Vietnamese toll roads and expressways

Vietnam has been building expressways at a serious pace. The difference between taking a toll expressway and the old national highway can mean cutting a journey in half — or it can mean an unexpected detour when a section is still under construction. This page covers what exists, what it costs, and what to watch out for.

Vietnam's expressway network

Vietnam's expressway system is managed under the authority of the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) and various BOT (build-operate-transfer) concessions. As of 2026, the total network exceeds 2,000 km of operational expressway, spread across routes in the north, central highlands, and south. The system is still expanding rapidly.

Most expressways are two to four lanes per direction, have a speed limit of 90–120 km/h depending on the section, and are accessible only to motorised vehicles — motorcycles of 175cc and above on some routes, with smaller bikes excluded entirely from most. Always check the posted signs at entrance ramps; enforcement varies but the rules are real.

Tolls are collected at dedicated plazas spaced roughly every 40–70 km. Cash lanes remain common, though electronic toll collection (ETC) is being rolled out aggressively. Older toll plazas sometimes cause significant queuing during public holidays and long weekends, particularly around TếtTết (Tet)tetVietnamese Lunar New Year, the most important national holiday, typically in January or February; a time for family reunion, ancestor worship, and new-year rituals..

The north-south expressway progress

The flagship project is the North–South Expressway, intended to run the length of the country from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City — roughly 1,800 km. Construction has proceeded in phases, with different segments awarded to different contractors and opening on different schedules.

By early 2026, most segments between Hanoi and Da Nang are open or near completion, and major southern sections linking Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta and central coast are operational. A handful of central segments remain under construction or in final commissioning. The result is that you may be able to join the expressway, exit it partway, navigate a stretch of the old Highway 1, and re-enter further along.

Before a long north-south drive, check current segment status through the VEC website or a recent travel forum post — the situation changes frequently and no single static source stays current for long.

Major regional toll routes

Beyond the north-south spine, several regional expressways see heavy use:

Hanoi region: The Hanoi–Hai Phong Expressway is one of the busiest freight and passenger corridors in the north. The Hanoi–Lao Cai route (toward Sapa) is popular with weekend travellers. The Hanoi ring roads include tolled sections managed under separate concessions.

Ho Chi Minh City region: The HCMC–Long Thanh–Dau Giay Expressway connects the city to the southeast and onward toward Vung Tau. The Ben Luc–Long Thanh corridor and the HCMC–Trung Luong route (toward the Mekong) are frequently used by buses and trucks.

Da Nang area: The Da Nang–Quang Ngai Expressway reduced travel times significantly on a corridor that was historically slow on Highway 1.

Each of these routes has its own toll structure and is often operated by a separate BOT company, which means the fee schedules are not uniform.

Toll cost by vehicle class

Vietnamese toll plazas classify vehicles into several categories. Approximate 2026 estimates for a single toll plaza:

• Motorcycles (where permitted): 5,000–15,000 VND per plaza — many expressways ban small bikes entirely
• Passenger cars (up to 9 seats): 35,000–70,000 VND per plaza, depending on the route
• Minibuses and vans (10–30 seats): 70,000–120,000 VND per plaza
• Trucks and large coaches: higher, scaled by axle count and weight

These are estimates. Actual fees are posted at each plaza entrance and can differ between routes and operators. On a full Hanoi-to-HCMC drive via expressway, total toll costs for a private car would realistically run several hundred thousand VND across all plazas combined. Mark these as estimates and verify at the point of travel.

ETC (electronic toll collection)

Vietnam has been pushing ETC tags (called VETC or the newer VDTC scheme) to reduce queuing at toll plazas. ETC-only lanes are increasingly common at busy plazas, and the government has periodically announced deadlines for mandatory ETC adoption on commercial vehicles.

For private car owners based in Vietnam, getting an ETC tag fitted to your windscreen makes sense if you use expressways regularly. The tag links to a prepaid account topped up via banking app or at service points.

For visitors driving a rented car, the practical situation is messier. Most short-term rental vehicles are not ETC-fitted, and rental companies generally expect you to use cash lanes. Ask explicitly before renting. If a vehicle has an ETC tag already fitted, clarify with the rental company whether your rental fee includes tolls or whether the account deducts separately.

