Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) Bridge Toll 2026
The Tappan Zee Bridge (officially the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge) toll for a passenger car is $7.25 with NY E-ZPass or $12.69 with Tolls by Mail and out-of-state E-ZPass. The toll is charged southbound only (toward Tarrytown).
The bridge is fully cashless: pay by E-ZPass or Tolls by Mail. Northbound into Rockland County is free, so a round trip is still just $7.25 (the toll is never charged both ways).
NY State Thruway Authority 2026 schedule | Verified 11 July 2026 | Source: Thruway Authority incentive-pricing toll charts
2026 Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) Bridge Car Tolls
Passenger car (2-axle, Class 2L). The Mario Cuomo Bridge has no peak/off-peak split for cars, so the rate is the same at all times.
| Payment Method | Car Toll | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NY E-ZPass | $7.25 | Same rate at all times (no peak/off-peak for cars) |
| Out-of-state E-ZPass | $12.69 | Billed at the Tolls by Mail rate (NY E-ZPass only earns the discount) |
| Tolls by Mail (no E-ZPass) | $12.69 | License plate captured, bill mailed to registered owner |
Rates set by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA). 2026 incentive-pricing schedule. A 2-axle motorhome enrolled in the NYSTA Motorhome plan also pays $7.25. The base NY E-ZPass car toll rises 50¢ per year from 2024 through 2027 ($7.75 scheduled for 2027).
Resident and Commuter Discount Plans
NY E-ZPass drivers who use the Mario Cuomo Bridge regularly can pay well below the $7.25 standard car rate through two New York State Thruway Authority plans. Both are NY E-ZPass only and cover passenger vehicles.
| Plan | Car Toll / Trip | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Discount Plan | $5.80 | NY E-ZPass account with a plate registered in Rockland or Westchester County. No monthly minimum. |
| Commuter Discount Plan | $4.35 | Any NY E-ZPass account. Requires a minimum of 20 trips per month. |
| Standard NY E-ZPass | $7.25 | Default car rate with no discount plan enrolled. |
The Resident plan saves $1.45 per crossing; the Commuter plan saves $2.90 per crossing versus the $7.25 standard rate for drivers who clear the 20-trip monthly minimum. Out-of-state E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail drivers pay $12.69 and are not eligible for either plan. Source: NY State Thruway Authority E-ZPass discount plans.
Quick Facts
Tappan Zee or Mario Cuomo? Same Bridge
The crossing most drivers still call the Tappan Zee Bridge was officially renamed the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in 2017. The current structure, a cable-stayed twin span that opened in 2018, replaced the original 1955 Tappan Zee Bridge. Search results, GPS apps, and toll bills may use either name, but there is only one bridge and one toll. It carries Interstate 87 and Interstate 287 (the New York State Thruway) across the widest part of the Hudson River, about 3.1 miles (16,013 feet) between Tarrytown in Westchester County and South Nyack in Rockland County.
How the Toll Is Charged
The Mario Cuomo Bridge is fully cashless and tolled in one direction only: southbound, toward Tarrytown. If you cross northbound toward Rockland County, you pay nothing. There are no toll booths. If you have a NY E-ZPass tag, $7.25 is deducted electronically as you cross. If you have an out-of-state E-ZPass tag or no E-ZPass at all, a camera reads your license plate and the higher $12.69 Tolls by Mail rate is billed to the registered vehicle owner.
Unlike the George Washington Bridge, the Mario Cuomo Bridge has no peak/off-peak split for passenger cars. The car toll is the same 24 hours a day, every day. The NY E-ZPass discount versus Tolls by Mail is $5.44 per crossing.
Tappan Zee vs George Washington Bridge
At $7.25 with NY E-ZPass, the Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) is $9.54 cheaper per crossing than the GWB peak E-ZPass rate of $16.79. For a five-day commuter making about 260 tolled crossings a year, that is roughly $2,480 in toll savings. The catch is geography: the Mario Cuomo Bridge is about 25 miles north of the GWB, so the saving only holds if both your origin and destination sit along the I-87/I-287 corridor (northern New Jersey to Westchester, Rockland to upstate NY, or Bergen County to Connecticut). If you are heading into Manhattan, the detour adds 50+ miles each way and costs more in fuel and time than the toll difference. See the full breakdown on our GWB vs Mario Cuomo (Tappan Zee) comparison.
Tolls Are Rising Through 2027
The New York State Thruway Authority is phasing in a $0.50 annual increase to the base NY E-ZPass car toll at the Mario Cuomo Bridge each year from 2024 through 2027. At the 2026 rate of $7.25, the NY E-ZPass car toll is scheduled to reach $7.75 in 2027. This is separate from the Port Authority's GWB tariff, which is set by a different agency and follows its own schedule.
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Tappan Zee Bridge toll?
The Tappan Zee Bridge, officially the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, charges $7.25 for a passenger car with NY E-ZPass and $12.69 with Tolls by Mail or an out-of-state E-ZPass tag. The rate is the same at all times for cars, with no peak/off-peak split. Rates per the New York State Thruway Authority schedule effective 2026.
Is the Tappan Zee Bridge the same as the Mario Cuomo Bridge?
Yes. The Tappan Zee Bridge was renamed the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in 2017, and the current cable-stayed twin-span structure opened in 2018, replacing the original 1955 Tappan Zee Bridge. Most drivers still call it the Tappan Zee. The toll and the crossing are the same.
Which direction is the Tappan Zee Bridge toll charged?
The toll is collected in one direction only: southbound, toward Tarrytown and Westchester County. Crossing northbound toward Rockland County (South Nyack) is free. The bridge is fully cashless, so there are no toll booths.
Is the Mario Cuomo Bridge toll charged both ways?
No. The Governor Mario M. Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge toll is charged in one direction only, southbound toward Tarrytown. The northbound trip toward Rockland County is free, so a round trip costs the same as a single crossing: $7.25 with NY E-ZPass or $12.69 with Tolls by Mail for a passenger car. You are never billed twice for crossing there and back.
Do you pay cash on the Tappan Zee Bridge?
No. The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is fully cashless, like all New York State Thruway crossings. You pay either with E-ZPass or by Tolls by Mail, where a camera reads your license plate and a bill is sent to the registered vehicle owner at the higher $12.69 rate.
Is the Tappan Zee Bridge cheaper than the George Washington Bridge?
Yes, much cheaper. The Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) toll is $7.25 with NY E-ZPass versus $16.79 peak on the George Washington Bridge, a saving of $9.54 per crossing. But the Tappan Zee is roughly 25 miles north of the GWB, between Tarrytown and Nyack, so it only saves money if your route fits the I-87/I-287 corridor. See our full GWB vs Mario Cuomo comparison for the route trade-offs.
Are there Tappan Zee Bridge toll discounts?
Yes. The New York State Thruway Authority runs two NY E-ZPass discount plans for the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, both for passenger vehicles only. The Resident Discount Plan charges $5.80 per car trip (a $1.45 saving off the $7.25 standard rate) for accounts with a license plate registered in Rockland or Westchester County, with no monthly minimum. The Commuter Discount Plan charges $4.35 per car trip but requires a minimum of 20 trips per month. Both require a properly mounted NY E-ZPass tag; out-of-state E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail drivers are not eligible.
Are Tappan Zee Bridge tolls going up?
Yes. The New York State Thruway Authority is applying a $0.50 annual increase to the base NY E-ZPass car toll at the Mario Cuomo Bridge each year from 2024 through 2027. At $7.25 in 2026, the NY E-ZPass car toll is scheduled to reach $7.75 in 2027.