14 Most Expensive Toll Roads in the World

Most of the world’s highways are owned by public agencies and constructed or maintained by private concessionaires under contract with the government. This has resulted in various toll road models depending on the country, ranging from high-speed toll roads with direct control over operations to transit corridors and bypasses operated by larger concession companies.

The high cost of constructing toll roads can be attributed to several factors, including their strategic location, the natural resources needed for construction, and the economies of scale that can be gained by connecting other cities.

In most cases, these factors don’t exist in developed countries like the U.S., where operating costs are higher than in other nations due to more stringent regulations on how highways are built. This article will unroll the list of the most expensive toll roads in the world.

14. Ohio Turnpike

photo source: ttnews.com

The James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, sometimes known as the Ohio Turnpike, is a limited-access toll road in the U.S. state of Ohio that serves as a major route between Chicago and Pittsburgh. It is 241.26 miles long.

In the northern part of the state, the route travels east-west, meeting the Indiana Toll Road on its western end at the Indiana-Ohio border at Edon and the Pennsylvania Turnpike on its eastern end at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border near Petersburg.

The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC), which has its main office in Berea, is responsible for the ownership and upkeep of the highway. The enormous project was finished on October 1, 1955, with 44,000 automobiles on inauguration day.

In 1956, the first full year of operation, around 10 million cars and trucks used the Turnpike. This figure increased to almost 49.8 million automobiles in 2012.

Did You Know?

The first head of the agency, James W. Shocknessy, is honored by having the Ohio Turnpike given his official name. Mr. Shocknessy, a well-known attorney recognized for his volunteer work, committed all of his outstanding skills and efforts to making the Turnpike a reality.

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13. London Congestion Charge

photo source: commons.wikimedia.org

London’s congestion charge scheme, which was implemented in 2003, seeks to lessen traffic in the inner city and reduce pollution. For those who drive through an area of central London that is eight square miles, the system imposes a daily fee. Revenues support the transportation system in London.

In 2007, the zone was expanded to include portions of west London. In the charging zone, traffic delays continue to be 30% less than they were before the introduction of charging.

Tourists who drive along the congested area between 7:00 and 18:00 on weekdays and 12:00 to 18:00 on weekends and holidays must pay the congestion fee of £15 per day. There is no fee from the day after Christmas to the bank holiday on New Year’s Day.

Did You Know?

50 million pounds or 59.42 million dollars are added to London’s economy as a result of congestion pricing, mostly because bus and vehicle passengers may travel more quickly and dependably.

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12. Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road

photo source: oetztal.com

The name of the picturesque route via the Timmelsjoch Pass is the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road (Passo del Rombo). The road is totally paved and extremely twisting, with 60 beds and 30 hairpin turns. Some of the ramps bring it to its highest gradient of 13%.

The journey is an amazing experience, especially for cabriolet drivers, motorcycle riders, and mountain bikers, and it offers beautiful views of the Tztal Alps.

On the Austrian side, there are no limits to utilizing the route up to the peak; however, various restrictions were placed on the Italian side due to the steep, congested roads and bridge projects.

When driving up the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road, the highest pass of the eastern Alps and a marvel of road design, one can see a spectacular panorama of the Tztal Alps. The road was created between 1955 and 1959, and it is completely safe and in outstanding shape.

Did You Know?

Since November 4, 2022, Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road has been closed. It’s anticipated that the route will reopen in May or June 2023.

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11. Great Belt Fixed Link

photo source: itinari.com

The Great Belt Bridge connects Zealand and Funen in Denmark. A box girder bridge connects the island of Sprog with Funen, while the Great Belt Fixed Link connects Zealand with Sprog through a suspension bridge and train tunnel. Dissing+Weitling is the creator of the Great Belt Fixed Link.

The main goal of the Great Belt Fixed Link was to link Halsskov on Zealand and Knudshoved on Funen by way of a two-track railway and a four-track highway, with the small island of Sprog serving as a connecting point.

Three parts of the link were used to tackle the issue: the Western Bridge for mixed road and bridge traffic, the Eastern Tunnel for rail freight, and the Eastern Bridge for traffic congestion on the Eastern Bridge.

Did You Know?

The term “Great Belt Bridge” can be used to describe a suspension bridge, a box girder bridge, or an entire permanent link.

