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Post by buddysmom on Jul 26, 2016 13:02:18 GMT
We're going to the San Francisco area soon and will rent a car for a few days.
We will be going from Mountain View (Silicon Valley) to Sonoma.
Will we be going on any toll roads/bridges to get there and back?
Thanks!!
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Post by anonrefugee on Jul 26, 2016 13:06:54 GMT
MapQuest.com has been accurate on our trips. It indicates tolls, ferries, etc.
Do you have an iPhone? The native map app also shows them.
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 26, 2016 13:32:38 GMT
Mountain view to SF should not have tolls. SF to Sonoma will probably take you over the Golden Gate Bridge which has a toll (beautiful bridge, drive it at least once!) since SF is a peninsula. You CAN go around but it's a LONG LONG LONG drive and not nearly as pretty.
eta: you only pay going INTO the city on the bridges not out (to my knowledge).
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Post by ntsf on Jul 26, 2016 13:48:13 GMT
it is a cashless toll back into the city. you can prepay the toll on your smartphone. otherwise, it is a bill in the mail. It never costs to leave..just costs to come back and all bridges have a toll.the toll is something like $7
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quiltz
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Post by quiltz on Jul 26, 2016 13:58:44 GMT
We're going to the San Francisco area soon and will rent a car for a few days. We will be going from Mountain View (Silicon Valley) to Sonoma. Will we be going on any toll roads/bridges to get there and back? Thanks!! I would google the rental agency before renting to read what their policy is regarding toll roads. Ask again prior to signing anything at the rental agency. Are you returning the car to the same car lot? If not, check into the cost of a "one way" rental. There is usually a fee for "one way" rentals. Car rental agencies are all about making money for themselves and not about saving you money. Do your homework before you travel. Every agency has different rules and every state has their own rules. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Jul 26, 2016 14:49:44 GMT
It depends on the route depending on traffic. I would use google maps which will route you the best way -- and avoid commute times...(would not drive in afternoon on a weekday)
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 26, 2016 15:11:41 GMT
The bay bridge (highway 80) is a time of day/carpool toll. We paid $4 but you could pay as much as $6 depending on number of occupants (3 for carpool) and time of day (after 10 a.m. Is cheaper). So weird. I don't live in the Bay Area anymore but am thinking about getting Fasttrak because we visit often and there is a toll road now in Livermore and it's a fast trak flex where you must have one to drive in the lane even if it's carpool. And you get. Discounted rate on bridge tolls.
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Post by buddysmom on Jul 26, 2016 15:30:10 GMT
Thanks, we have already reserved with Budget.
I was just wondering since I read the other post about the "hidden costs" in addition to the tolls.
There's a couple different ways to go according to google so I should be able to bypass the tolls if I want.
I don't care about the tolls themselves or the $3-$4 per day fee but if I got hit with $25 for each toll I would be mad!
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 26, 2016 15:53:57 GMT
Definitely go over the Golden Gate Bridge!!!! You can pay as you go and not use the rental cars transponder thing. The bridges all have manned kiosks for those that want to pay then.
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Deleted
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May 19, 2024 3:10:38 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2016 16:36:12 GMT
The bridges all have manned kiosks for those that want to pay then. The Golden Gate bridge doesn't have any toll takers anymore. |
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Post by ntsf on Jul 26, 2016 16:51:18 GMT
there is no way from mountain view to sonoma and back without paying a bridge toll. check with rental company, do the iphone thing...but plan to deal with it.
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 26, 2016 17:01:06 GMT
You can plan the trip without any tolls by traveling through Sacramento, but you'll be driving way out of your way.
