La Union to Manila Toll Fee — TPLEX → SCTEX → NLEX
La Union to Manila joins TPLEX at Rosario after the MacArthur Highway descent from San Juan or San Fernando. The toll trip ends at Balintawak and matches the outbound fare. The traffic story, however, is the standard Sunday NLEX southbound queue.
Per-expressway breakdown (Class 1)
- TPLEXRosario/Baguio → La Paz₱311.00
- NLEXTarlac → Balintawak₱670.00
When to drive this route
Sundays after a surf weekend are heavy: TPLEX itself stays clear, but NLEX from Bocaue to Balintawak slows between 4 PM and 9 PM. Leaving La Union by 11 AM Sunday or after 8 PM is the trade-off.
Where to exit
Mindanao Avenue, Karuhatan, or Balintawak. Easytrip is the RFID for the entire trip — the segment breakdown shows where the fee transitions between TPLEX, SCTEX, and NLEX.
Plan your fuel cost too
Tolls are only one part of the trip budget. Combine this calculator with our live national fuel-price tracker or check diesel prices in Manila. For more drive-cost guides, see the TipidGas blog.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is the La Union to Manila toll fee?
- The total toll for a private car (Class 1) is shown above. Class 2 (buses, light trucks) is roughly 2× the Class 1 rate. Class 3 (heavy trucks) is roughly 3×. All fares already include the 12% VAT.
- What expressways are used on the La Union to Manila route?
- TPLEX → SCTEX → NLEX. Plazas: Rosario/Baguio (entry) → Balintawak (exit). Cross-expressway transitions are charged automatically — you only stop at the entry and exit plazas.
- Which RFID system do I need?
- Both Easytrip (NLEX, SCTEX, TPLEX, CAVITEX, CALAX, Skyway) and Autosweep (SLEX, STAR, Skyway Stages 1–2) work end-to-end at all plazas. Top up before the trip — running out at a closed-system entry plaza is the most common pain point.
- How long does the drive take?
- Approximately 4.5–5.5 hours for the 270 km drive, in clear traffic. Allow extra time for weekday morning rush hour at NLEX or SLEX, and for Sunday-afternoon return queues.
- Are these toll fees up to date?
- Yes. Fares come from the official Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) toll-rate matrices via the public expressway.ph API. The data is re-synced weekly.