Pay Dartford Tunnel

Pay Dartford Tunnel

Pay Dartford Tunnel if you use the tunnel between the hours of 6am and 10pm, charges apply every day including weekends and bank holidays .

You can get a fine if you’re late or don’t pay. At the same time you have to pay the outstanding crossing charge.

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Pay Dartford Tunnel online. Pay Dartford Tunnel with a Credit or Debit card. Payment for the Dartford must be paid by midnight the day after using the Tunnel

How the Pay Dartford Tunnel system works

Pay Dartford Tunnel
Pay Dartford Tunnel

The Pay Dartford Tunnel system, means that instead of stopping at the barriers to pay, you have to pay or make payment by midnight the day after your journey. You can Pay Dartford Tunnel online, pre pay in advance or a one off payment by a Credit or Debit card you must pay by midnight the day after using the tunnel.

When a vehicle uses the Dartford Tunnel, number plate reading cameras, lasers and tag readers, positioned in the new overhead gantries, will identify the vehicle to see how much needs to
be paid.

Then the owner or the company will need to pay or make payment for the charge for that vehicle.

The system then takes money from the account or waits to receive payment or the owner or user pay the charge.

If you do not pay or make a payment by midnight the day after crossing, the driver or company will receive a penalty charge notice for £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days of issue) If a penalty charge notice remains unpaid after 28 days, a charge certificate will be issued for £105.

We are serious about tackling evasion and we are  working with the European Debt Recovery Agency to recover any unpaid non-UK driver crossing charges and associated penalties.

You can also Pay Dartford Tunnel by Credit or Debit Card or make payment at your nearest  Payzone store. 

Pay Dartford Tunnel charging times.

Charges apply everyday between the hours of 6am and 10pm including weekends and bank holidays . The Pay Dartford Tunnel charge applies during the above times.

Paying for the Dartford Tunnel on time is essential to avoid a fine.

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About Pay Dartford Tunnel information and history

It joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames, forming part of London’s orbital M25 motorway and the furthest-downstream road crossing of the Thames. 

There are two tunnels, the eastern and western.

It opened in stages: the west tunnel in 1963, the east tunnel in 1980 and the bridge in 1991. The 2 tunnels are 1,430m long. 

With daily traffic flows of 150,000 vehicles the crossing suffers regular traffic congestion.

Height restriction Dartford Tunnel

Height restriction Dartford Tunnel
Height restriction Dartford Tunnel

A new vehicle height restriction of 4.8m is in place on the A282 Northbound Junction 1a entry slip road. A diversion for vehicles higher than this (but lower than 5m) is signposted to Junction 1b.

Get in lane for the Dartford Tunnel.

Dartford tunnel restrictions
Dartford tunnel restrictions

When travelling northbound toward the Dartford Tunnel, height restrictions are 4.8m for the west tunnel, accessed by lanes 1 and 2 (left hand lanes), and 5.0m for the east tunnel, accessed by
lanes 3 and 4 (right hand lanes).

A new concrete barrier will be constructed between lanes, which means that vehicles will not be able to cross from lanes 1 and 2 to lanes 3 and 4 after Junction 1a of the M25.

This requires drivers to move into the correct lane before Junction 1a earlier than now.

Dartford Tunnel Speed limits

speed limits
Speed limits

Average speed camera enforcement are used in the Dartford Tunnel.

CCTV operates throughout the Dartford Tunnels and sends live images to the control room enabling effective incident monitoring and response.

Drivers should drive at speeds appropriate to the road conditions and must not exceed the variable speed limits displayed. Observe the limits and information shown on the overhead gantries. 

Dartford Tunnel safety information

safety information
Dartford tunnel safety information

The above information is for drivers on how to safely drive through the Dartford tunnels. It also explains what to do if you experience a problem while driving through the tunnels or what to do in the rare event of an incident in the tunnels.

Dartford Tunnel road network map 

Road map

Use this Journey planner to get directions to the Dartford Tunnel 

For the latest live Dartford Tunnel traffic news and reports tune into 

Essex Radio on 103.5 or Kent Radio on 96.1

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Common names used and known as follows

Dartford Tunnel, Dartford Tunnel Toll, Dartford Tunnel Crossing, Dartford Tunnel Charge.

West Thurrock, Dartford, Thurrock,  DA2 6QP