can use that on Melbourne's toll roads.

You will need to have the electronic tag in the car with you and the vehicle's registration number will need to match the tag's account details.

If you're renting a car in Melbourne, you may still have to think about tolls, particularly if you are driving between the airport and the city along the main CityLink route.

The first thing to do is ask the rental car company about their policy on Melbourne's tolls. Many rental cars will now be fitted with a tag and you will automatically be billed for the cost of the toll.

If the rental car does not have a tag fitted and you are responsible for organising payment, it is important to buy a temporary pass before you use a toll road. If you try to buy the pass after you've driven on the road, the bill may already have been sent to the car hire company.

It may also be possible to use your interstate toll tag with the rental vehicle. Check with the car hire company about the details.