Driving into Miami to Port - Do I need SunPass?

[RickyMouseMom]

We are staying at a hotel about 15 miles away from port. My GPS directions are telling me to take SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway??) and I-395. I stumbled upon informatio (no sure how accurate it is) that NO cash tolls are accepted and a SunPass must be purchased prior to traveling so as to not accrue toll fines. Is this true? Just trying to preplan our drive into port!

Thank you!

 

[iloverags2]

What hotel will you be staying at? There are ways to avoid tollroads in Miami. If you don't mind paying the tolls, you can pick up a mini SunPass (I believe they are preloaded with $5 or $10) at Publix once you get into Miami.

 

[neg58]

You can drive on I-95, but some lanes are for Sunpass only (to the left). It was driving me crazy looking for the information and was sort of scary to even be on I-95 as it kept saying "Warning, Sun pass only, no cash" but it was for the special lanes.

Nancy

 

[erionm]

The Dolphin Expressway has cash toll rates (see page 2): http://www.mdxway.com/pdf/toll_rate_map.pdf

There is part of the FL Turnpike that is cashless, but SR-836 is not the FL Turnpike.

 

[kalc12345]

I stumbled upon informatio (no sure how accurate it is) that NO cash tolls are accepted and a SunPass must be purchased prior to traveling so as to not accrue toll fines. Is this true? Just trying to preplan our drive into port!

Thank you!

Back in November we went to WDW and then drove down to Key West. Part of the trip on the toll roads we had to pick up a ticket and then pay at the end of that toll. Then we hit the Miami area. It is cashless. If you don't have sunpass they will take a picture of your license plate and mail you a bill. They sent us a bill about a month later. So if you don't have sunpass, like us, you will be fine.

 

[erionm]

Back in November we went to WDW and then drove down to Key West. Part of the trip on the toll roads we had to pick up a ticket and then pay at the end of that toll. Then we hit the Miami area. It is cashless. If you don't have sunpass they will take a picture of your license plate and mail you a bill. They sent us a bill about a month later. So if you don't have sunpass, like us, you will be fine.

That portion where they 'toll by plate' is on the FL Turnpike, which the OP will not be traveling on based on their post.

 

[TmlndSpdwy03]

I dont know if you will pass any cash-less tolls but if you happen to then:

If you are driving your own car then you will just get mailed a bill (with a surcharge for the toll and $2.50/month service fee) - or actually, whoever the licence plate is registered to will since they just photograph that.

If its a rental, then you will get billed by the rental company (but beware that rental companies charge like a $2.50 per day fee for them billing you for tolls even if you are not using toll roads for all of your stay).

I personally would not buy a transponder ($25) or the sticker (free I beleive) just for a 1-2 day use. If you come to FL a lot, then maybe it could be worth it but once you afix the sticker to one window, when you peel it off, it will not stick to another.