Freeway Driving for Learners: EastLink, Tolls and Merging with Confidence

Can learners drive on freeways in Victoria?

Yes. Transport Victoria’s rules for L drivers don’t include a freeway ban. The conditions that apply everywhere still apply on the freeway: a supervising driver with a full licence in the front passenger seat, L plates on the front and back, zero alcohol, and no phone use of any kind, hands-free included.

Victorian Government resources encourage learners to practise on freeways before they go solo. Youth Central lists “driving in quiet residential streets and on freeways and highways” among suggested practice drives, and the TAC includes “merging onto freeways and changing lanes” in the skills supervisors should cover. VicRoads’ myLearners program places freeways in stage three, where learners apply their basic skills to “more complex situations, such as main roads, busy traffic and difficult conditions”.

The key word in myLearners is gradually: move into “heavier traffic, complex roads and freeways” once you and your supervising driver agree you’re ready.

How to tell you’re ready

• You can hold a steady speed on a multi-lane main road without watching the speedo the whole time
• Your mirror checks and head checks happen without your supervisor reminding you
• You can change lanes on roads like Springvale Road or Maroondah Highway smoothly and without hesitating
• You can look well ahead and spot hazards early (the skill the Hazard Perception Test checks)

If most of those aren’t there yet, keep building on main roads first. Our guide on how many hours it takes to learn to drive has more on building skills in the right order.

Entering the freeway: using the on-ramp

The on-ramp is where most first-time freeway nerves come from, and it’s also where the most common mistake happens: joining too slowly. Transport Victoria’s advice is direct: “Use the entrance ramp to reach the freeway speed. Merge at the same speed as the freeway traffic.”

Joining well below the speed of traffic forces drivers behind you to brake and makes gaps harder to find, because they keep moving away from you.

1. i.
   Indicate early

   As you turn onto the ramp, look ahead to where it joins the freeway, and indicate right so freeway traffic knows you’re coming.

2. ii.
   Accelerate firmly

   Use the full length of the ramp to get up to the speed of freeway traffic.

3. iii.
   Mirror, head check, find the gap

   Check your right mirror, then a quick look over your right shoulder for anything in your blind spot. Transport Victoria specifically warns to look out for motorcycles.

4. iv.
   Merge smoothly and cancel the indicator

   Move across in one steady movement into the gap, settle in the left lane, and turn your indicator off.

Ramp signals

Some on-ramps have traffic lights part way along, called ramp signals. Transport Victoria explains that they “break up the bunching of vehicles on a ramp”. Only one vehicle per lane goes on each green, which leaves more space between cars joining the freeway and makes merging safer and easier. The rule for you is simple: stop at the red light as you would at any traffic light, and go when it turns green.

Transport Victoria’s list of motorway-to-motorway ramp signals includes the ramps between EastLink and the Monash Freeway in both directions, along with connections on CityLink, the West Gate Freeway and the M80 Ring Road.

Merging: who gives way?

Merging causes more confusion than almost any other freeway situation, partly because two different rules apply depending on the road markings.

When your lane ends

Transport Victoria’s rule for roads with marked lanes is that when you change lanes, you must give way to vehicles already in the lane you’re moving into, and that “includes when your lane ends (on a freeway, for example)”. An on-ramp that joins the freeway, or a freeway lane that runs out, puts the responsibility on you. Freeway traffic is not required to make room.

Many drivers will make room anyway. Don’t count on it.

Zip merging

The “zip merge” rule is different. It applies where two lines of traffic merge without lane markings, and Transport Victoria says you must give way to a vehicle which has any part of its vehicle ahead of yours. Transport Victoria is also clear that if you cross marked lines on the road, you’re not zip merging: the lane-change rules apply instead.

On a freeway, most merges have marked lanes, so the default assumption should be that you’re changing lanes and must give way. If you’re unsure, give way. Being slightly slow to merge is an inconvenience. Guessing wrong about who has right of way is how crashes happen.

Keep left unless overtaking

This is the rule many drivers either don’t know or ignore. Transport Victoria states that on any multi-lane road with a speed limit over 80 km/h, you must keep out of the right lane unless you are overtaking or turning right, or all lanes are congested. That covers most freeway driving.

For learners, the left lane is usually the right place for your first few freeway drives anyway. You’re close to the exits, you’re not dealing with traffic on both sides, and faster drivers can pass you on the right without needing you to move.

