How to Enter and Exit Highway Toll Stations?
2 Answers
Open system and closed system toll collection. Below is more information about highway tolls: 1. Relevant information: According to the 2021 'National Expressway Toll Standards', there are two types of highway toll collection - open system and closed system. The open system involves collecting an IC card at the entrance toll station when entering the highway, then presenting it to the toll collector at the exit station who will charge the displayed fee by swiping the card. This method is generally used for longer highway routes and is the predominant toll collection method for most intercity highways nationwide. 2. Free periods: No toll will be charged if exiting the highway during designated free periods, which cover four national statutory holidays: Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, and National Day, including the consecutive holiday periods as determined by documents from the General Office of the State Council in that year.
When entering and exiting highway toll stations, I operate based on experience. First, entering the station: start looking at the signs one or two kilometers in advance. The ETC lane is usually on the far left, so just head straight there, slow down to below 30 km/h, and the gate will automatically rise once the ETC device is activated. The manual lane is on the right—stop completely to take a toll card or pay in cash. New drivers often take the wrong lane; I once saw someone following too closely and nearly rear-ending another car. Exiting is similar: enter the ETC lane for a quick pass; in the manual lane, queue up, stop, and hand over the toll card to pay or insert the ETC card. Traffic jams during peak hours are common, so I recommend leaving early or avoiding rush hours. If the card reader malfunctions, never reverse—drive to the side lane and let staff handle it. Safety first—maintain distance and watch the ground markings. Having an ETC saves a lot of time, but I always keep spare change in the car for emergencies.
