San Francisco Toll Roads

Your guide to navigating the toll bridge roads of San Francisco, California

There’s nothing quite like driving over the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time.

With stunning views of the city and, of course, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic US attraction that you won’t want to miss.

But heads up! If you drive over the Bridge in a vehicle - you’ll need to pay a toll.

And if you’re planning to explore the rest of what San Francisco has to offer by car, this handy guide is here to help you navigate the Bay Area’s bridge tolls.

Major toll bridges in the Bay Area, San Francisco

There are eight toll bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District operate the Golden Gate Bridge toll. The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) collects tolls for the remaining seven state-owned toll bridges.

Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge. Need we say more?

The iconic red suspension bridge spans The Golden Gate – a one-mile-wide strait that connects San Francisco Bay to the beautiful Pacific Ocean. The bridge acts as a transport link for commuters going between San Francisco and Marin County in California.

Tolls for the Golden Gate Bridge are collected in one direction only as you head southbound into San Francisco. The toll will cost a two-axle vehicle approximately $9.

The bridge carries about 112,000 vehicles a day, and since 2013, the toll collection system has become fully electronic.

Antioch Bridge

The Antioch Bridge provides a crossing over the San Joaquin River, linking Antioch with Sacramento County, California.

Part of State Route 160, the Antioch Bridge is single-laned with a toll collected in the northbound direction only costing roughly $7.

Benicia-Martinez Bridge

The Benicia-Martinez Bridge are three parallel bridges that span the Carquinez Strait between Benicia and Martinez. It was originally built to replace the ferries that crossed the strait. It was also the first bridge in Northern California to feature open road tolling.

The toll costs around $7.

Carquinez Bridge

The Carquinez Bridge is two parallel bridges that cross the Carquinez Strait at the northeastern end of San Francisco Bay.

The Bridge was officially renamed the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge – an ironworker who constructed many bridges in the Bay area and survived a fall while working on the Golden Gate structure.

The toll is $7 and is collected one way only – eastbound in Vallejo.

Dumbarton Bridge

The first structure to span San Francisco Bay, the Dumbarton Bridge, was constructed over 100 years ago, in 1910.

The bridge links the cities of Fremont and Menlo Park. Drivers pay tolls in the Westbound direction at the toll plaza on the Bay’s east side.

The toll road cost is $7.

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (John F. McCarthy Memorial Bridge)

The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge connects the counties of Contra Costa and Marin, crossing the San Francisco Bay on Interstate 580.

The bridge also offers bicycle and pedestrian access.

Drivers pay the $7 toll in the westbound direction.

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

A beautiful bridge along the San Francisco waterfront – The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is situated on Interstate 80 and connects Oakland and Yerba Buena Island. From there, a second suspension bridge segment connects the island to San Francisco.

The Oakland-Yerba Buena Island segment has a protected pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. The San Francisco section is for vehicles only.

Like all Bay Area Toll Authority bridges, the toll costs $7. Tolls are paid in the westbound direction at the eastern side of the bridge.

San Mateo-Hayward Bridge

It seems everyone in San Francisco travels on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge during evening commutes in the Bay. However, a widening project in 2003 saw huge improvements in traffic flow.

The bridge is situated on State Route 92 and connects San Mateo and Alameda counties. The toll is $7 and is collected in the westbound direction in Hayward.

How to pay tolls for the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Area Bridges

There are three main ways to pay to cross the Golden Gate Bridge by vehicle. All toll bridges in San Francisco have switched to all-electronic tolling, which means you will no longer be able to pay cash on any of the above bridges.

Here’s how you can pay for San Fran tolls:

Uproad

Experience newfound freedom as you roll across the Golden Gate Bridge with Uproad.
A simple and convenient way to pay for San Francisco toll roads and bridges, Uproad will have you exploring the area in no time.
Take in breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean as you cross the Bay Area’s toll bridges without worrying about having to pay tolls.
Simply download the Uproad app on your phone and create an account. You’ll be able to pre-load your account balance, allowing you to automatically pay for tolls as you drive.
With the app, you can calculate costs before you travel and track usage and expenses on the go.
Uproad will also allow you to travel across hundreds of other toll roads and bridges across the entire United States. Check out the coverage map here.
Transponder
Another option is to order a FasTrak transponder and mount it to your vehicle.
FasTrak works for all California toll roads, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Area Bridges. However, keep in mind that unlike Uproad - FasTrak won’t work on as many toll roads across the country.
When your vehicle passes through a toll plaza, your FasTrak toll tag will be read, and your account charged the appropriate amount. Tip: Make sure your toll tag is mounted correctly – or you’ll risk a bad reading and a subsequent violation!
And as motorists have already experienced, it doesn’t seem too easy to dispute unfair charges.
To activate a FasTrak account, you’ll need to open a prepaid account balance with a minimum of $25.
License Plate Account
This “pay as you go” option uses your license plate number to recognize your vehicle and matches it to your account.

You’ll have to set up an account online here beforehand using a credit card if you wish to use this option.

You will not be able to set up an account if you are using a rental car.
One-Time Payment
If you travel infrequently, you may wish to make a one-time payment for the area’s bridges. You will have to make this payment up to 30 days in advance of crossing a bridge or no longer than 48 hours after crossing a bridge.
This option may be best for a non-US resident visiting San Francisco