San Mateo Bridge Toll 2026
$8.50 for every payment method in 2026. Carpool $4.25 during weekday commute hours. SR-92 across the southern Bay, linking Hayward to the Peninsula. Tolls westbound only.
San Mateo Bridge Carpool Hours
The carpool discount runs weekdays 5:00-10:00 AM and 3:00-7:00 PM. Outside those windows, every vehicle pays the standard toll.
To qualify for the $4.25 carpool rate you need all three:
- 1. 3 or more occupants in the vehicle (uniform at all seven state-owned bridges since January 1, 2026; it was previously 2+ here)
- 2. A FasTrak Flex transponder set to position 3 before you reach the plaza
- 3. The designated carpool lane during the weekday discount hours
Two-occupant vehicles with a Flex tag set to position 2 may use the carpool approach lane to skip the queue, but pay the full $8.50. See the carpool guide for how FasTrak Flex positions work.
San Mateo Bridge at a Glance
2026 San Mateo Bridge Toll Rates
Westbound only, at the plaza on the Hayward side. BATA schedule effective January 1, 2026, verified June 2026. Source: bayareafastrak.org.
| Payment Method | Passenger Car | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FasTrak (standard) | $8.50 | Same price as pay-by-plate until January 2027, when FasTrak becomes $9.00 vs $9.25 plate. |
| Pay-by-plate | $8.50 | License plate captured, bill mailed to registered owner. |
| Carpool (FasTrak Flex 3+) | $4.25 | Transponder set to position 3, three or more occupants, weekdays 5-10 AM and 3-7 PM. |
| Cash | Not accepted | All Bay Area toll bridges have been fully electronic since 2020. |
| Out-of-state E-ZPass / SunPass | Not accepted | Will be billed at pay-by-plate rate. |
About the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge carries State Route 92 across the southern arm of San Francisco Bay, linking I-880 in Hayward with US-101 near Foster City on the Peninsula. At 7 miles it is the longest fixed-link bridge in California. The current high-rise main span opened in 1967, replacing the original 1929 crossing, and the long eastern trestle was rebuilt and widened in 2002.
It is the workhorse crossing for East Bay to Peninsula commuters, carrying roughly 93,000 vehicles on a typical day, nearly double the traffic the span was designed for. The toll plaza sits at the east end on the Hayward side and charges westbound traffic only; eastbound trips back toward Hayward are free.
The bridge is operated by the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), which runs all seven state-owned Bay Area toll bridges on a single toll schedule: $8.50 for a two-axle vehicle in 2026, rising in 50-cent annual steps through 2030.
How San Mateo Compares
| Bridge | FasTrak | Pay-by-Plate | Carpool |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo (you are here) | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Dumbarton (SR-84) | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Bay Bridge | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Richmond-San Rafael | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Carquinez | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Benicia-Martinez | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Antioch (SR-160) | $8.50 | $8.50 | $4.25 (3+) |
| Golden Gate | $9.75 | $10.00 | $7.75 (3+) |
See the full Bay Area bridges overview or the Antioch Bridge detail page. Planning a multi-bridge trip? The Bay Area Trip Builder totals your route across all eight bridges.
San Mateo Bridge FAQ
What are the San Mateo Bridge carpool hours?
Carpool hours on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge are weekdays from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. During those windows, vehicles with 3 or more occupants pay $4.25 (half the standard $8.50 toll) using a FasTrak Flex transponder set to position 3 and the designated carpool lane. Outside those hours, everyone pays the standard toll. The 3-occupant requirement has applied at all seven state-owned Bay Area bridges since January 1, 2026.
How much is the San Mateo Bridge toll in 2026?
The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge toll for a passenger car is $8.50 since January 1, 2026, the same price whether you pay with FasTrak or pay-by-plate (payment methods only get different prices from January 2027, when FasTrak becomes $9.00 versus $9.25 for a license plate account and $10.00 by invoice). Tolls are collected westbound only, heading toward San Mateo. Eastbound crossings toward Hayward are free.
Can 2-person carpools use the San Mateo Bridge carpool lane?
Two-occupant vehicles with a FasTrak Flex tag set to position 2 may use the carpool approach lane at the San Mateo Bridge to bypass the toll plaza queue, but they do not receive the carpool discount; they pay the full $8.50. The half-price $4.25 rate requires 3 or more occupants. This two-occupant lane-access rule applies at six of the seven state-owned bridges (the Bay Bridge excluded).
How long is the San Mateo Bridge?
The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge is 7 miles (11.3 km) long, making it the longest fixed-link bridge in California. It carries State Route 92 across the southern San Francisco Bay, linking Interstate 880 in Hayward on the East Bay side with US-101 on the Peninsula side. The current orthotropic main span opened in 1967, replacing the original 1929 bridge, and the eastbound trestle was rebuilt in 2002. It carries roughly 93,000 vehicles on a typical day.
Can I avoid the San Mateo Bridge toll?
The toll is collected only westbound, so eastbound trips toward Hayward are always free. To avoid the westbound toll entirely, the alternatives are the Dumbarton Bridge to the south or the Bay Bridge to the north, but both charge the same $8.50, so the only true toll-free routing is around the southern end of the Bay through San Jose on US-101 or I-880, which adds substantial distance and time. For regular commuters, carpooling (3+ occupants, $4.25 during commute hours) is the realistic way to cut the cost.