I have already reported here twice about our long-distance trips to Italy with the electric car; the last time we went in that direction was a few months ago. Italy is not only known for its culture and delicious cuisine, but also for the toll system on the motorways. The collection of tolls on these roads is necessary to finance the ongoing maintenance, modernization and expansion of the road network. It is not uncommon to have long waiting times at toll booths, although most drivers now simply charge via credit card. But Telepass is even simpler and more convenient; we were able to use the system for the first time last fall thanks to Tollbird.
Thanks to the toll box, you can drive directly through toll booths without waiting
What is the Tollbird toll box?
The Tollbird toll box is a device that enables electronic toll processing in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Once the Tollbird toll box is installed in the vehicle, it allows you to pass through (almost) all toll stations and access to more than 800 parking garages without having to stop, collect tickets or wait.
The Tollbird toll box communicates wirelessly with the toll stations or the antennas in the parking garages and automatically carries out a digital transaction that is billed via your stored payment method (e.g. VISA, Mastercard, Google Pay).
This small box is all that is technically needed in the car.
Tollbird variants
Tollbird offer two variants, but for me as a pure “holiday driver” the choice was clear, I chose “Captain Holiday”. The one-time activation fee is €24.90 and then €3.90 is charged in the months in which I use the toll box. €7.90 is due per year. If you travel for 3 months or more a year in countries with a toll system, the “Frequent Traveler” option is worth it.
Tollbird Abos
Tollbird Mautbox im Test
Within a few days of ordering, the small toll box was in my mailbox. The Tollbird toll box is black, slightly smaller than a credit card, approximately 5mm thick and is battery operated. The manufacturer states the battery life is around 7 years. Instructions are included on how and where to best install the toll box. On our VW ID. 4 I installed this on the passenger side next to the rearview mirror, where the window is also darkened. Advantage of this position: As a driver, the toll box does not impair your field of vision and is practically undetectable from the outside. Since it is battery-operated, as mentioned, no cables etc. need to be pulled.
Installing the Tollbird toll box in the vehicle
After that, the toll box is already active and functional, so we started our journey to Italy. The test was put to the test at the first Telepass toll booth to Como in Grandate. Slowly slow down the journey and join the yellow-marked Telepass line. When driving through the toll booth, the Tollbird toll box beeps briefly and the barrier opens. Another beep follows and that’s it, the toll booth is passed within seconds. No queuing or waiting in lines with other payment methods.
Tollbird billing of toll costs in Italy
All processes at toll booths can then be viewed in the Tollbird portal and the amount is charged directly to the credit card on file. By default, your own car is stored in the system, i.e. with your own license plate. You can also link the toll box to another license plate, for example a rental car or if you want to lend the box out.
Conclusion
If you don’t want to wait in queues at the toll station, I can highly recommend the Tollbird toll box. We really enjoyed being able to simply “drive through” toll booths. Especially if you go on holiday with your children during school holidays, traffic jams at toll booths are not uncommon. In my opinion, the costs are kept within limits and for me it is worth the extra charge for the more carefree long-distance trip.
The Tollbird toll box is available to buy directly from Tollbird starting at €32.80 (activation fee & first annual fee).