It’s a bad day to be a driver in Melbourne or Sydney. Australia’s two largest cities already claim the unfortunate title of having the worst traffic in Australia, and new research by iSelect reveals they’re also home to the country’s ten most expensive toll roads. Basically, you’re paying a premium to either sit in congestion or snake your way around it.
Victoria’s 22-kilometre CityLink freeway – starting near Tullamarine Airport, running under the CBD and continuing south-east to meet the Monash Freeway – tops the list as Australia’s most expensive toll road at $12.25 per trip. Ouch! It’s also the second-highest earning road in the country, behind NSW’s WestConnex, raking in an estimated $987 million per year.
Overall, Sydney drivers are suffering the most, with eight of Australia’s top ten priciest tolls weaving in, around and under the city. Second on the list is the WestConnex M4 ($10.38), linking Strathfield in the west to the City West Link and the Anzac Bridge/Western Distributor in the east. The M4 has also recorded the fastest year-on-year toll rise in Australia, climbing by an average of 12.3 per cent annually since 2015. Rounding out the top five most expensive toll roads are Sydney’s Eastern Distributor ($10.16), NorthConnex ($10.15) and Hills M2 Motorway ($10.15).
Interestingly, Australia’s priciest toll road per kilometre is the Go Between Bridge in Brisbane, charging a staggering $13.50 per kilometre. At just 300 metres long, it’s far less cost-efficient than any other toll road in the country. Sydney’s Military Road E-Ramp, the shortest toll road nationally, comes in second at $10.35 per kilometre. Meanwhile, the Sydney Harbour Bridge ranks third during peak hours, costing up to $4.41 per kilometre, with off-peak rates dropping to $2.40 per kilometre. You can look further into the cost breakdown here.
The 10 most expensive toll roads in Australia
- CityLink, VIC – $12.25
- WestConnex M4 Motorway, NSW – $10.38
- Eastern Distributor, NSW – $10.16
- NorthConnex, NSW – $10.15
- Hills M2 Motorway, NSW – $10.15
- Westlink M7 Motorway, NSW – $10.09
- WestConnex M5 East Motorway, NSW – $8.80
- WestConnex M8 Motorway, NSW – $8.80
- EastLink, VIC – $7.77
- Cross City Tunnel, NSW – $7.77