Tolls between Miami to Sea World Orlando

[Eagle44]

I am renting a car and could anyone know how much is the approximate tolls? Can we stil pay cash or not anymore? I undertand that the car rentals have their  transponders and they charge a daily fees. Can we bring our own transponders (buy one locally)?

[Capt_BJ]

sorry to say your question gets complicated.

 

In much of Florida you can still pay cash BUT in the greater Miami area the tolls are NO CASH so unless you stay off toll roads until north of Ft Lauderdale you will need a transponder or participate in the rental company program (most do NOT have physical transponders)

 

 

Rental company fee to use their system does not have to be a huge expense ... I find ALAMO/ENTERPRISE/NATIONAL to be quite reasonable at $3.95/day ONLY days tolls encountered charged (24 hour day on a sliding scale .. hit a toll pay for next 24 hours <plus actual tolls>) Major company fees outlined: https://www.sunpass.com/en/tolls/rentalVehicles.shtml

 

If you have a compatible transponder .. bring it. <EZPASS is only accepted at SOME Orlando locations .. not in Miami and not on the turnpike>  You can buy a SUNPASS via the web b4 you arrive, delivered by mail.  If you visit frequently it is worth the investment but spring for the PORTABLE/$20 version and not the $5 'sticker'. The portable is MEANT for moving around and the APP allows to to add and DELETE rental cars easily. https://www.sunpass.com/en/home/index.shtml

 

Hint: if you stay off the toll roads in Miami (there are a bunch but 95 is no tolls) and until you get north of Lauderdale .... you will be OK with cash for here on.  If you look at a map you'll note that the turnpike and 95 run very near each other until the Ft Pierce / Stuart area.  Take 95 to here THEN cross to the turnpike which bends towards Orlando at this point. You CAN use cash from here .....

 

How much for tolls: http://floridasturnpike.com/TollCalc/

 

 

[skrufy]

4 hours ago, Eagle44 said:

I am renting a car and could anyone know how much is the approximate tolls? Can we stil pay cash or not anymore? I undertand that the car rentals have their  transponders and they charge a daily fees. Can we bring our own transponders (buy one locally)?

 

4 hours ago, Eagle44 said:

I am renting a car and could anyone know how much is the approximate tolls? Can we stil pay cash or not anymore? I undertand that the car rentals have their  transponders and they charge a daily fees. Can we bring our own transponders (buy one locally)?

Here’s what I found out from the Fla.Turnpike website. Out of state I-pass, EZ pass do not work on the Turnpike.  Can help you from Ft. Pierce to the Orlando area. To save some cash take I-95 from Miami to Ft. Pierce, switch over to the Fla. Turnpike. The cost of the tolls from Ft. Pierce to the Orlando (Fla 417) area is approximately $13.00 and change (cash). Have a few rolls of quarters handy. We will be doing this same route southbound from MCO in a few weeks.

[steve20832]

You need a SunPass, not EZ pass. They other option is to take 95 and cut over but that is adding 90 minutes to the drive. Easiest way is to either buy a SunPass or pay the tolls through the rental car company. SunPass website tells you who sells it. I know Publix has them. Just make sure you have the SunPass App and an account created before you buy it if that is what you choose to do

[loanshark]

If you rent the car at Miami airport, please note that the 2 major East-West roads that run from the airport to I-95 (Airport Expressway and Dolphin Expressway) are toll roads that do not take cash.  To avoid the tolls, take Okechobee Rd to the Palmetto Expressway, then take the Palmetto to I-95 North.  Also you would need to avoid the "express" lanes on I-95, as there are tolls for these lanes. 

[Eagle44]

Thank you for all these information.

Is the SunPass portable a 1 time use or you can be used for future vacation...........?

I am renting a car from Hertz and how would you install/ place the SunPass portable  - on the top of the existing one already on the windshield I am guessing?

Sorry these are new to me. 

 

 

 

 

[Capt_BJ]

sunpass portable is intended for long time use .. I've had mine for 14 years ... it attaches to the inside of front glass with suction cups. Current version has no batteries ..... Smaller than a pac of cig'. <the 'sticker' is intended for use on one vehicle and according to the instructions is damaged/destroyed when removed from the vehicle>

 

most rental cars do not have physical transponders but are 'fleet registered' in the system by their tag

 

the way the system works is it looks for a transponder and if found processes the toll. If not found they tag is read and the system first checks for the tag being associated with a transponder (this is why you WANT to add the rental tag to your account <and delete it when you return the rental> the tag reading is a backup in case your transponder burps .... IN FACT, if the tag is properly registered it doesn't really need to be in the vehicle!  Ask how I know .... 😉)

 

If the  transponder is not associate with a transponder it next checks the tag against 'fleet accounts' and this is where most rentals are .... (the SUNPASS website actually indicates which 'fleet management system' the majors use . . .) This is a third party system which deals with the toll processing for the rental companies.  <where the surcharges come from ... not the State!>

 

A few rentals still have physical transponders but these typically are in a shield box ... you can close a flap to disable the transponder and use your own.

Edited February 2, 2020 by Capt_BJ

[Eagle44]

Thank you Capt_BJ for the clarification.

 

What do you mean by add rental tag to your account - do you mean add the rental car license plate?

How long does it take the SunPass transponder to be activated?

Can I use a double -sided tap instead of a suction cups?

Can we buy the SunPass transponder at the Miami airport?

 

 

[Capt_BJ]

What do you mean by add rental tag to your account - do you mean add the rental car license plate?

yes ... easily done via the phone app ...

 

How long does it take the SunPass transponder to be activated?

it's fast but having bought mine so long ago have no current info.

 

Can I use a double -sided tap(e) instead of a suction cups?

I suppose but it is not provided .... suction cups work fine for me

 

Can we buy the SunPass transponder at the Miami airport?

Not that I'm aware of .... https://www.sunpass.com/en/about/whereToPurchaseSunPass.shtml