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Expressway


Chuo expressway

There are 86 expressways, controlled-access highway in Japan which tolls are charged for each vehicle. Then, the general speed limit is 100 km/h for standard size car/sedan. There are also toll roads which are not categorized as expressway but these roads have slower speed limit, 60 km/h. Frequently the word highway is used instead of expressway too.

There are significant differences between Japanese and European controlled-access highways.

At first, there is no vignette as like in Czech Republic and Austria. Therefore there is no sticker and the driver must pay each time when they use the expressway. Second difference is that there are fixed tolls for urban expressways but there is no fixed toll for long distance expressway. Which means you pay according to the distance. If you drive further, you pay more than the shorter distance. The third difference is that you have to take a ticket first when you get on the expressway and the you have to show the ticket when you get off. Therefore there are gates when entering the expressway and at the exit. These gates are equipped with Electronic toll collection system and in if the car is equipped with ETC system, no need to take the ticket. In addition to non-fixed tolls, the tolls are subject to the size/weight of the vehicle.

There are rest areas called service areas and parking areas along the expressways. The difference between service area and parking area is that service area is bigger and has more facilities than the parking area. Gas station and restaurants are located at the service area but not at the parking area. Parking area usually has just restrooms, vending machines and small shop. By the way, not like in Europe, there is no fast food chains at these rest areas and gas station is just for refueling the gasoline. Anyway, Japanese do not go to gas station to buy a drink.

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