At peak travel times — Tết, national holidays, summer weekends — cash lanes back up badly. ETC lanes move quickly. The difference in waiting time at a busy plaza can be 20–45 minutes in the worst cases.

Bus and minibus realities

If you are not driving yourself, the expressway question mostly resolves itself. Reputable bus operators on the main intercity routes use expressways where they exist — it is faster and the toll cost is absorbed into the ticket price. The Hanoi–Da Nang and HCMC–Da Lat routes have seen journey times fall as new expressway segments opened.

Sleeper buses on overnight routes generally use the fastest available road, which increasingly means expressway sections where they exist. Shorter-hop minibuses serving rural routes or tourist vans on secondary itineraries may stick to national highways where expressway access is not convenient.

If journey time matters for your itinerary, it is worth asking your operator directly which route they take, particularly for central Vietnam runs where some segments are still routed via Highway 1.

When the toll route saves time

The expressway is not always the obvious choice:

• For very short hops within a city or between nearby towns, the toll road may add distance and entry/exit time compared to a direct national highway route.
• In areas where expressway construction is recent, the connecting roads between the expressway and town centres are sometimes still underdeveloped, adding time at each end.
• Motorcycles are excluded from most expressways, so if you are riding, the question is moot for most routes. Check driving fines for rules around riding on restricted roads.

The expressway saves the most time on medium to long intercity legs — anything over roughly 80–100 km on a corridor where the expressway is fully open. On the Hanoi–Ha Long Bay run, for example, the expressway cuts what used to be a painful 3.5–4 hour grind on Highway 18 down to roughly 2 hours under normal conditions.

Matching the expressway to the best time of year for your destination also matters — during holiday peaks even the expressway slows significantly.

Common pitfalls

Wrong lane at the toll plaza. ETC-only lanes will sound an alarm and barrier will not lift if your vehicle has no tag. Move to a cash lane. Do not reverse on an expressway approach — that causes real danger.

Missing an exit. U-turns are not permitted on expressways. If you miss your exit, continue to the next one. On some long sections the next interchange is 30–40 km ahead.

Fuel. Service stations on Vietnamese expressways are less frequent than on European motorways. Fill up before joining if you are unsure, particularly on newly opened sections where service facilities may not yet be complete.

Construction diversions. On partially completed sections, you may be routed off the expressway via temporary signs onto the old highway and back again. Signage quality varies. Having offline maps downloaded (Google Maps or maps.me) helps considerably.

Cash. Keep small denominations available for toll plazas. Larger notes can cause delays while change is made.

Related

• Bus operators — FUTA vs Sinh Tourist and others
• Driving fines and police stops in Vietnam
• Best Vietnam destinations by month
• Getting around Vietnam — transport overview
• Renting a motorbike or car in Vietnam

Overview

Vietnam's toll expressway system has become the fastest option for intercity travel, cutting journey times significantly on major routes like Hanoi–HCMC and regional corridors. Most private cars and buses use toll roads where available; motorcycles are largely excluded. Plan tolls as a travel cost, especially on longer trips where the expressway time savings outweigh the fee.

Operators and costs

Costs vary by operator and concession agreement; these are mid-2026 estimates for a standard passenger car (up to 9 seats). Motorcycles where permitted cost 5,000–15,000 VND per plaza. Full Hanoi–HCMC trips can total 800,000–1.2 million VND depending on route and fuel surcharges. Tourist buses absorb tolls into ticket prices; self-drive renters pay cash at each plaza.

Booking and logistics

No advance booking is required. Drive to a toll plaza, join the cash lane (or ETC if your vehicle has a tag), hand over your vehicle class size, and pay the attendant. Small denominations (50,000–100,000 VND notes) speed the process; large notes invite slow change-making. ETC tags are available via banks or VEC service centres for frequent expressway users but are not essential for tourists. Ask rental companies whether an ETC-fitted vehicle includes the toll cost or if it deducts separately from a prepaid account.

Tips and gotchas

• ETC-only lanes will not lift for cash vehicles. Do not attempt to reverse; proceed to a marked cash lane instead.
• Service stations are sparse on newly opened sections. Fill fuel before joining long expressway stretches, especially north-south runs through central highlands where the next station may be 50+ km ahead.
• Construction diversions route you back onto Highway 1 without warning. Download offline maps (Google or maps.me) to avoid following temporary signs into confusion; road quality drops suddenly at diversion points.