The electronic toll badge is one of those subjects where everyone has an opinion and half of what we hear is false. Here’s what’s true, and what’s not (and why you should take advantage of it this weekend before the summer vacation).
12 million French people already have an electronic toll badge, and every year, millions of curious people buy one during the summer holidays (because it’s the best time to take advantage of it). Others often have a vague image which is constructed from snippets heard here and there, from memories of a time when the system was actually more rigid, and from an inertia which pushes us to put off until later what we could do today.
Result: beliefs that persist, truths that remain in the shadows, and millions of drivers who are still looking for their bank card at the toll booth on a Saturday in July. We sorted it out and here are the 3 totally false ideas, and 3 true ideas that should convince you this summer.
The true and the false about the electronic toll badge
Misconception #1: It’s reserved for heavy riders
This is the most widespread and stubborn belief, and it says that the electronic toll badge would be a tool for road professionals (those who swallow thousands of kilometers of highway each month). In reality, the pricing model has evolved and today it is – above all – interesting for the general public and those who do not drive a lot. For example at Ulys, the market leader with 7 million customers, you only pay for the months you use the badge: the other months, it’s free.
For someone who takes the motorway only during the holidays, the real annual cost is therefore minimal and at the moment, with the 12 months free offer via the code ULYS2612, it is €0. So in other words, this summer, you will be able to use the electronic toll badge to avoid stopping at toll stations (and go at 30km/h on reserved lanes) for 0€. This offer is non-binding: you can therefore cancel after the 12 free months.
Discover the free Ulys badge
Misconception #2: It’s complicated to set up
This idea is inherited from the beginnings of the system, when subscribing involved administrative and tedious procedures. In 2026, the badge can be ordered online in a few minutes, it arrives by post in a few days, and it is stuck on the windshield in two minutes. That said, we advise you to order it as early as possible in July so as not to be surprised by delivery times from the Post Office just before leaving.
There is also no process when changing cars: you can even take the badge and put it in a rental car since it is not linked to a vehicle.
Misconception #3: Paying by card at the toll booth is the same thing
No. Paying by card means stopping, rolling down the window, inserting the card, waiting, restarting. The badge is going 30 km/h without any of these steps. But above all: on free-flowing sections like the A13, there is no longer a physical barrier so the bank card simply does not work. Drivers without a badge are read by their license plate and must pay online under penalty of penalties (and it’s an obstacle course).
True idea #1: the badge also works in parking lots
This is one of the least known functions of the badge and one of the most useful in everyday life. Ulys provides access to more than 1,000 car parks in France and Europe, in train stations, airports and city centers. The barrier raises automatically upon entry and exit and you therefore do not need a ticket or bank card. Everything is grouped into a single monthly invoice that can be viewed in the application: you are only charged once a month, and this allows you to manage your cash flow.
True Idea #2: It Works Abroad
For those going to Spain, Portugal or Italy this summer, the badge works on the majority of European motorway networks for an option of €2 per month from Ulys (it’s the same principle with the two other names: Fulli and Bip&Go which form the top 3 of the best electronic toll badges). Same principle as in France: you pass, the barrier rises, you don’t stop. It’s one of the details that changes the flow of a road trip abroad.
True Idea #3: Order Now to Avoid the Problem in August
The badge is a physical object shipped by La Poste. Delivery times automatically lengthen as the major departures in July and August approach. Ordering today means receiving the badge peacefully before the holidays. Ordering on July 28 to leave on August 3 is playing with fire. And since the no-use months are free, there’s no reason to wait.
Discover the free Ulys badge
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