Why is the toll on the Golden Gate Bridge so expensive?

The toll increases are part of separate five-year programs that were approved by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority and the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District in recent years to address rising operational costs and low ridership numbers since the pandemic.



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An unpaid Toll Invoice or any unpaid portion of a Toll Invoice will result in a Toll Violation notice which attaches a $25 penalty for each toll transaction associated with the unpaid invoice. If the first violation notice goes unpaid, a second violation notice will be issued, with increased penalties.

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FasTrak Account rate (from $8.40 to $8.75) Pay-As-You-Go rate including License Plate Accounts and One-Time Payments (from $8.80 to $9.00) Toll Invoice rate (from $9.40 to $9.75) Carpool rate (from $6.40 to $6.75)

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Just drive over the bridge north-bound out of San Francisco. The toll is only collected south-bound into San Francisco. If you don't want to pay any tolls to get back to San Francisco, then circle the bay clockwise. Detour over the Benicia-Martinez Bridge as that is the bridge that is toll-free south-bound.

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Paying Tolls Visitors and infrequent drivers can pay tolls within 5 days before or 5 days after driving The Toll Roads using The Toll Roads app or online at TheTollRoads.com. If you are visiting family or friends, find out if they have a FasTrak® account with The Toll Roads.

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It's free to walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. The pedestrian walkway is the east sidewalk that runs along the east (bay) side of the bridge. Bikes ride on either side, according to the daily schedule. Drivers pay a toll ($9.40) but only coming into San Francisco.

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Drivers crossing the bridge only have to pay for tolls if they are driving across the bridge southbound or when entering San Francisco City. If you will be crossing the bridge to head to Marin County (northbound), you will not be charged for tolls.

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Local citizens put their own properties up as collateral to finance construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Little federal or state money was used to build the bridge. Most of the financing came from bonds sold by the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District.

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All Golden Gate Bridge tolls are collected electronically and cash is no longer collected at the Bridge toll booths. Motorists can still use cash to pay their Bridge toll. Note: Cash payments cannot be processed online or over the phone and paying in person is required regardless of the payment option.

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If you don't have a FasTrak Account, you can pay your Golden Gate Bridge toll by opening a License Plate Account, making a One-Time Payment, or paying a Toll Invoice.

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5 Fun Facts About the Golden Gate Bridge
  • The bridge is actually not golden at all! It's a bright red-orange.
  • It was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
  • It took four years to build.
  • There are approximately 600,000 rivets in each of the bridge's towers.
  • It's the most photographed bridge in the world.


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