car rental and cashless tolls...

[eggnoodle]

Hi all

 

We'll be flying into Orlando and renting a car then driving down to Cape Carnaveral. I'm aware of the "cashless tolls" on the highway. Are there any routes/roads that anyone can suggest to avoid tolls or any pay tolls that accepts cash?

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

[paul929207]

As far as I know all toll roads take cash. People who frequent them get an little transmitter that identies them to a machine at the toll booth. The toll is then charged to their account. No need for them to wait on line to pay the toll.

 

I think they are called Easy Pass or something like that. Just watch the signs on the lanes so you get in one where you can pay.

[skrufy]

The way to the port without paying tolls takes you a little out of your way. When you leave MCO go northbound on Semoran Blvd. (Rte 436) for about 7 miles. Take Colonial Drive (Rte 50) eastbound to The Beachline (Rte 528). Take The Beachline eastbound to Port Canaveral. It will take you about an hour to hour and fifteen minutes.

[Underwatr]

Hertz offers "PlatePass" on all rentals - there's no transponder on the car but the tollbooth camera shoots the license plate and it all works out from there. The tolls plus a service charge get charged to the credit card that your rental is charged to.

 

It's a little unnerving because at the time you're going through the booth you never get a green light and so you have to drive through the red light.

 

https://www.platepass.com/

 

Hertz charges a fee of $2.50 per rental day (up to $10 per rental month) if you use the platepass - if you use the pass on one day you get tcharged the fee for each day of the rental. If your rental is only a day or two it might be just as easy to use this service and not worry about cash vs. cashless lanes.

[snaebyllej]

As far as I know all toll roads take cash.

 

I don't know about Orlando, but there are signs in the Miami airport warning that there are Miami area toll roads that DON'T take cash.

[ducklite]

The Beachline (also known as the 528) which is the road from MCO to the port is a toll road, however there are no tolls that are cashless, except for a handful of clearly marked exits that you'd have no reason to get off onto.

 

Do keep an eye though, as the plazas offer a combination of both cash and E-Pass/Sunpass booths. You need to be sure you're in the correct lane (right lane), and they are generally well marked long before the exit.

 

Bottom line you'll take the northern exit from MCO onto the 528/Beachline eastbound--it's the first exit. Maybe five miles after you get on, you'll pay a $1.50 toll. That's it. There isn't another toll.

 

And seriously, you don't want to try to take the back roads to avoid a $1.50 toll. It would take at least double the amount of time and the chances of getting lost are pretty high. I LIVE here and don't think I'd try it! Definitely not worth it for a such a small toll.

[dolittle]

I am pretty sure it the BEE line not beach, and it does have tolls at least 3 I think

[Capt_BJ]

I live on the beach and this recommendation is spot on. If driving from Orlando airport, direct to port/Cape Canaveral there will be one toll of $1.50 but there is a cash lane. Yes there can be a little line at the cash lanes but for a one time visitor is probably the way to go.

 

The alternate routes will double your travel time & angst (that's one of the issues with Port Canaveral - one accident on 528 can shut it down for hours and there is NO viable alternate, especially once you are ON 528)

 

In the Miami area there ARE toll roads that do not take cash . . .

 

 

The Beachline (also known as the 528) which is the road from MCO to the port is a toll road, however there are no tolls that are cashless, except for a handful of clearly marked exits that you'd have no reason to get off onto.

 

Do keep an eye though, as the plazas offer a combination of both cash and E-Pass/Sunpass booths. You need to be sure you're in the correct lane (right lane), and they are generally well marked long before the exit.

 

Bottom line you'll take the northern exit from MCO onto the 528/Beachline eastbound--it's the first exit. Maybe five miles after you get on, you'll pay a $1.50 toll. That's it. There isn't another toll.

 

And seriously, you don't want to try to take the back roads to avoid a $1.50 toll. It would take at least double the amount of time and the chances of getting lost are pretty high. I LIVE here and don't think I'd try it! Definitely not worth it for a such a small toll.

[ducklite]

I am pretty sure it the BEE line not beach, and it does have tolls at least 3 I think

 

Sorry, you are wrong.

 

It has three tolls if you pick it up at I-4 or the Turnpike and take it to the Port. If you pick it up at the airport (Semoran) and take it to the Port, it has a single toll.

 

It was renamed the Beachline at least five years ago.

[Underwatr]

In my fairly recent experience (March 2009) the wait to pay cash along the BeeLine made me wish I had some sort of tollpass. I had my own car so I couldn't use PlatePass, and the EZ-Pass prevalent in the northeast doesn't work in Fla.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Take route 4 drive safe

[dolittle]

Sorry you are right I always came from Disney World so there was 3 tolls. Beach line was news to me did not even notice last time , makes sense .thanks

[ducklite]

Take route 4 drive safe

 

Why--and better yet how--would you propose getting from MCO to the Port on I-4?

 

The only reason to use I-4 would be if they were going to the Port of Tampa, they are going to Canaveral. I-4 is west of the airport by a good 10 miles and doesn't run anywhere near Port Canaveral--it's got to be 50 miles as the crow flies between the nearest point on I-4 and Port Canaveral.

 

If I'm missing something, please explain.

[ducklite]

In my fairly recent experience (March 2009) the wait to pay cash along the BeeLine made me wish I had some sort of tollpass. I had my own car so I couldn't use PlatePass, and the EZ-Pass prevalent in the northeast doesn't work in Fla.

 

Unless you are traveling with rush hour traffic, there is seldom more than a minute or two wait to pay a toll, particularly at the lone plaza between the airport and the port.

 

I'm going to assume that perhaps you are talking about the westernmost plaza, which was under a lot of construction in 2009. Now the SunPass/Epass lanes are separate and express at that location, so the wait is minimal for cash tolls.

[Underwatr]

i was headed out to see a shuttle launch, so probably there was more traffic than usual.

[ducklite]

i was headed out to see a shuttle launch, so probably there was more traffic than usual.

 

A shuttle launch will increase traffic loads by 1000% on the Beachline. That was very, very atypical.