Turnpike tolls
 

Thanks in advance for any insight on using the toll roads! I’ll be getting a rental car at the Orlando airport in November and driving to the Villages. My research shows it would be about $8 in tolls round trip via Turnpike. In addition, the rental car company charges about $4/day for each day the SunPass transponder is used.

Because I won’t be using the turnpike much during my stay, I’m wondering if I can decline use of the car rental company’s SunPass and just pay cash? (I'd rather not use 'Toll-by-the-Plate'). Do the toll booths (Exits 259 and 304) accept cash? Or would it be cost effective to get my own SunPass Mini account ($4.99) just for the month I’ll be there? Are there extra ‘daily’ charges to use this?

(note: Last time I visited, I got a surprise bill for tolls from the rental car company for $85 – just trying to avoid that this time).

Do you have an E-ZPass? If so, bring it with you. If not, get one before you get down here. E-ZPass Is better than Sun Pass. I don’t think you can pay tolls with cash. I think it is all electronic tolling now - with a few exceptions.

Cash is no longer accepted on the turnpike from Orlando to the Villages, it is either SunPass/E-Pass/EZ-Pass or toll-by-plate.

You can probably use side roads to avoid the Turnpike if you want.

There are no daily charges for your own SunPass. If you will be coming back I would do that. Better to pay SunPass for the device and carry some small balance for a device you will be able to use again than give more money to the rental company.

I'd just get the Sun Pass transponder, keep it and use it next time you come down. I think it's $10 at the tollroad rest areas but they put $10 on your account, so it costs nothing. Like the other poster mentioned, they don't take cash anymore.

I will make another vote for sun pass, we got one a few years back and only use it very seldomly, but it is always there and holds a small balance in case I need to run to Orlando for something.

Years ago you could use cash coming from MCO to TV...that's changed to by plate. Refuse the rental car format.. Take the turnpike using by plate until you get to the first service station..stop buy a transponder add $20. It will be more than enough money for return trip to MCO. Pack in your carry on. When you return just add money as you go. Right now all tolls are suspended, because is Hurricane.. Unsure how long that will stay in force, but you can look for that information on their website. The suspended tolls saves us about $13 for each trip to Disney three times a month

If you've got enough time you could buy a SunPass online & bring it with you. It now works in states other than Florida, so you might be able to use it elsewhere. As another poster asked, if you already have a transponder from another state, it is most likely compatible & you can use that.

The price for the Mini is $4.99 and the Pro is $14.95. I don’t think they put any money on your account when you buy the SunPass. You have to put $10 on the account in addition to the purchase price. They are not free.

Don’t know how long this will last, but no tolls yesterday. Went to Winter Garden and the signs said no tolls don’t slow at gate.

Be aware if the van taking you to the airport passes through toll, the pass in your luggage may be charged if detected

You can't take the turnpike by plate with a rental without incurring the daily fee for tolls, whether or not you use it again. You can order a transponder and have it delivered to your house. Once you get the rental enter the plate number at the SunPass website and you are good to go. The only way the quoted post works is if the SunPass people at Turkey Lake Plaza can remove any charges incurred on the way there and transfer them to the new account.

i have had a Sun Pass since they first came out for business/pleasure travel. The mini with suction cups is very convenient versus the EZ pass with a more permanent velcro window attachment.

If you will only be using a toll rfid in FL, i would get the SunPass mini, if you will driving the east coast, I would get the EZ pass. EZ pass is good from Boston to Miami

Buy the transponder

A roundtrip is over $10.00 with a SunPass transponder.

OP is renting a car.. however if you wrap your transponder in foil, has not happen…have travel with ours since 2012, on shuttles, and never had a toll charge.

You can request a foil baggie from the SunPass website for no charge.

Looks like you could use a visitors toll pass:

Visitor Toll Pass - Welcome


Florida Finally Gives Tourists a Way to Avoid Rental Car Rip-Offs on Cashless Roads | Frommer's

This 'Visitor Toll Pass' seems to be the best solution for my situation. I like the idea of my credit card being charged for the toll when I use it rather than having to preload money onto a transponder account.

