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Autotoll Limited provides electronic toll collection (ETC) service in Hong Kong.
 Autotoll system | |
| Location |  Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1 October 1998 |
| Operator | Autotoll Limited |
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar |
Introduction
editAutotoll was established on 1 October 1998, through the merger of the two individual electronic toll collection systems by The Autopass Co. Ltd. and Electronic Toll Systems Ltd.
Autotoll is currently the only service provider of electronic toll collection in Hong Kong. Shareholders include Wilson Group Limited and The Cross-Harbour (Holdings) Ltd.
Similar with the electronic toll collection system in other countries, vehicles with Autotoll Tag can go straight and do not have to stop and pay cash at toll booths.
Autotoll is a pre-paid spending mode. An Autotoll account will be set up upon registration by drivers. A deposit of HK$150 for Autotoll Tag is required with the monthly administration fee of HK$35. When driving into tunnels or toll roads, the transponder communicates by RFID instantaneously with the device installed adjacent to the toll booth to pay the toll by deducting it from a pre-paid account. The pre-paid amount ranges from HK$500 to HK$3,000 according to different vehicle types.
Autotoll has launched the “AutoPark” service in 2006. Vehicles with Autotoll Tag can register “AutoPark” service for free and park at the designated carparks with the barrier gate rising automatically for driving in and out.
History
editIn June 1992, The Autopass Co. Ltd. introduced the electronic toll collection system (ETC) to Hong Kong and conduct the first testing phase at The Aberdeen Tunnel. In August 1993, ETC system was installed at a few more crowded tunnels, including Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Crossing and Lion Rock Tunnel. The system further applied to Western Harbour Crossing in May 1997, Tai Lam Tunnel in June 1998 and Cheung Tsing tunnel in July 1998.
In September 1995, Electronic Toll Systems Ltd. had developed another electronic toll collection system. It was then installed at Tate's Cairn Tunnel for testing and further expended to Shing Mun Tunnels and Tseung Kwan O Tunnel in October 1997. This system is not compatible with the one from The Autopass Co. Ltd. Besides, the Lantau Link and Tai Lam Tunnel originally planned to use this system too. Due to the merger of these two systems in 1998, the system from The Autopass Co. Ltd. was used instead.
Since the two individual systems had brought inconvenience to motorists, the Autopass Co. Ltd. and Electronic Toll Systems Ltd. merged the systems on 1 October 1998 with the support from Hong Kong Government. And the system was renamed as Autotoll. The service continued at the 9 tunnels and 1 toll road and further expanded to Eagle's Nest Tunnel and Sha Tin Heights Tunnel.
Autotoll has launched the “AutoPark” service in 2006. Vehicles with Autotoll Tag can register “AutoPark” service for free and park at the designated carparks with the barrier gate rising automatically for driving in and out.
On 7 May 2023, the Transport Department has announced to implement HKeToll (Chinese: 易通行) to replace Autotoll in toll tunnels, so that toll booths can be demolished, after replacement, Autotoll will only serve HZMB toll station and, through AutoPark, the remain toll parking lots. The HKeToll system will continue be operated by Autotoll Limited.[1]
Roads with service
editCurrent service
edit- Tai Lam Tunnel (Route 3), from June 1998, was using Autopass before October 1998, will replace by HKeToll by May 2025
- Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, from 24 October 2018
Former service
edit- Used Autopass before October 1998
- Aberdeen Tunnel (Route 1), from June 1992 until 31 December 2023, replaced by HKeToll[2]
- Lion Rock Tunnel (Route 1), from August 1993 until 28 May 2023, replaced by HKeToll
- Cross-Harbour Tunnel (Route 1), from August 1993 until 23 July 2023, replaced by HKeToll
- Eastern Harbour Crossing (Route 2), from August 1993 until 27 August 2023, replaced by HKeToll
- Western Harbour Crossing (Route 3), from 5 May 1997 until 6 August 2023, replaced by HKeToll[3]
- Lantau Link (Route 8), from July 1998 until 27 December 2020, now toll-free[4]
- Used Electronic Toll Systems before October 1998
- Tate's Cairn Tunnel (Route 2), from May 1996 until 26 November 2023, replaced by HKeToll
- Tseung Kwan O Tunnel (Route 7), from October 1997 until 11 December 2022, now toll-free[5]
- Shing Mun Tunnels (Route 9), from October 1997 until 21 May 2023, replaced by HKeToll
- Tunnels opened after October 1998
Eagle's Nest Tunnel and Sha Tin Heights Tunnel (Route 8), from March 2008 until 7 May 2023, replaced by HKeToll
References
edit- ^ "About HKeToll".
- ^ "南區巴士路線擬重組 香港仔隧道收費廣場有望變轉乘站". 星島日報. 16 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023. Archived 2023-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "三條過海隧道於八月二日政府接收西隧時實施「633」固定收費方案 西隧及東隧八月六日及二十七日實施「易通行」". 政府公報. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "屯赤公路12月27日正式通車 當日起屯赤隧道青嶼幹線免收費". 香港經濟日報. 21 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ "將軍澳隧道今午夜後免費 30收費員恐失飯碗". 香港01. 10 December 2022. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2022.