India Launches New FASTag Annual Pass for Toll-Free Highway Travel from August 2025

The Government of India will introduce the FASTag Annual Pass on August 15, 2025, offering a prepaid toll scheme designed to make highway journeys more affordable, convenient, and efficient. Announced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), this initiative marks a significant step in India’s ongoing infrastructure modernisation. Managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the scheme is tailored for frequent highway travellers, allowing them to enjoy toll-free travel across the country’s vast network for a fixed, one-off payment.

For just Rs 3,000 annually, private vehicle owners can benefit from up to 200 toll-free trips or unlimited access to National Highways (NH) and National Expressways (NE) for a year. This scheme is especially beneficial for those who regularly travel long distances, offering notable cost savings while encouraging digital payments and easing congestion at toll plazas nationwide.

The FASTag Annual Pass is an advanced toll system that enables vehicle owners to traverse India’s national highways without stopping at toll points. It forms part of India’s broader drive to digitise toll collection, shifting away from manual payments to seamless digital transactions. The system utilises RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags affixed to vehicles, which are linked to prepaid accounts, enabling automatic toll deduction as vehicles pass through toll booths.

For those who often travel on national highways, the FASTag Annual Pass offers considerable savings. Traditional toll payments can accumulate quickly, especially for long-distance commuters. The Rs 3,000 fee effectively covers up to 200 toll trips, averaging around Rs 15 per trip, providing substantial value for daily, weekly, or long-distance travellers.

This initiative will particularly benefit daily commuters, inter-city business travellers, and holidaymakers, especially those travelling between major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, or visiting popular tourist destinations.

The FASTag scheme is part of India’s larger vision to expand digital toll systems into urban areas, city centres, and congestion zones. As the highway network broadens, the scheme could extend to more toll points, creating a seamless, nationwide digital toll system, enhancing travel safety, convenience, and sustainability.

Launching on August 15, 2025, the FASTag Annual Pass promises a revolution in highway travel. It offers a convenient, affordable way for regular commuters to enjoy toll-free journeys, while supporting infrastructure development and digital progress. With a simple activation process, this scheme aims to reduce toll plaza congestion, promote cashless payments, and provide a more efficient travel experience.