Even if you only head 'Darn Sarf' once in a blue moon,
be aware that as from 6th April 2025 All the Thames tunnels are tolled.
No toll booths, it's all controlled by ANPR on line.
It means that for the Eurotunnel, Folkestone, Dover etc if you pass to the east of London, via the M25, M11, M20, M2, etc you need to pay the tolls.
Just to confuse the issue, there are two different unconnected toll systems.
'DartCharge' which only does the M25 Dartford crossing (tunnel and bridge)
TFL Charge which does the rest, including Blackwall, Silvertown, and the London LEZ, ULEZ and Congestion charging.
I would strongly recommend you set up and account with both DartCharge and TFL, it costs you nothing, and even if you only use it for one trip in two years it's worth the trouble as it's a lot easier to do on the home PC today
than struggling to set up an account with a mobile phone on your way to the ports.
It could also save you a small fortune on receipt of the brown envelope on your return.
For those looking at maps, the Rotherhithe tunnel is not tolled, but it has a 2m hight restriction, so you can not get a motorhome through it.
Tower Bridge is a 'free' option for newer vehicles (Euro6/2014) as long as your vehicle complies with the ULEZ. (Put your number plate in here and find out)
The only free option is to go around London on the M25 (or beyond) to the West.
However you may spend considerably more on fuel and time than paying the tolls.
It's also worth remembering in high summer when the M20 has stacking which can be up to 24+ hours, the M2 route is usually a lot faster.
Tolled area:
be aware that as from 6th April 2025 All the Thames tunnels are tolled.
No toll booths, it's all controlled by ANPR on line.
It means that for the Eurotunnel, Folkestone, Dover etc if you pass to the east of London, via the M25, M11, M20, M2, etc you need to pay the tolls.
Just to confuse the issue, there are two different unconnected toll systems.
'DartCharge' which only does the M25 Dartford crossing (tunnel and bridge)
TFL Charge which does the rest, including Blackwall, Silvertown, and the London LEZ, ULEZ and Congestion charging.
I would strongly recommend you set up and account with both DartCharge and TFL, it costs you nothing, and even if you only use it for one trip in two years it's worth the trouble as it's a lot easier to do on the home PC today
than struggling to set up an account with a mobile phone on your way to the ports.
It could also save you a small fortune on receipt of the brown envelope on your return.
For those looking at maps, the Rotherhithe tunnel is not tolled, but it has a 2m hight restriction, so you can not get a motorhome through it.
Tower Bridge is a 'free' option for newer vehicles (Euro6/2014) as long as your vehicle complies with the ULEZ. (Put your number plate in here and find out)
The only free option is to go around London on the M25 (or beyond) to the West.
However you may spend considerably more on fuel and time than paying the tolls.
It's also worth remembering in high summer when the M20 has stacking which can be up to 24+ hours, the M2 route is usually a lot faster.
Tolled area:
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