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 26, 2016 17:03:13 GMT
The bridges all have manned kiosks for those that want to pay then. The Golden Gate bridge doesn't have any toll takers anymore. That sucks! I guess it keeps traffic moving across the bridge, but makes it inconvenient for those without a FasTrak pass. |
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 26, 2016 17:03:41 GMT
there is no way from mountain view to sonoma and back without paying a bridge toll. check with rental company, do the iphone thing...but plan to deal with it. Can't go up thru san jose and 880 N? No bridges/tolls that way, I don't think. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2016 17:11:43 GMT
Can't go up thru san jose and 880 N? No bridges/tolls that way, I don't think. Taking that route, you'd still have to cross the Carquinez Bridge. |
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 26, 2016 17:13:20 GMT
Can't go up thru san jose and 880 N? No bridges/tolls that way, I don't think. Taking that route, you'd still have to cross the Carquinez Bridge. Ah. Been a while since I've driven around in the bay area. I like my east of the central valley podunk nowhere town. LOL |
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Post by lucyg on Jul 26, 2016 17:22:43 GMT
Yes. The only way you can completely avoid a bridge toll (and I'm not going to swear there wouldn't be one somewhere along the way, anyway) would be to drive south around the Bay, then north (or east??) all the way to Sacramento, then back to Sonoma ... at least a 4-hour drive, I'm sure. As far as I know, the Golden Gate Bridge is the only one with no toll-takers. So if you're worried about the billing (I really don't know how it works ... I have FasTrak), you could return over the Richmond Bridge (free that direction) and Bay Bridge (pay the toll taker) instead. OR now that I think of it ... you could return over the Benicia Bridge (free), head straight down 680 all the way to San Jose and get to Mountain View from there without paying any toll at all.  Little bit longer drive, though. ETA you could also use the same route to get to Sonoma, just paying the Benicia Bridge toll. Again, a longer drive, but you wouldn't have to deal with the traffic through the city. You'd be driving through the East Bay instead. Of course, you'd miss the Golden Gate Bridge that way, too.  |
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scorpeao
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 26, 2016 18:04:07 GMT
Yes. The only way you can completely avoid a bridge toll (and I'm not going to swear there wouldn't be one somewhere along the way, anyway) would be to drive south around the Bay, then north (or east??) all the way to Sacramento, then back to Sonoma ... at least a 4-hour drive, I'm sure. As far as I know, the Golden Gate Bridge is the only one with no toll-takers. So if you're worried about the billing (I really don't know how it works ... I have FasTrak), you could return over the Richmond Bridge (free that direction) and Bay Bridge (pay the toll taker) instead. OR now that I think of it ... you could return over the Benicia Bridge (free), head straight down 680 all the way to San Jose and get to Mountain View from there without paying any toll at all. Little bit longer drive, though. ETA you could also use the same route to get to Sonoma, just paying the Benicia Bridge toll. Again, a longer drive, but you wouldn't have to deal with the traffic through the city. You'd be driving through the East Bay instead. Of course, you'd miss the Golden Gate Bridge that way, too. I got your back...there are no tolls. I did that drive one night a week for 15 weeks last year. Although, I suppose a toll road could've popped up since December. Mountain View to Sacramento is at least 2 hours with no traffic and Sacramento to Sonoma is at least 1.5 hours with no traffic. It's easier to just pay the toll. You can always register for a FasTrak now and not have to worry about the toll. The only issue with that is I think the system immediately charges $20 and when you get down to $5 balance it charges another $20. But, it IS an easy way to deal with the tolls. |
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Post by ntsf on Jul 26, 2016 18:16:31 GMT
download waze and use it to plan your trip. from mountain view, you want to pop over to 280.. and then it is a smooth ride up to SF. during commute hours, everything is busy. 19th through the city isnt too bad most days..it does move. it is a 6 lane road through town with a stoplight at every corner. then you are over the bridge and there is a carpool lane if you can do that going north. going around is going to make you miserable.
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Post by crittsmom on Jul 27, 2016 4:44:57 GMT
If you are going to San Francisco, you have to go to over the Golden Gate bridge !! Don't drive all through Sacramento.
If you don't have fast trak, just watch the signs on how to pay. At least that is how it works in Southern California.
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Post by ntsf on Jul 27, 2016 5:09:33 GMT
the signs to the golden gate bridge say..if you don't have fast track..just drive through and do not stop. they don't tell you how to pay otherwise. (I drive this all the time). so online before..or through rental company.
big articles about this were in the papers all last year.
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Post by kristi on Jul 27, 2016 5:32:17 GMT
If you don't have fastrak, you drive through the toll booth @ Golden Gate. They take a photo of your license plate & send you a bill in the mail. Mine was $7.25 last month.