The left lane does have one downside: it’s the lane that on-ramp traffic merges into. As you approach an on-ramp, watch for cars joining. If it’s safe, you can move one lane right to give them space, or ease off slightly to let them in ahead of you.

What overtaking looks like

• Check that the lane to your right is clear, using your mirror and a head check
• Indicate, then move across smoothly
• Pass the vehicle without lingering beside it, especially a truck
• Move back left once you can see the whole front of the vehicle you passed in your rear-view mirror
• Cancel your indicator each time

Lane changes and head checks at speed

At freeway speed, a lane change covers a lot of road, so every step needs to happen in order. Plan it early, keep the head check brief, and use small steering inputs so the car drifts across rather than swerves.

VicRoads’ myLearners program sets out the steps for changing lanes: monitor traffic for a safe gap, indicate, check your rear-view and side mirrors, look over your shoulder to check your blind spot, then move smoothly across. The rule underneath all of it is the one Transport Victoria gives for merging: you must give way to vehicles already in the lane you’re moving into.

Change one lane at a time. To cross two lanes, do two separate lane changes with a full check each time.

Following distance at freeway speed

Transport Victoria’s advice is to try to keep a three-second gap between your car and the car in front, and to leave four seconds at night, in poor weather, when you’re tired, near heavy vehicles, when towing or on unfamiliar roads. VicRoads’ myLearners program uses the same three-second minimum and explains how to measure it:

• Pick a fixed point ahead, such as a sign, pole or overpass
• Note when the back of the vehicle in front passes it
• Count a full three seconds before you reach the same point
• If you get there before three, you’re too close: ease off and let the gap grow

Three seconds feels like a huge gap on a freeway, and other drivers will sometimes move into it. When that happens, ease off and rebuild it. Your gap is your buffer for the moment traffic ahead suddenly stops, which happens often on busy stretches around interchanges.

Overhead signs: variable speed limits and the red X

Many Melbourne freeways have electronic signs on gantries above each lane. Transport Victoria describes this as the Lane Use Management System (LUMS), which includes variable speed limits (VSL). These signs are regulatory traffic control devices, and you must comply with them. They are not suggestions.

Here’s what the signs mean, according to Transport Victoria:

These signs are usually switched on because of a crash, a breakdown or roadworks ahead, often somewhere you can’t see yet. Even if the road ahead looks clear, the posted limit on the gantry is the limit.

Exiting the freeway

Getting off calmly is mostly planning. Know your exit before you get on, and watch for its name on the signs well ahead.

1. i.
   Get into the left lane early

   Most exits leave from the left. Move across in plenty of time, one lane at a time, so you’re not cutting across traffic at the last moment.

2. ii.
   Indicate left early

   Give drivers behind you plenty of warning that you’re leaving.

3. iii.
   Keep your speed until you’re in the exit lane

   Braking hard in the freeway lane surprises the driver behind you. Move into the exit lane first, then slow down.

4. iv.
   Slow down on the ramp and check your speed

   After a long run at freeway speed, a lower limit feels like crawling, so drivers often leave the ramp faster than they think. Check the speedo, and be ready for traffic lights or a give way sign at the end.

If you miss your exit

Keep going and take the next one. Transport Victoria’s rules say you can’t stop on a freeway unless it is an emergency, and a missed exit isn’t one. Never stop, reverse or cut across the painted area between the freeway and the ramp. On a toll road the next exit may cost an extra section, which is still far better than a crash.

Breakdowns and emergencies

Transport Victoria’s freeway rules are clear: you can’t stop on a freeway unless it is an emergency, and if you need to stop, use the emergency lane.

If your car develops a problem, Transport Victoria’s Incident Response Service page says to find a safe spot to pull over, such as an emergency lane, or otherwise the side of the road. If you can’t move your vehicle off the road, call 13 11 70 or use a freeway help phone.

If there’s no emergency lane

Some sections of freeway have no emergency lane. For that situation, Transport Victoria says to pull over to the side of the road if it’s safe or stay where you are, switch on your hazard lights, and wait for emergency assistance or call 13 11 70.

