European tolls question.

LindsayH

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How do you solo travellers in RHD vans manage tolls and car park barriers in Europe? It sounds easy enough to avoid toll roads in France, so that's what I'll do, although barriers might still be a problem. But if I go to Spain or Italy I'm more likely to use them by the sound of it. The only toll road I've ever used is the M6. Are European tolls similar? Is there usually multiple payment options? Is it easy enough to work out what category you are? I've heard that you can get tags that automatically take the money from your bank account, does anyone have one?
Ta muchly.
 
Don’t use tolls that often, but normally just insert your ticket then insert credit card and off you go, pin not usually required.
 
I ordered a tag for the motorhome from Travel without stopping on European Motorways | Telepeage | French Toll Road Tags | Spanish & Portuguese Tags | Saving You Time that worked well in France you just drive towards the barrier the tag makes a beep then the barrier goes up there is no stopping and swapping seats etc, you just get billed at the end of the month, in Spain I only had 1 toll to pay so didn't bother with the tag just inserted my credit card in the slot which saved messing about with change.
 
Sometimes having a litter picker at the side of you can be handy for retrieving tickets and pushing buttons at barriers.
 
Many years ago whilst driving throu France had to get out walk round car and put money in the m/c then drive off, this set the alarms off, I just ignored them and carried on driving.
 
On a recent trip through France, I waited for the ticket to appear but it didn't.

I had been there a couple of minutes when another driver shouted over "look up". There is a higher ticket dispenser for lorry drivers and for some reason the small van I was in as a passenger must have registered as an HGV and the ticket was dispensed in the higher slot. I suspect it was because we had a roof rack with a couple of ladders on top.

This happened a couple of times.
 
LindsayH said:
How do you solo travellers in RHD vans manage tolls and car park barriers in Europe? It sounds easy enough to avoid toll roads in France, so that's what I'll do, although barriers might still be a problem. But if I go to Spain or Italy I'm more likely to use them by the sound of it. The only toll road I've ever used is the M6. Are European tolls similar? Is there usually multiple payment options? Is it easy enough to work out what category you are? I've heard that you can get tags that automatically take the money from your bank account, does anyone have one?
Ta muchly.
Click to expand...

Slight pain for solo travellers but jump out , pay , back in van and off . Tried to train dog but he couldn't be ar*ed
 
LindsayH said:
How do you solo travellers in RHD vans manage tolls and car park barriers in Europe? It sounds easy enough to avoid toll roads in France, so that's what I'll do, although barriers might still be a problem. But if I go to Spain or Italy I'm more likely to use them by the sound of it. The only toll road I've ever used is the M6. Are European tolls similar? Is there usually multiple payment options? Is it easy enough to work out what category you are? I've heard that you can get tags that automatically take the money from your bank account, does anyone have one?
Ta muchly.
Click to expand...

Don’t know about Italy but it’s much easier to keep off M/ways in Spain than France.

If you want to see the country in which you’re touring, keep away from toll roads, like campsites, I avoid them like the plague.

As soon as one crosses the Channel, the roads appear empty compared with the UK.
 
When alone i pull up close and move over to passenger seat, ticket is either dispensed automatically or you push a button first. As mentioned when in a van ticket may come out the higher dispenser.
Keep ticket safe, and put in macihine when leaving toll road. I often pay by card as it’s fater. No need to enter PIN..
 
You need some sort of system

In Italy we paid as we went buy my wife had to open the LH window etc

NO GOOD for you

But they have a "Telepass system" Which you just drive through...

In Norway it was a Norpass or Autopass and you pay £30 in advance

No knowledge of France or Spain except to say we never use French Peage (Much to Expensive)

Italy and Norway were OK and in some ways in both countries you have little choice

Norway No choice near Trondheim

Italy alternatives are really bad and anyway tolls are reasonable

So I am sure you will manage

As you say pay as you go in a RH drive with no passenger is very difficult
 
Before all of the fleet were fitted with the payment widget I would clamber over to the passenger window to collect the ticket or insert the card, and use the intercom to tell them I'm a classe two with a high load.
 
Just remember to get out of gear and put handbreak on as you scoot across the seat to the left hand window!!! I forgot the handbreak when I drove back from Nice solo ... started sliding away!
 
Robmac said:
On a recent trip through France, I waited for the ticket to appear but it didn't.

I had been there a couple of minutes when another driver shouted over "look up". There is a higher ticket dispenser for lorry drivers and for some reason the small van I was in as a passenger must have registered as an HGV and the ticket was dispensed in the higher slot. I suspect it was because we had a roof rack with a couple of ladders on top.

This happened a couple of times.
Click to expand...

We're you charged the LGV rate if the ticket came out from the top spot?
 
Don,t use any extension like litter pickers to reach card slot its a bu+++r to retreive any thing you drop Just take your time and get it rite first time
 
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Thanks guys, as always it's good to hear that others have encountered, and overcome, these challenges. My van only has 2 seats in the front so maybe this will make it easier to 'scoot over'. I like the litter picker idea. Oh, and thanks for the warnings about 2 different slots! I would have just sat there for ever satring at the empty slot getting more and more flustered!
 
slonger said:
I ordered a tag for the motorhome from Travel without stopping on European Motorways | Telepeage | French Toll Road Tags | Spanish & Portuguese Tags | Saving You Time that worked well in France you just drive towards the barrier the tag makes a beep then the barrier goes up there is no stopping and swapping seats etc, you just get billed at the end of the month, in Spain I only had 1 toll to pay so didn't bother with the tag just inserted my credit card in the slot which saved messing about with change.
Click to expand...

As he said,

I have a SANEF toll tag for France Spain and Portugal, all very simple just drive through with no worries. But the convenience does cost a little more. In Portugal there are 2 or 3 different toll systems to worry about if you do PAYG or actually in ADVANCE as some don't take cash or cards at all. But others have worked out how to do it.
 
witzend said:
Don,t use any extension like litter pickers to reach card slot its a bu+++r to retreive any thing you drop Just take your time and get it rite first time
Click to expand...

Just because you might be incapable of using one doesn't mean to say everyone is. Have you ever tried one.?
 
Probably the best tip for the tolls is, don't go in behind a MH with a GB sticker on it, :lol-049: or any vehicle with a GB sticker really.
Especially true when heading back, you'll be there for hours as they sort through all their euro coins tryng to pay a 50 euro toll with the smallest of coins. :p
 
Leap out and run to the machine,realise you don't have enough coins then run back to the cab in a panic to grab more while traffic piles up behind you and the horns start blaring as you run back with more,while being watched by the bemused dog in the front seat,then back to the cab to drive past the barrier while contemplating whether a smaller dog that doesn't get in the way would have been a better option for dealing with toll booths. Drive off at high speed and try to avoid tolls altogether,that's how it works for me anyway.
 
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