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10. A2 autostrada Świecko

photo source: tvn24.pl

The A2 autostrada Świecko highway connects Poland’s most important communication line with the E30, one of Europe’s most important thoroughfares. It is a road that connects the east and west of the country as well as eastern and western Europe, with the A2 motorway acting as its main section.

It is continually being extended to finally complete the connection between Wiecko and Terespol. The Misk Mazowiecki ring road, which is constantly being expanded, is the main component of this route, which today connects Warsaw with Wiecko and Pozna.

For travel from Warsaw to Pozna or from Pozna to Wiecko, the A2 highway is necessary. In addition, when going from Warsaw to Wroclaw, Katowice, Gdansk, or Szczecin, riders may use all or portions of the A2.

Did You Know?

The Polish government’s roads agency, GDDKiA, planned to receive a performance guarantee from the Bank of China when COVEC withdrew from finishing the construction of the A2. Only Deutsche Bank kept its end of the bargain, as the Export-Import Bank of China refused to pay.

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9. Florida’s Turnpike

photo source: flickr.com

Florida’s Turnpike provides accessible routes and simple access to key roadways around the state courtesy of its hundreds of miles of secure, immaculately preserved toll roads. The Florida Turnpike also offers excellent amenities and customer service to its users. More than three million people utilize Florida’s Turnpike System every day, which Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise runs.

The first 110 miles of Florida’s Turnpike’s construction, which started in the middle of the 1950s, were finished in 1957. Most users who traveled through Central Florida utilized U.S. 27 before Florida’s Turnpike opened.

With approximately 3 million users per day, Florida’s Turnpike now carries the majority of traffic from Orlando to Florida’s main east coast towns.

Did You Know?

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise became the Florida Turnpike District when Governor Jeb Bush signed House Bill 261 in 2002.

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8. New York State Thruway

photo source: syracuse.com

569.83 miles of controlled-access roads make up the New York State Thruway, which is located in the U.S. state of New York. A New York State public-benefit company called the New York State Thruway Authority administers it. Long-distance visitors frequently use the toll road to connect the cities of Toronto and Buffalo with Boston and New York City.

The 115-mile segment of I-90 between Rochester and Lowell that was the first part of the Thruway to charge tolls opened on June 24, 1954. Governor Thomas E. Dewey participated in the morning ceremony and stopped by Exit 46 for the ribbon-cutting and celebrations. Cars waited in line for hours at 13 toll booths along the route to be the first on the Thruway.

Did You Know?

Motorists took a total of 8,700,000 journeys, covering a distance of 522,000,000 miles, in its first year of operation.

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7. M-1/E 30

photo source: vetliva.com

The M1 Belarus Federal Motorway (Minsksoe Highway), which connects Moscow to the county line with the Republic of Belarus through Smolensk, is a congressional road that is also a section of the E 30 European Route and AH6 Asian Route. In the direction of Minsk, Brest, and Warsaw, the road continues as an expressway.

The route connects the Russian border with the Polish border at Brest by passing via the cities of Orsha, Barysaw, Minsk, the capital, and Baranavichy. It parallels the main axis of the country’s transportation system, which runs along the great Warsaw-Minsk-Moscow railway route. The M1 is marked as an expressway for around 505 km from Orsha to Kobryn (M10).

Did You Know?

The Motorway provides access from both the south and the north to Mozhaisk, Vyazma, and Gargarin and the by-passes of the city of Smolensk.

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6. Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel

photo source: structurae.net

Martigny and Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses are connected by the Great St. Bernard Tunnel, a road tunnel that completes the Great St. Bernard Pass. It was the first Alps-to-road traffic tunnel to open when it was dedicated on March 19, 1964. In the spring of 1958, construction on the Italian side got underway, and shortly after that, on the Swiss side. After six years, the tunnel was finished.

The southern side’s avalanche coverings were most recently enlarged. The access roads have slowly been restored. In reaction to the 1999 Mont Blanc tunnel disaster, which prompted a thorough study of road tunnel safety in various countries, including Switzerland, the Grand St. Bernard Tunnel will get significant safety modifications. There is already an 80 km/h speed limit within the tunnel.

Did You Know?

The Grand St. Bernard Pass, from which the tunnel takes its name, also inspired the hospice that carries the saint’s name, which was established in 1049 and is located high above the tunnel.

