When Will Provincial Highway Toll Stations Be Removed?
3 Answers
Starting from 00:00 on January 1, 2020, provincial highway toll stations across the country will be removed. There are three key points to note when driving on highways: 1. Entering the highway: Drivers should accelerate to over 60 km/h as soon as possible. Vehicles entering from the ramp must speed up in the acceleration lane and should not obstruct vehicles already in the main lane when merging. They should initially drive in the outer lane. 2. While driving: Vehicles should stay in their designated lanes—small passenger vehicles in the middle lane, and large buses or freight vehicles in the right lane. 3. Lane changes: Drivers must signal in advance before changing lanes or overtaking. At night, they should also switch between high and low beams to confirm safety. Overtaking is only permitted using adjacent lanes.
As someone who has long followed transportation policies, I think the removal of provincial highway toll stations is quite significant. As early as the end of 2019, China began piloting the removal of these toll stations, primarily to address congestion issues on highways and improve overall traffic efficiency. The policy was implemented in phases, with each province having its own timeline: most completed the removal by 2020, and my province achieved seamless inter-provincial travel by mid-2020. However, the process wasn’t without challenges—initial ETC system glitches and low installation rates caused some delays. But now, driving across provincial borders is much smoother, saving considerable time. In the long run, this reduces transportation costs, saving money for both vehicle owners and logistics companies, truly showcasing the benefits of technological optimization in transportation.
I've been driving for decades, and those provincial border toll stations used to be such a hassle. I really miss the smoothness after their cancellation in 2020! I remember the policy started rolling out in late 2019, with provinces taking turns, and some places completed it by 2020. For us ordinary car owners, the benefits are huge—less money spent, less waiting time, especially during holidays on expressways. What used to be long queues at provincial borders now pass directly. It's all thanks to the upgraded ETC system, which the government pushed hard, offering free device installations. Although there were initial hiccups, like signal issues causing delays, now driving on national expressways is incredibly smooth—it feels like progress.
