Toll cost I 95 from central Mass to WDW ?

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eeyoresmom

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Does anyone have a rough idea? (Haven't driven in a few years). I don't remember a toll until the GW bridge, but am considering the Tappan Zee this time....any help greatly appreciated. Trying to decide between driving and flying and having a hard time.
 
On the way down, there are no tolls on I-95 from Massachusetts until the Jersey turnpike. The NY Thruway only collects tolls Northbound on I-95 in Westchester county and the GW Bridge only collects tolls inbound to New York from New Jersey. Heading south through NY and across the GW Bridge you won't have any tolls.

If you have EZ Pass, the entrance to the Jersey turnpike from the GW Bridge and the main exit at the Delaware River both have high speed lanes that you can drive through at 55. After the turnpike, the toll plazas on I-95 south are as follows:

1. Delaware Memorial Bridge;
2. Maryland turnpike (on Delaware/Maryland border); and
3. Baltimore Harbour tunnel/bridge of your choosing (I always take I-895 harbour tunnel down the BW Parkway. Always less traffic and about 3 miles shorter);

That's it through Northern Virginia. I don't recall what tolls may lie south of Fredricksburg.

If you don't have EZ Pass, I would recommend flying instead.

Toll rates are as follows:

1. Jersey Turnpike: $9.05 to drive the full length.
2. Delaware Memorial Bridge: $4
3. Maryland Turnpike: $5
4. Maryland tunnels/bridges: $2
 
It's free from Fredericksburg to Daytona, and free on I4 from Daytona to Orlando.

Also, if you are coming from Central MA, there is a toll on the Mass pike from your exit through exit 7 (Ludlow). You would catch 291 to 91 South at Springfied, or 91 at exit 4 in West Springfield.

Also, of memory serves, if you have EZ pass (or fast pass if issued in MA) the tolls are slightly cheaper. I am not sure if what is quoted above is the discounted rate or not.

If you are driving from Central MA, and have a little more time, have you considered 84W, to 81S, to 17 south, to entering 95 in Fredericksburg? It's a couple of hours longer, but you miss the congestion through NY, NJ, MD and northern VA. This is the route we have done to go down south the past couple of times, and it is soooo less stressful.
 
Does anyone have a rough idea? (Haven't driven in a few years). I don't remember a toll until the GW bridge, but am considering the Tappan Zee this time....any help greatly appreciated. Trying to decide between driving and flying and having a hard time.

do yourself a favor come down the merrit and take the tappan zee. I make the run NJ to Mass 4-5 times a year and have sworn off 95 for good as of a few years ago. Going to see the Sox next week. :)
 

I'm not sure where is MA you are coming from, but I would take the Mass Pike to Sturbridge, take 84 south to the Charter Oak Bridge exit near Hartford to get to 91 south, and then get off 91 at the Merritt Parway and take that to the Tappen Zee.
 
I'm not sure where is MA you are coming from, but I would take the Mass Pike to Sturbridge, take 84 south to the Charter Oak Bridge exit near Hartford to get to 91 south, and then get off 91 at the Merritt Parway and take that to the Tappen Zee.

That's exactly what I will do since I live one town out from Sturbridge, just 10 minutes from 84. This is strange, but I remember from previous drives that my GPS puts me on Merrit on the way down through NY, but keeps me on 95 on the way home! WHY??? Do you guys think I should get on Merrit for the way home also? Every time, we have been hung up on 95 trying to get through NY on the way home. Also, is there a charge for getting the EZ PASS? TIA
 
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Does anyone have a rough idea? (Haven't driven in a few years). I don't remember a toll until the GW bridge, but am considering the Tappan Zee this time....any help greatly appreciated. Trying to decide between driving and flying and having a hard time.

Just as an FYI:

If you drove the 'inland' route, that is from Tappan Zee down to 78-81-77-26-95-4, the only toll you'd hit going down is at the NJ/PA state line. I believe it is $1.
Coming back, no toll there, but then you'd have the toll on the Tappan Zee going in the return direction.
 
That's exactly what I will do since I live one town out from Sturbridge, just 10 minutes from 84. This is strange, but I remember from previous drives that my GPS puts me on Merrit on the way down through NY, but keeps me on 95 on the way home! WHY??? Do you guys think I should get on Merrit for the way home also? Every time, we have been hung up on 95 trying to get through NY on the way home. Also, is there a charge for getting the EZ PASS? TIA

I'd ignore the GPS on the way home. You have two options for getting back to the parkway. The first is taking exit 11 or you can travel to the end og the turnpike and grab route 80. Depending on time of day would dtermine my route. Mornings and evenings on the parkway tend to be heavy. Weekends you will be fine. Your GPS will figure it out typically once you get on the thruway in rockland co. (keep in mind my garmin would always try to divert me off the parkway but gave in once I passed far enough north)
 
OK. I'm not sure what time we'd be passing through but it may be a Friday at rush hour. Should I stay on Merrit no matter what? I remember last time we drove back on a Saturday around 7pm and still sat in traffic on 95:confused3
 
We got our EZ-Pass on-line and didn't pay for any of the transponders since I use a credit card to pay the tolls. I put $25 as the amount to keep on as a balance or to add when needed. I know if you pay by check there is a charge for each transponder. I just went onto EZPass.com and filled out all the info and had them in less than 2 weeks. I know Mass has one but I'm not sure where you can get them. Even though we are in CT and originally from western mass we went with the EzPass out of NJ. Since you are near Sturbridge you also have the option of staying on 84 through CT into NY and then pick up 684 to 87/287 over the Tappan Zee. We go that route but actually get off 684 and take the Saw Mill Parkway to 87/287. Living in CT we avoid 95 at all costs and actually only use the Merritt when necessary since that can be a headache.
 
OK. I'm not sure what time we'd be passing through but it may be a Friday at rush hour. Should I stay on Merrit no matter what? I remember last time we drove back on a Saturday around 7pm and still sat in traffic on 95:confused3

Friday rush on the Merrit can be brutal also. My last trip up on a friday turned into into a 5.5 hr ordeal which my drive normally takes 3.5. Given this set of circumstances I'd still take the tappen zee but go 684-84. Adds 30 or so mins but at least you wont lose sanity.

So my personal view on this would be 95 to the end picking up Rt 80 to the parkway to the tappen zee to 684 then 84. Basing this on you hitting rush hour traffic.
 














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