About Me
Five years, 2,400+ tolls, and countless lessons learned
Hi, I'm Sarah Mitchell
I'm a marketing manager living in Dublin, and for the past five years, the M50 has been part of my daily routine. This website exists because I learned about Ireland's toll system the expensive way, and I wanted to help others avoid the same mistakes.
My M50 Story
In September 2019, I moved from Cork to Dublin for a job opportunity with a tech company. The role was perfect, the salary was right, but I decided to live in Maynooth where rent was more reasonable. That decision meant daily commuting on the M50.
My first encounter with the toll system was confusing. I drove through what I later learned was the toll zone, expecting barriers or payment booths like on the M7 near Limerick. There was nothing. Just overhead gantries and cameras. I assumed I'd missed something or perhaps certain times were free.
Three weeks later, a penalty notice arrived for €96. That was my wake-up call to actually understand the system.
Why I Created This Resource
After paying those initial penalties, I spent hours researching eFlow, toll payment options, and the various account types. The official information was accurate but scattered across multiple pages and FAQs. I couldn't find anyone explaining it in simple terms based on actual daily use.
Over the following years, I made virtually every mistake possible with the toll system:
- Expired payment cards leading to unpaid tolls
- Rental car confusion costing €156
- Registration number typos
- Forgotten manual top-ups
- Ignored penalty notices that escalated
Each mistake taught me something valuable. By 2022, I'd essentially become an accidental expert on the M50 toll system, simply through trial, error, and expense.
Friends and colleagues started asking me questions about their own toll issues. I'd explain what worked for me, and they'd avoid the problems I'd had. That's when I realized this knowledge needed to be shared more widely.
What This Site Is (And Isn't)
This is not an official eFlow resource. I'm not affiliated with Transport Infrastructure Ireland or any toll system operator. I'm just someone who uses the M50 daily and has learned what works through real experience.
Everything on this site comes from my personal experience. When I mention costs, they're what I actually paid. When I describe processes, they're what I actually went through. The mistakes are real. The solutions are what genuinely worked for me.
I created this resource because I wish it had existed in 2019 when I first moved to Dublin. It would have saved me approximately €400 in penalties and countless hours of stress.
My Current M50 Usage
I still commute daily from Maynooth to Dublin. That's ten M50 trips per week, roughly 480 trips annually. Over five years, I've made approximately 2,400 toll journeys.
My current setup:
- Video Account with automatic top-up
- €10 trigger point, €40 top-up amount
- Annual toll costs around €1,050
- Zero penalties in the last three years
The system now works seamlessly for me. But it took time, mistakes, and money to figure out the right setup. This website is my way of helping others skip the learning curve I went through.
Beyond the M50
When I'm not commuting or writing about tolls, I work in digital marketing for a software company. I spend my time analyzing user experiences and simplifying complex processes, which is probably why I felt compelled to document my M50 experiences in this structured way.
I live in Maynooth with my partner and our somewhat overweight cat. We both work in Dublin, so we're a two-car, double-eFlow-account household. The tips about managing multiple vehicles on one account come from that real situation.
Why Trust This Information?
I update this site regularly based on my ongoing experiences. The last major update was January 2025, when I verified all current pricing and processes. If anything changes with the toll system, I update the relevant articles.
I don't receive any payment from eFlow, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, or any related organization. There are no affiliate links on this site. My only motivation is sharing what I've learned.
The external links you'll find here point to official eFlow resources or reputable sources for verification. I believe in transparency about where information comes from.
Get in Touch
If you have questions about the M50 toll system that aren't covered in my articles, or if you've had experiences you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you. Visit my contact page to send me a message.
I can't provide official eFlow support, but I can share what worked for me in similar situations. Sometimes that's just as valuable as official channels.
"The best way to learn is from other people's mistakes. That's why I'm sharing mine."