Bridges and tolls

Palo Alto sits on the west side of the bay, so you only pay a bridge toll when you cross the water. For most residents that means the Dumbarton Bridge to Fremont and Newark or the San Mateo Bridge to Hayward. Day trips to Oakland, Berkeley or Marin add the Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate. Every one of them is cashless and every one is getting more expensive.

This page sets out the 2026 tolls, the increase that starts on January 1, 2027, the carpool rules and the ways to pay. For the US 101 express lanes, which also use FasTrak, see our express lanes guide.

The bridges and who runs them

The Dumbarton, San Mateo and Bay bridges are three of the seven state-owned bridges whose tolls are set by BATA, part of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The others are the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez and Richmond-San Rafael bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge has its own district and its own toll schedule.

The Dumbarton Bridge

The Dumbarton is the closest bridge to Palo Alto. Its approach starts at the Bayfront Expressway and University Avenue junction just north of town. The current span opened in 1982, replacing a 1927 bridge. It is the shortest of the crossings near Palo Alto and the usual route to Fremont, Newark and Union City. The weekday Dumbarton Express bus uses it to link Union City BART with Palo Alto and Stanford. The old Dumbarton Rail Bridge beside it has been out of service for decades. Next to the bridge's eastern end, the Dumbarton Fishing Pier needs no fishing license because it sits in a federal refuge.

The San Mateo Bridge

The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, opened in its current form in 1967, is about 7 miles long and the longest bridge in California. It is the better choice for Hayward, Castro Valley and the Interstate 880 corridor north of Fremont. From Palo Alto you reach it on US 101 north to State Route 92 in San Mateo or Foster City.

Tolls in 2026

At the seven state-owned bridges, the toll for a regular two-axle car or truck rose from $8.00 to $8.50 on January 1, 2026. In 2026 the same $8.50 applies however you pay, whether by FasTrak, license plate account or invoice. The Bay Bridge charges the same base toll as the Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges. Trucks with three or more axles pay more, rising by 50 cents per axle each year through 2030.

The Golden Gate Bridge raised its tolls on July 1, 2026, per the district's toll announcement:

The January 1, 2027 increase

BATA approved a five-year schedule of increases in December 2024. Starting in 2027, the state-owned bridges also introduce tiered pricing, with FasTrak cheapest because electronic tags cost the least to process. These are the rates in MTC's toll announcement:

MTC says the extra money pays for maintenance, rehabilitation and operation of the seven bridges plus debt service. For anyone crossing the Dumbarton twice a week, the gap between FasTrak and invoices adds up to about $100 a year in 2027.

The Golden Gate Bridge does not change on January 1. Its board approved a multi-year program of increases that take effect each July 1. News coverage of that program described 50 cent steps through 2028, which would point to a further rise in July 2027. The district had not posted a 2027 rate table in late 2026, so treat that as expected rather than confirmed.

Carpool rules

Carpool rules at the state-owned bridges changed on January 1, 2026:

• Three-person minimum for the discount at all seven bridges.
• 50 percent off, which is $4.25 in 2026, on weekdays from 5 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m.
• Carpool lane and FasTrak required. At the Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges, set a FasTrak Flex tag to 3+.
• Two-person cars with a Flex tag set to 2 can use the carpool lanes at six bridges, including the Dumbarton and San Mateo, to skip toll plaza queues. They pay the full toll.
• The Bay Bridge carpool lanes still require three people.

The Golden Gate Bridge charges carpools a flat $8.25 and sets its own eligibility rules, which are listed on the district's carpool page.

How to pay

No Bay Area bridge takes cash at the toll plaza. You have four options:

1. FasTrak. A prepaid account with a windshield tag. It is the cheapest option from 2027 and the only way to get the carpool discount. Sign up at bayareafastrak.org.
2. License plate account. Register your plate and a payment card. Tolls post to the account without a tag.
3. One-time payment. Pay online for a single crossing. Check the FasTrak site for the payment window so you do not get an invoice.
4. Invoice. If you do nothing, an invoice goes to the registered owner. It is the most expensive way to pay from 2027.

FasTrak never asks for payment by text. Scam texts about unpaid tolls are common, so pay only through the official site or app.

Rental cars

Rental companies bill tolls through their own programs and often add a daily or per-toll service fee. Ask at the counter how tolls are charged before you head for a bridge. When you compare rental cars, check each company's toll policy, since fees can exceed the toll itself on a short trip.

Choosing a crossing from Palo Alto

Because tolls are one-way, an East Bay round trip from Palo Alto costs one toll, paid on the way home. A loop through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate and back costs one Golden Gate toll. Our guides to coming from the East Bay and coming from the North Bay compare driving with transit. For a car-free crossing, the Dumbarton Express bus runs on weekdays.

Flying out of Oakland? A taxi or car service will add the westbound toll to your fare on the way back. You can book a fixed price airport ride that includes tolls in the quote, or read our Oakland airport guide.

Frequently asked questions