Prince Edward Island Toll Bridge Complete Guide: Confederation Bridge and StraitPASS 2026
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Prince Edward Island Toll Bridge Complete Guide
System: Cash, Interac, major credit cards, and StraitPASS transponder - no video toll or pay-by-plate option exists
Coverage: One toll bridge in PEI - the Confederation Bridge ("Fixed Link"), 12.9 km, spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait between PEI and New Brunswick
Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD); tolls are tax-exempt
Technology: StraitPASS transponder (post-pay, linked directly to a credit card) - also valid at Nova Scotia's Cobequid Pass (E-Pass)
Operator: Strait Crossing Bridge Limited (SCBL), a subsidiary of Strait Crossing Development Inc.; will privately manage the bridge until 2032, when operations transfer to the Government of Canada
Do I Need StraitPASS for the Confederation Bridge? 2026 Update
No - the Confederation Bridge accepts cash, Interac, and all major credit cards directly at the toll plaza, so StraitPASS is entirely optional. It provides faster transactions through two dedicated toll lanes and convenient online account management, with tolls billed automatically to your credit card each month. There is no video toll or pay-by-plate billing option here at all - if you don't pay at the plaza in one of the accepted methods, you cannot cross.
Key Reality: Tolls are calculated for the round trip regardless of which direction you first entered PEI, but are only physically collected at the single toll plaza in Borden-Carleton when leaving the island - travel onto PEI from New Brunswick is free. A useful bonus: your StraitPASS transponder also works at Nova Scotia's Cobequid Pass (E-Pass) on the Trans-Canada Highway.
2026 Update - rate correction: The federal government implemented a transportation cost reduction strategy in Atlantic Canada. Effective August 1, 2025, the standard toll for passenger and commercial vehicles was heavily subsidized and slashed from its previous rate of $50.25 down to the flat $20.00 fee. The bridge's official Gift Cards page explicitly references this historical rate reduction, noting that any active gift cards in circulation after August 2025 are processed with cash reimbursements of $30.25 to account for "the change in toll rate that occurred on August 1, 2025 for a 2 axle crossing
Confederation Bridge Toll Rates (2026)
| Vehicle / Service | Toll Rate |
|---|---|
| First 2 axles (standard car, SUV, etc.) | $20.00 |
| Each additional axle | $0 |
| Motorcycle | $20 |
| Out of Gas | $108.25 |
| Wide load requiring lane closure | $216.50 |
Important: Confederation Bridge tolls are charged based on a vehicle's axle-count and are calculated for the round-trip, regardless of the user's initial point of entry to Prince Edward Island. Bridge tolls are collected when leaving Prince Edward Island at the toll plaza in Borden-Carleton, PE. Cash, Interac, and all major credit cards are accepted. Confederation Bridge tolls are tax-exempt. Always check tolls-fees directly before travel for the exact current rate.
Pedestrians and cyclists cannot walk or bike across the bridge for safety reasons - the Bridge Shuttle service is mandatory for non-vehicle crossings.
To calculate tolls for the Confederation Bridge and other Canadian toll facilities, use the TollGuru Prince Edward Island toll calculator:
How Truck and RV Tolls Are Calculated
Confederation Bridge tolls do not scale with axle count and charges for additional axles are eliminated. Multi-axle commercial trucks, RVs, and passenger vehicles towing trailers are charged the same flat base rate of $20.00 as a standard 2-axle car. However, vehicles wider than 2.6 metres (8 feet 6 inches) must stop and report to the scale house—either on the Prince Edward Island side or at the New Brunswick bridge facility—to be measured before being permitted to cross. Wide-load crossings requiring a lane closure are subject to a $216.50 fee.
Use the TollGuru Truck Toll Calculator for commercial vehicle crossings of the Confederation Bridge and other Canadian toll bridges such as the Angus L. Macdonald and MacKay bridges (Halifax, now toll-free as of March 2025):
How to Pay the Confederation Bridge Toll
Tolls are collected only at the plaza in Borden-Carleton, PE, when leaving the island - but are calculated for the round trip regardless of which direction you initially entered PEI. Tolls are tax-exempt.
1. Cash, Interac, or Major Credit Cards:
- Pay directly at the toll plaza, no account needed
2. StraitPASS Transponder:
- Automatic post-pay collection linked directly to your credit card - no separate account balance to maintain
- Two dedicated toll lanes for faster crossing
- Multiple transponders can be assigned to one account - useful for families or company fleets
- Also valid at Nova Scotia's Cobequid Pass (E-Pass) on the Trans-Canada Highway - a real interoperability benefit confirmed directly by the operator
- Tolls appear as a line item on your monthly credit card statement
- Cannot be used to pay by cash, certified cheque, money order, or gift certificate - strictly a credit card-linked system
Note: Video toll or pay-by-plate payment does NOT exist at the Confederation Bridge. You must pay in one of the methods above at the time of crossing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I pay the toll when arriving in PEI or leaving?
You only pay when leaving PEI, at the toll plaza in Borden-Carleton. Entering the island from New Brunswick is free. However, the toll amount itself is calculated for the full round trip, regardless of which direction you actually entered from.
Can I walk or bike across the bridge?
No - pedestrians and cyclists are not permitted to cross the 12.9 km bridge on foot or by bicycle for safety reasons. A dedicated Bridge Shuttle service is provided instead.
Does my StraitPASS work anywhere else?
Yes. Confirmed directly by Confederation Bridge: StraitPASS transponders can also be used at Nova Scotia's Cobequid Pass (E-Pass) on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Is it true the toll dropped to $20 in 2025?
Yes. The toll for first two axles indeed dropped to $20 in 2025. Since then the rates remain consistent
Useful Links & Resources
- Prince Edward Island Toll Calculator - Calculate Confederation Bridge costs
- Confederation Bridge - Tolls and Fees - Official current rate schedule
- StraitPASS - Official transponder account setup, including Cobequid Pass compatibility
- Nova Scotia Toll Guide - Cobequid Pass and other Nova Scotia crossings
- New Brunswick Toll Guide - The mainland side of the Confederation Bridge
- Canada Toll Guide - All Canadian provinces and territories overview
