DC road trip advice and toll charges

Question

We are coming to DC from the UK next week and have planned 5 nights in DC, so we can visit museums, zoo, Arlington, etc. Then over the bridge to Maryland for 2 nights before back to Gettysburg.

Hadn't thought about paying tolls for the bridge to Maryland until now and am worried about paying charges in a rental car (hertz). Can we pay online to avoid Hertz exorbitant charges? Or should we cancel Maryland and go elsewhere, maybe Baltimore? Thanks in advance.

Answer

Traveling from Washington DC to Maryland in a rental car will likely involve tolls, depending on your route. The main crossings over the Potomac River into Maryland, such as the American Legion Bridge (I-495) or the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95), have electronic tolling. Most tolls in this area are cashless, which means you pay using an electronic transponder (like E-ZPass) or through license plate billing.

When renting a car from Hertz or other rental companies, they often offer the option to use their toll program. This is convenient but comes with additional fees, which can be higher than paying tolls directly.

Options to manage tolls and avoid high rental charges:

Use E-ZPass: If you have an E-ZPass from home (or can get a temporary one), you can link it to your rental car. This allows you to pay the exact tolls electronically and avoid Hertz’s service fees.
Pay online after the trip: Many toll authorities allow you to pay tolls online using the license plate of the rental car within a set period (usually a few days). For example, Maryland’s toll authorities let you pay via their website. Check the Maryland Transportation Authority’s site for instructions.
Hertz Toll Pass Option: This is the default offered by Hertz. It automates toll payment, but there is a daily service fee in addition to the toll amount, which can be expensive if you use multiple toll roads.

Alternative considerations:

If avoiding tolls entirely is a priority, you could plan a route using non-toll roads, but this may add significant driving time.
Visiting Baltimore instead of Maryland destinations just across the bridge may not save you tolls, as the routes may still use toll roads. However, some inner-city roads avoid tolls.
It is generally feasible to keep your Maryland plans and simply pay tolls online directly with the state to avoid Hertz’s extra fees.

Summary advice:

Yes, you can avoid Hertz’s high toll charges by paying online directly to the Maryland toll authorities using the rental car’s license plate. Make sure to do this within the timeframe specified by the authority. Alternatively, if you have access to an E-ZPass or can obtain a temporary one, that is often the easiest and most accurate way to pay tolls during your trip.

DC road trip advice and toll charges

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