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 27, 2016 15:28:03 GMT
You can buy a fasttrack flex online if you plan to drive across the bridges and encounter toll roads. Order in advance, put $20 (or whatever the minimum is) and call it good so you don't have to worry about it. If you buy, I'd recommend the flex because it's the newest. www.bayareafastrak.org/en/mobile/index.shtmlThe first link on that page is "pay a golden gate toll". Lol |
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 27, 2016 15:30:13 GMT
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Post by bc2ca on Jul 27, 2016 16:02:18 GMT
IIRC, the Golden Gate bridge toll is southbound only, so you will not have a toll going north from Mountain View to Sonoma.
We came south one time from Sonoma and wanted to cut across to the 5, not go into San Francisco, so took the 580 Richmond bridge with no toll eastbound. You could take this route and drive down the east side of the Bay to Mountain View. There is no way I would drive all the way to Sacramento to avoid a toll.
Crossing the Richmond bridge is one of my favorite memories of San Francisco. It was a gorgeous, clear sunny day except the city which was completely fogged in and only the top floors of the office towers were visible.
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Post by lucyg on Jul 27, 2016 18:52:31 GMT
IIRC, the Golden Gate bridge toll is southbound only, so you will not have a toll going north from Mountain View to Sonoma. We came south one time from Sonoma and wanted to cut across to the 5, not go into San Francisco, so took the 580 Richmond bridge with no toll eastbound. You could take this route and drive down the east side of the Bay to Mountain View. There is no way I would drive all the way to Sacramento to avoid a toll. Crossing the Richmond bridge is one of my favorite memories of San Francisco. It was a gorgeous, clear sunny day except the city which was completely fogged in and only the top floors of the office towers were visible. And when you drive west across the Richmond bridge (the toll direction), you can see San Quentin prison as you approach the Marin County side. |
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Jul 27, 2016 21:43:23 GMT
download waze and use it to plan your trip. from mountain view, you want to pop over to 280.. and then it is a smooth ride up to SF. during commute hours, everything is busy. 19th through the city isnt too bad most days..it does move. it is a 6 lane road through town with a stoplight at every corner. then you are over the bridge and there is a carpool lane if you can do that going north. going around is going to make you miserable. If you do go that way don't miss sight of the 'flintstone house' on your right |
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Post by monicad on Jul 27, 2016 22:24:38 GMT
I usually take 880 to 580 and the RSF Bridge when I go to visit ds in Sonoma. It's $5. And when you drive west across the Richmond bridge (the toll direction), you can see San Quentin prison as you approach the Marin County side.  For some weird reason, I'm fascinated by prisons...especially that one. I like to send bad mental juju to Scott Peterson. LOL |
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Post by princess consuela on Jul 27, 2016 23:37:18 GMT
You can buy a fasttrack flex online if you plan to drive across the bridges and encounter toll roads. Order in advance, put $20 (or whatever the minimum is) and call it good so you don't have to worry about it. If you buy, I'd recommend the flex because it's the newest. www.bayareafastrak.org/en/mobile/index.shtmlThe first link on that page is "pay a golden gate toll". Lol I'm not sure if it'd be worth it, the minimum you have to put on is $25, and if you're really only going to have to do the bridge, it's cheaper to just pay the bridge toll (reason I know this - I accidentally got in one of the new East Bay lanes for like 300' or something and got a fine in the mail for 50 cents. Lol). Btw, seaexplore, where are you from? I'm Modesto SaveSave |
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seaexplore
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Post by seaexplore on Jul 27, 2016 23:49:01 GMT
You can buy a fasttrack flex online if you plan to drive across the bridges and encounter toll roads. Order in advance, put $20 (or whatever the minimum is) and call it good so you don't have to worry about it. If you buy, I'd recommend the flex because it's the newest. www.bayareafastrak.org/en/mobile/index.shtmlThe first link on that page is "pay a golden gate toll". Lol I'm not sure if it'd be worth it, the minimum you have to put on is $25, and if you're really only going to have to do the bridge, it's cheaper to just pay the bridge toll (reason I know this - I accidentally got in one of the new East Bay lanes for like 300' or something and got a fine in the mail for 50 cents. Lol). Btw, seaexplore, where are you from? I'm Modesto SaveSaveYep. I know it doesn't ever expire so for us it would make sense but if you're just visiting and won't go over the bridges more than once, it doesn't make sense. I'm from Valley Springs |
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Little bit longer drive, though. 
