What Is The Toll For Holland Tunnel

My friend Dave once drove me from Jersey City to Manhattan through the Holland Tunnel, grinning like he’d found a secret free bridge. Then a sign flashed something about a toll, and his grin folded into a question mark. “Wait,” he said, “do we pay now, later, or never?”

We paid later. The camera caught his plate, the bill arrived, and the mystery turned into a $19.74 lesson in reading the fine print. That’s the Holland Tunnel for you: simple on a map, weirdly complicated in real life.

The Short Answer for Cars

As of 2026, the standard car toll for the Holland Tunnel is $16.74 during peak hours with E-ZPass. Off-peak, it drops to $14.74. If you don’t have E-ZPass and let the camera bill you by mail, it’s $19.74.

That’s for a normal passenger car, by the way. Motorcycles pay less, and trucks or buses get a math problem based on axles and weight. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sets these rates, not the tunnel itself.

One Direction Only

Here’s the twist that trips up visitors: you only pay going into New York. Driving from Manhattan to New Jersey through the Holland Tunnel? That’s free — yes, really.

The toll is collected eastbound, so if you’re leaving the city, you just glide under the Hudson and keep your wallet shut. It’s not a glitch in the Matrix. It’s just how the Port Authority handles its Hudson River crossings.

So if you’re heading from Jersey City to Lower Manhattan, budget for it. If you’re heading home to New Jersey, enjoy the rare New York-area bargain.

Peak vs. Off-Peak

Peak hours are weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Those are the times when everyone else has the same “brilliant” idea to drive into the city. Off-peak is all other times, including weekends.

The difference between peak and off-peak E-ZPass is $2.00. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not enough to make you leave a Broadway show early just to save a couple of bucks.

Holland Tunnel toll-taker celebrates golden anniversary

If you’re using Tolls by Mail, peak and off-peak don’t matter as much, because you’re already paying the highest rate. The system adds convenience for you, and cost for your budget.

No Cash, No Booth

The Holland Tunnel no longer has a human in a booth waiting for your quarters. It’s cashless. You either have an E-ZPass transponder that beeps, or a camera snaps your license plate and sends a bill.

That’s efficient, slightly eerie, and very New York. You don’t have to stop, which is great. You also don’t get to argue with anyone about whether the toll is fair, which is less great.

If you drive a rental car, check the rental company’s toll policy before you cross. Some charge a daily convenience fee that makes the tunnel toll look like a tip.

E-ZPass vs. Tolls by Mail

E-ZPass is the cheapest and smoothest option. If you live in the region, you probably already have one. If you don’t, you can still use a compatible transponder from another state, as long as it’s accepted.

Tolls by Mail is exactly what it sounds like. You drive through, the camera records you, and a bill shows up at the address linked to your plate. Pay it on time, because late fees are the one thing more reliable than traffic on the Van Wyck.

636 Holland Tunnel Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and Images - Getty

Is the Toll Worth It?

That depends on why you’re driving. If you’re commuting, the toll is a daily tax on convenience. If you’re visiting, it’s part of the admission fee for Manhattan.

Compare it to the PATH train or a ferry, and the tunnel might not look cheap. Compare it to parking in Lower Manhattan, and suddenly $16.74 feels almost reasonable.

Almost. This is still New York, after all.

The Bottom Line

The toll for the Holland Tunnel is not one single number. For a car, it’s $16.74 peak with E-ZPass, $14.74 off-peak with E-ZPass, or $19.74 by mail. It’s collected only eastbound into New York.

Rates change, usually once a year, so check the Port Authority’s current schedule before you go. Don’t be like Dave. Don’t assume the tunnel is free just because the sign isn’t right in front of your face.

And if you’re driving westbound out of Manhattan, congratulations. You just escaped a toll. Enjoy it before you hit the Turnpike.