• Turn on your hazard lights as soon as you know you’re stopping
• Pull as far left as you safely can
• If anyone is hurt or in danger, call Triple Zero (000)
• Call 13 11 70 or use a freeway help phone if you can’t move the car off the road
• When you rejoin traffic, indicate for at least five seconds (the myLearners rule for leaving the side of the road), wait for a safe gap and give way to freeway traffic

Talk this plan through with your supervising driver before your first freeway drive.

Fatigue on long freeway drives

Freeways are built to be easy to drive, and that’s part of the problem. Long, straight stretches at a steady speed are where tiredness creeps up on you. Transport Victoria lists these warning signs of fatigue:

• Your mind wandering or losing focus
• Slow or heavy eyes, or blurry vision
• Constant yawning or head nodding
• Trouble remembering the last few kilometres
• Drifting in your lane or reacting slowly

Transport Victoria recommends taking a rest break every two hours or less, as needed. It also notes that a short sleep of 15 to 20 minutes can temporarily lessen the effects of fatigue for up to one to two hours. That’s a short-term fix, not a replacement for proper sleep.

For learners, fatigue also includes mental tiredness. A first freeway drive takes a lot of concentration. Keep early sessions short, and plan an exit if your concentration drops.

EastLink tolls: how they work

EastLink is Melbourne’s tolled freeway through the eastern and south-eastern suburbs. According to EastLink’s toll calculator, its interchanges run from Springvale Road / Eastern Freeway in the north down to Peninsula Link / Frankston Freeway in the south, with stops along the way including Ringwood Bypass, Maroondah Highway, Canterbury Road, Boronia Road, Burwood Highway, the Monash Freeway and the Dandenong Bypass.

EastLink’s FAQ says every trip on EastLink is tolled, except trips by emergency vehicles. The tolling is fully electronic, so there are no booths and nothing to stop for.

How the charge is worked out

EastLink charges tolls for each section you travel during one continuous trip, up to a maximum amount called the toll cap. Once you reach the cap, you won’t pay more on that trip, even if you keep going. The amount also depends on your vehicle class.

EastLink tolls change on 1 July each year in line with inflation, which is why we haven’t quoted dollar amounts here. For a current price, use the toll calculator on EastLink’s website with your entry and exit points.

What the tag beeps mean

If the car has a tag on the windscreen, EastLink’s FAQ explains what you’ll hear at each toll point:

For learners, the practical point is simple: if you’re in a parent’s car with a tag, the toll goes on their account. If you’re in a car with no tag, someone needs to organise payment, and the options below explain how.

Paying for EastLink: tags, passes and invoices

EastLink offers several ways to pay. Which one makes sense depends on how often you use it.

Trip passes, explained

For most learners doing occasional freeway lessons, the trip pass is the simplest option. EastLink says one trip pass pays for a single trip in one direction, so a return trip needs two passes. You can buy it before your trip, or up to three days after.

One pass also lets you exit and re-enter EastLink in the same direction, as long as you don’t repeat a section and you complete the trip within one hour of first entering. EastLink also warns not to buy a trip pass if a rental vehicle already has a valid tag installed.

If you forget to pay

If you travel without an account or pass and don’t buy a pass in time, a toll invoice is issued. EastLink says the invoice includes extra fees and must be paid by the due date. Before that date you can pay it, nominate another driver or transfer it to another operator. If it isn’t paid, an overdue notice follows with higher fees, and it can end in a fine.

CityLink and Melbourne’s other toll roads

Once you start driving further across Melbourne, you’ll come across CityLink. Linkt, which manages CityLink tolls, describes it as linking Melbourne’s CBD, port and airport. It is separate from EastLink, with its own payment options and deadlines.

According to Linkt, you can pay for CityLink by buying a pass or opening an account. After your first trip, you have 5 days to buy a pass or 9 days to open an account. If you don’t pay within those times, a toll invoice is sent by mail to the vehicle’s registered owner. It includes a toll invoice admin fee on top of the tolls and can take up to four weeks to arrive.

Not every freeway in the east is tolled. The Eastern Freeway meets EastLink at the Springvale Road interchange, and the Victorian Government has said the Eastern Freeway will remain toll free after its upgrade as part of the North East Link project. Tolling on North East Link itself is a separate matter, so check Victoria’s Big Build for current details.

