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Tolls for van in France
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

I'm driving out for a week in Val d'Isere soon with my brother. We are trying to decide between taking my (diesel) van or his (petrol) car.

Are motorway tolls for vans significantly more expensive? Mine's a 1.9L VW Transporter panel van short wheel base.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

hd, I think you'll pay the same - but someone will be along soon to confirm one way or another. On most of the gates, if you go through the credit card lane, you just stick a card in a slot, and there are no height barriers, so the machine doesn't know what you're driving. There's a useful price advantage in using diesel in France.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

http://www.autoroutes.fr/index.php?id=163
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.

I have sent the poster a little tip that should negate the need for choice. wink
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

pam w wrote:
hd, I think you'll pay the same - but someone will be along soon to confirm one way or another. On most of the gates, if you go through the credit card lane, you just stick a card in a slot, and there are no height barriers, so the machine doesn't know what you're driving. There's a useful price advantage in using diesel in France.


I don't know which tolls you go through pam but in the Rhone Alpes there are 2 meter height barriers. A VW transporter caravelle type van will just go through I'm told by one owner.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

On the mappy.fr route planne the quote in euros for tolls for a car calais-val is 77. For a "camion less than 3.5T" it is 169. Confused

I think my van is just under 2m high so maybe I'll be ok.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Having driven both car and van in France,yes,a van is charged at a higher rate...any van...I think Confused Have a feeling its the 'commercial' element,though not sure.Certainly,if you go through an attended kiosk you will be charged more.From memory,all? the CC lanes I have been through have a height barrier...though its often dangly plastic chain type things.Well remember going through one in my brothers van,with the chains rattling along the roof.As we cleared the barrier,an attendant appeared shouting and waving his arms at us....too late NehNeh We were a little concerned,a couple of mins later,when a Police car appeared behind us,all lights flashing........but they zoomed past.Phew Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

snowskisnow, but are the height barriers 2 metres? My VW Transporter is 196cm tall so maybe I'll be ok. Confused

What van were you driving?
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.

hd, Transit(two types)both just over 2mtrs.Not exactly sure of the barrier height,but it must be around 2.I do know that we have been under barriers that never touched...but have also seen barriers that we 'knew' we would never get under! Not sure of the protocol involved,but have a feeling that all vans should go through the attended lane?A simple theory...what's the worst that can happen? they charge you what you should have paid in the first place(if they stop you...unlikely IMHO)The difference between a car and van is significant on a longer journey,so worth trying for.At 196 you may well clear all the barriers you come across...just wink Just don't hang around when the barrier lifts Laughing
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads

Yes, I was wrong, sorry.

http://www.aprr.fr/fr/particulier/Classes_vehicules.pdf?FileID=documents%2520aprr%2fclasses_vehicules.pdf

However, I have most definitely driven through lots of credit card payment lanes with the roof bars and ski bars on my Fiat Multipla - because it won't go under the telepeage barriers with them on. I probably shouldn't have... though perhaps the roof bar assembly doesn't alter the class of vehicle.

A van between 2 and 3 metres less than 3.5tonnes is class 2, but still a fair bit more.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Cheers for all the links+advice. So it appears that all vans should be in "Classe 2" => (significantly?) more expensive, but if the vehicle is less than 2m high it might get away with being charged the normal car rate. Or less. wink

So to conclude we will be taking the van not the car to benefit from the cheaper diesel. And crossing our fingers that we don't get stung on the tolls. Confused
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.

hd wrote:
I think my van is just under 2m high so maybe I'll be ok.


Make sure you keep the tyre pressure low and you'll be fine.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much

hd, I have a Merc v class -same size as a Vito- it is charged as class 1 so you should be the same I would say
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

We drove down a couple of weeks ago in a Freelander with roofbox and measured just under 2.1m and we used the 2m toll barriers on the T lane without touching.
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