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5. Zagreb – Dubrovnik

photo source: thedubrovniktimes.com

In Croatia, there are tolls for using the roadways; these can be paid at toll gates in person or using an onboard device. Motorcycles, passenger cars, and vehicles that weigh more than 3.5 tons must all pay the toll to use the highways. Regular users can get a 13-21% toll discount by purchasing an onboard device with the ETC system.

The Zagreb–Dubrovnik route is frequently referred to as the most scenic road in Europe. In Croatia, tolls are paid for using the motorways; they can be paid in cash at toll booths or using an onboard device.

The necessity to pay the toll when using a highway applies to motorcycles, passenger cars, and vehicles weighing more than 3.5 t. Regular customers who purchase an onboard device with the ETC system will have a toll savings of 13.2–21%.

For instance, it costs 105 Kuna to travel from Zagreb to Zadar, 157 Kuna to travel from Zagreb to Split, and 187 Kuna to travel from Zagreb to the current endpoint, Rava.

Did You Know?

There are two ways to get from Zagreb to Dubrovnik: a longer route with beautiful scenery through Karlovac and Plitvice National Park or a quicker one by the highway.

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4. Confederation Bridge

photo source: cbc.ca

Traveling in the Maritimes is convenient and practical because of the Confederation Bridge, which connects the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick in eastern Canada. The sweeping, 12.9-kilometer-long bridge, which crosses an ice-covered lake, is one of Canada’s finest technical achievements of the 20th century.

On May 31, 1997, the Confederation Bridge opened to traffic after four years of construction involving teams of more than 5,000 local employees. The Confederation Bridge is currently run by Strait Crossing Bridge Limited, which has its main office in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island.

Did You Know?

After a contentious discussion that raged throughout the 1980s, it was decided to build a permanent link in place of the current ferry service.

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3. Rijeka – Zagreb/Split – Dubrovnik

photo source: croatia-expert.com

The Dugopolje-Ploe Sector, which is a part of the Zagreb-Split-Dubrovnik Motorway, begins with this 37 km section from Dugopolje to Estanovac. It is difficult to define the highway route between Dugopolje and Estanovac because it travels through a region of steep, rocky, and poorly maintained terrain.

The formal implementation of Phase II A of the Rijeka-Zagreb Motorway building project was celebrated by the ceremonial inauguration of the Vrbovsko-Bosiljevo Section in full motorway profile. All in all, 102.37 km of the full-profile freeway, 6 bridges, 26 viaducts, and 13 tunnels have been added to the Rijeka-Zagreb Motorway as a result.

Did You Know?

The Rijeka-Zagreb Highway will link Rijeka, the largest port, with the country’s capital, Zagreb, and will be the crowning achievement of Croatia’s motorway network.

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2. Grossglockner High Alpine Road

photo source: passzwang.net

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road connects Heiligenblut in Carinthia with Fusch-Ferleiten in Salzburg. The high alpine road, which can accommodate vehicles such as cars, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles, is the result of the collaboration between the forward-thinking state governor of Salzburg, Franz Rehrl, and road engineer Franz Wallack.

In 1934, when the gravel road wasn’t yet finished, they were the first to travel on it, and finally, in the summer of 1935, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road was opened.

The perspective that the Habsburg monarch once visited personally is unquestionably the centerpiece of traveling along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. Currently, the area above has a multi-story parking lot, a tourist center, an observation deck, and dining options, all of which provide distinctive views of the snow-covered Grossglockner, the 8 km-long glacier lobe Pasterze, and the Johannisberg.

Did You Know?

At 3,798 meters, the impressive mountain is the highest summit in the Alpine Republic and towers over the whole area.

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1. Pennsylvania Turnpike

photo source: whyy.org

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is the most expensive toll road in the world, with a maximum toll of $112.90 for a standard vehicle driving from end to end. To open a 162-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in October 1940, Pennsylvania had to raise enough bonds with the help of government financial sources.

It was the country’s first extensive section of four-lane, constrained roadway. Although there wasn’t a speed limit at first, the toll road was successful in bringing in traffic and establishing standards for how the superhighway should be built.

However, excessive speeding was a factor in the number of accidents. Concrete-paved lanes measuring 12 feet wide were used to build the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Before 1956, more than a dozen states embraced the Pennsylvania Turnpike model of bond financing for highway construction with a return through toll collection. Since then, it has been imitated in a variety of ways.

Did You Know?

The Pennsylvania Turnpike influenced the design of the contemporary federal system, sometimes referred to as “Granddaddy.”