Dart Charge: Dartford Crossing Charges
The tariff for this crossing is due for review, so exact prices and price-based calculations are temporarily withheld until the current tariff has been re-verified.
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Contract Transport Services is not the toll operator or payment authority. The £3.99 charge is for access to information only. It does not pay any toll, pay a penalty or add funds to a toll account.
About Dart Charge: Dartford Crossing charges
The Dartford Crossing crosses the River Thames between Dartford in Kent and Thurrock in Essex. It comprises the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and two Dartford tunnels. Dart Charge is the road-user charging scheme that applies at the crossing. The crossing is the A282, which connects the M25 on either side of the Thames.
Traffic and vehicle types
Government figures published in 2025 state that the crossing is used by an average of more than 150,000 vehicles a day, rising to as many as 180,000 vehicles on the busiest days. The crossing is an important strategic route for both passenger and freight traffic, so vehicle class matters when checking the charge amount.
Vehicle class can be based on weight, height, axles, trailer use, account status or time of travel. A car price is rarely enough for transport work, because vans, coaches, rigid vehicles and articulated HGVs can sit in different bands or face route restrictions.
Nearby places and route context
Nearby journey points include Dartford, Thurrock, Bluewater, Lakeside, the M25, A13 and A2. The crossing opened in stages, with the first tunnel in the 1960s, a second tunnel in 1980 and the QEII Bridge in 1991.
For route planning, the toll should be considered with fuel, driver time, delivery window, road suitability, clean-air or road-user charges, and whether the official operator allows online payment before or after travel.
Checking the toll charge amount
The tariff for this crossing is due for review, so exact prices and price-based calculations are temporarily withheld until the current tariff has been re-verified.
- Check the vehicle class before you quote, book or travel.
- Allow for return journeys, account rates, payment deadlines and penalty rules where they apply.
- Confirm the current toll and payment instructions with the operator before travelling.
Planning a paid crossing
For a one-off journey, the toll may be a small part of the total cost. For repeated movements, courier work, trade visits, coach trips or freight routes, the charge can become a recurring route cost. Check whether the operator publishes any account rates, tag discounts, free-flow payment deadlines or local-user rules that apply to that specific route before building it into a quote.
CTS does not take the toll payment. Unlocking the record shows the CTS-reviewed toll information and the official payment or source route where one is available. The toll, penalty, payment or account top-up must still be completed with the toll operator or relevant authority.