Haven't heard of this before -- thank you!!!

Buy a 5 dollar tag at Publix. You can turn it on and off online or via app

If you do not choose the rental car option toll transponder and use toll by plate rental car company will bill you the toll plus administrative fees.
I got an ezpass thru Massachusetts, FREE just had to add $25 to account and replenishment is automatic. Works anywhere ezpass is accepted east of the Mississippi.Florida charges $19.
I believes you can buy the portable ezpass transponder at airport activate thru smartphone.
The ez

Eliminating actual toll worker booths has created a cluster(you know what) especially when dealing iwith rental cars. This is more of a problem in FLorida due to out of state cars, rental cars etc and tourism. How much money is this saving, especially since cash tolls are higher.

Unipass. Buy it once for $15. Put $10 on it. No minimum monthly charges, you can add money or switch it from one car to another easily on the website. Good for toll roads in 19 states!

Uni - One Toll Pass. 19 States.

Do you have a link, or more info on this??

I have the mini stick on (from Publix). I don't think these are transferable from one vehicle to another.

All of your questions could be answered from the E-ZPass website. Google can be your best friend.

Yes, you can exit to the cash lane. Just don’t miss it. If you drive on through with your own car, you will be photographed and billed by mail, which is inconvenient but not very expensive. But with a rental car, the rental company may charge you for paying your fine.

The Sunpass Mini works only in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. EZPass and IPass (Illinois) work everywhere but Georgia. Sunpass Pro works everywhere.

Order by mail whichever one is better for you and add the rental car license plate to your account for the time you are in Florida.

E-ZPass is new to Florida; I'm surprised they have a site that answers this question. I tried Google and found over a dozen sites with multiple pages in each - can you provide a link to the one site that has the answers?

There is no cash lane to use on the exit to Wildwood (301 / The Villages). The cash lane that used to exist east of Okahumpka has been replaced by a ___Pass or Toll-By-Plate only.

Purchase the Sunpass transponder now from their website. Go online and add the rental car license plate when you get the car. Delete the rental car after you have returned it.

This looks like a fantastic solution - Thank you! :BigApplause:

So my EZ pass I use in Virginia will work on Florida toll roads?

I used something called a Visitor Toll Pass when I was in your position. It's a tag that hangs on the rearview mirror. You can find info at visitortollpass dot com. I picked up the tag at a spot next to the baggage area. A lady was there to help. After we got our rental car if I remember right we took a picture of the car and registered it before we left the garage. I think they have a sensor on your way out of the airport that also then confirms your car info. You return the tag on your way out of town. It was far cheaper than dealing with the rental companies version of this.

BTW I don't think it is available at Tampa, just the Orlando airport.

Yes. It used to only be valid on the FL turnpike but I just read on their web site that it is accepted @ the toll roads administered by the Central Florida Expressway Authority now.

Here is a link to a map that shows where you can currently use your EZ Pass, in brief it is most of the eastern United States. For some of the greyed states like Connecticut & South Carolina they are grey because they don't have any tolls. I think I read that Congress wanted all states to be compatible by ... 2016. That didn't exactly happen, but I think they are still working towards that goal. I think California is still one of the outliers. E-ZPass Group - About E-ZPass

I forgot to mention SunPass works in all of the EZPass compatible states.

I believe Maryland is E-ZPass only, SunPass will not work there.

SunPass Pro, which is a combination of SunPass and E-ZPass, will work in Md, but not a basic SunPass.

Just male sure you remove the rental plate from your account when you leave. I forgot to remove it once and 3 weeks later got about $20 taken out of my account because someone else was traveling all over the state in that rental car. Luckily it texts you when money gets taken out.

Download the app Waze and specify when destination addresses, No Tolls, you won’t need the sun or E-Z pass. Plus it is a pleasant drive on those back roads.

You are correct, I have the SunPass Pro & it works, sorry I keep forgetting the mini.