Pa. Turnpike tolls set to increase for the 18th straight year

It’s that time of year again. We clear away the holiday decorations, celebrate the new year… and, prepare to spend a little more each time we take a drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

That’s because, for the 18th straight year, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will hike tolls on Jan. 4, 2026.

This year, officials said in a statement on the looming increase, the rate hike will be 4% — the lowest annual increase the tolls have seen since 2014.

The hike, officials said, follows the commission’s approved toll schedule, and will be used, entirely to repay Act 44 debt service.

Act 44 requires the Pa. Turnpike Commission to provide $450 million annually to afford repairs to roadways statewide.

And, in order to keep up with this obligation, the commission has said it will be required to continue to raise tolls through at least 2051 because of debt incurred due to Act 44 obligations from 2007 through 2022.

Officials said, with the upcoming increase, tolls along the turnpike and the Northeast Extension will increase from $.07 a mile to $.73 a mile. Segment fees, officials said, would increase from $1.09 to $1.13.

Anywhere along the roadway where tolling infrastructure doesn’t support a distance traveled or per-segment toll rate will see a 4% increase on existing trips, officials said.

Rates will be rounded up to the nearest cent.

In the coming year, officials said, most common tolls for passenger vehicles will increase from $1.86 to $1.94 for E-ZPass customers and from $3.72 to $3.88 for Toll By Plate customers.

The most-common toll for a Class-5 tractor trailer, officials said, will increase from $23.16 to $24.12 for E-ZPass and from $46.32 to $48.24 for Toll By Plate.

Beyond this year, the commission said tolls are expected to raise by 3.5% in 2027 and another 3% in 2028.

For more information or to pre-plan travel expenses for tolls along the turnpike, click here.