Planning a first freeway lesson from Mitcham

Mitcham is well placed for freeway practice. EastLink runs close by, with interchanges at Maroondah Highway and Ringwood Bypass, and Springvale Road leads north to the Springvale Road / Eastern Freeway interchange where EastLink and the Eastern Freeway meet. That gives you tolled and toll-free options within a short drive.

Here’s how we’d usually build freeway confidence over a few sessions:

1. i.
   Warm up on multi-lane main roads

   Springvale Road and Maroondah Highway are ideal for practising lane changes, head checks and holding speed before you get anywhere near a ramp.

2. ii.
   One section, then off

   Join EastLink at one interchange and leave at the next, for example Maroondah Highway to Canterbury Road. You get a full on-ramp, a short stretch in the left lane and an exit, without time to get overwhelmed.

3. iii.
   Repeat the merge

   Come back on local roads and do it again.

4. iv.
   Longer stretches and lane changes

   Once merging feels comfortable, stay on for several sections, practise overtaking and moving back left, and read the overhead signs as you go.

5. v.
   Busier times and different conditions

   Add peak-hour traffic, the Eastern Freeway, wet weather and night driving one at a time, not all in the same session.

For a first freeway drive, pick a quieter time such as mid-morning on a weekday or a weekend morning. Peak hour is worth practising, but not on day one.

Sort the tolls first

Before a supervised practice drive on EastLink, check whether the car has a tag. If it doesn’t, plan to buy a trip pass for each direction, either before you leave or within three days after. Using EastLink’s alternative routes (Springvale Road or Stud Road for north-south trips, Maroondah Highway for east-west) avoids tolls when you don’t need freeway practice.

If freeways are the part of driving you’re most nervous about, you’re far from alone. Our guide to driving test anxiety has practical ways to manage nerves, and doing your first freeway drives with a professional instructor takes a lot of the pressure off. For newer drivers who’ve been avoiding freeways since getting their licence, refresher lessons are a good way to get back on.

Common freeway and toll questions

Is there a lower speed limit for learners on freeways?

Transport Victoria’s rules for L drivers don’t list a special learner speed limit. You drive to the posted limit, including the variable limits on overhead signs. Settle in the left lane at a speed that suits the traffic and your skill level, and keep the three-second gap.

Can I use my phone for directions on the freeway?

Not as a learner. Youth Central says learners are not allowed to use a mobile phone, including hands-free, hand-held and all messaging, while driving. Set the route before you move, or have your supervising driver direct you. P plate drivers have similar restrictions: see our Victorian P plate rules guide.

Who pays the toll when a learner drives?

The toll follows the vehicle, not the driver’s licence. If the car has a tag, it’s charged to that tag account. If not, someone needs to buy a pass or open an account in time. Otherwise a toll invoice will follow, and for CityLink, Linkt says that goes to the vehicle’s registered owner.

Do I need to slow down at the toll points?

No. EastLink’s tolling is fully electronic, so you drive through at normal speed. Slowing down or braking under a toll gantry can surprise the driver behind you.

Habits that make freeway driving easier

Freeway confidence doesn’t come from one long drive. It comes from small, repeated sessions where the same habits get practised until they’re automatic. These are the ones our instructors focus on.

If you’re earlier in the learning process, our complete L to P plate guide sets out every step from learner permit to probationary licence, and our beginner driving lessons build the skills you’ll need before your first freeway session.

Sources and further reading

We’ve written this guide from the official sources below. Road rules, toll prices and payment options can change, so treat those pages as the final word and check them before you rely on any single detail.

• Transport Victoria: Freeway driving rules in Victoria
• Transport Victoria: Merging lanes
• Transport Victoria: Lane and speed management
• Transport Victoria: Ramp signals FAQs
• Transport Victoria: Incident Response Service
• Transport Victoria: Fatigue and driving
• Transport Victoria: Safe driving tips
• Transport Victoria: Learner and probationary driver road rules
• VicRoads myLearners: Plan your stage three drives
• VicRoads myLearners: Changing lanes and merging
• VicRoads myLearners: Creating safe distances
• Youth Central (Victorian Government): Driving on your Ls
• TAC: Teaching learner drivers
• EastLink: Account and pass options
• EastLink: Buy trip pass
• EastLink: Tolls
• EastLink: Toll calculator
• EastLink: FAQ
• Linkt: How to pay CityLink tolls
• Victoria’s Big Build: North East Link toll structure