Which French motorway toll subscription offers the best deal?

There are four main electronic péage payment companies in France, each of which offer their own set of subscriptions and promotional deals. This can make it difficult to know which is best for you.

Electronic subscriptions enable drivers to ‘automatically’ go through motorway péage (toll) gates, and pay by regular debit in a monthly or annual fee, rather than paying for each use every time (the most expensive way to pay per journey).

The four main companies offering subscription deals are:

• Ulys

• Bip&Go

• Fulli 

• ATMB (the operator of the Mont Blanc roads)

However, on checking their sites, The Connexion found some 16 offers on the market - which can be time limited - so it makes sense to consider which one will work best for you.

The main aspects to consider are: 

• How often you use the road in question

• Whether your road usage is predictable

• How you would like to pay

• Whether you plan to travel from France into Italy, Spain, or Portugal

• The type of vehicle you have (e.g. combustion or electric, car or small van, etc).

Occasional users

Occasional users, who do not use the road even once per month, can sign up to a plan that only charges you for the months you use the motorway. These include:

• Ulys Classic. This costs €2 for every month you use it, with no commitment or sign-up fee.

• Bip&Go à la carte. This costs €1.90 for every month you use it only.

• Fulli Nomade +. This costs €4.90 for an eight-month subscription upfront charge, with free travel in France for those eight months.

Some of these can work out good value, e.g. the Fulli Nomade package is currently offering eight months free when you sign up (with charges for international travel only).

Regular users

If you use the motorway every month, other options may suit you better. 

For example: 

• The Bip&Go flat-rate subscription costs €1.45 per month for a 12-month upfront commitment and a €10 initial fee. This works best if you know that you will use the road every month, all year round.

• Similarly, the Ulys Classic (above) may also work for you, as you are only charged for the months in which you use the road.

• However, regular users who are unable to say for sure exactly when they will use the road, but know that it will likely equate to at least once a month or more, might prefer the Ulys Formule Fréquence subscription (€1.70 per month with no long-term commitment or upfront fee).

Very regular users

Users who drive on the road very regularly, such as for a weekly trip or a daily commute, have other options. 

For example:

• The Ulys 30 costs €3 per month, for users who go through the péage at least 20 times per month. There is no long-term commitment or sign-up fee. Overall, the company says this plan costs users up to 30% less than other options. It also grants users offers on branded vehicle items, and easier parking nationwide.

• The Bip&Go Fréquence+ costs €2.70 per month (although it also requires a €10 sign-up fee).

• The Ulys Formule Premium costs €3.50 for every month used, and includes extras such as up to €1,000 refunded in the event of a toll mechanical breakdown, plus VIP access to the Ulys client service if needed.

Other cases

There are three other types of subscription available on the market. 

For example:

• Holiday voucher (Chèques-Vacances) payments: Fulli, Ulys, Bip&Go and ATMB have special subscriptions for users who pay by holiday voucher. For example, Ulys charges €2 for each month you use the road, without a commitment or sign-up fee, and you can pay using your voucher. Bip&Go has the Liber-t Vacances option, which offers free passage if you have credit left on your Chèques-Vacances. Otherwise, the cost is €2 per month used.

• Electric vehicles: Ulys E-drive, Bip&Go électrique and Fulli Duo Plus are some of the plans available for electric car owners. These also provide access to charging stations on the motorway network. For example, the Bip&Go électrique costs €1.90 per month for a péage badge when you use the network, and offers 50% off charging your car on the network; while the Fulli Duo Plus costs €3.50 per month, which includes a toll badge and charging station access.

• Young drivers: The Bip&Go Young Driver plan is available to drivers under the age of 26, and costs €16 per year (€1.33 per month), plus a €10 sign up fee depending on the plan you choose.

The majority of the companies and plans also have extra options if you regularly travel from France into Spain, Italy, and even Portugal.

Every plan has sign-up conditions, however, so it makes sense to check these carefully before signing up to ensure the plan is right for you.

For example, the FulliNomade + plan is only available for private individuals in class 1, 2 and 5 vehicles (cars, small vans and campers, and motorbikes), and a €10 fee is charged if the product is not used for 24 consecutive months. There is also a charge of €2.40 per month if you travel from France into Italy, Spain or Portugal.