Dartford Crossing Times & Tunnel vs Bridge GuideFree Hours, Height Limits, Traffic Tips & Lower Thames Crossing Update
6am – 10pm
Chargeable hours
Dart Charge applies
10pm – 6am
Free window
Every day of the year
Always free
Motorcycles
No charge at any time
Free all day
Christmas Day
25 December only
Tunnel or Bridge? Which Is Which?
One of the most common questions about the Dartford Crossing is which direction uses the tunnel and which uses the bridge. Here is the definitive answer:
NORTHBOUND
Tunnels
Kent (Dartford) → Essex (Thurrock)
Two tunnels: West (1963) and East (1980). Below the Thames riverbed.
SOUTHBOUND
QE2 Bridge
Essex (Thurrock) → Kent (Dartford)
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Cable-stayed, opened 1991. Spans the Thames above.
KENT
Dartford
→ TUNNEL (northbound)
— River Thames —
← QE2 BRIDGE (southbound)
ESSEX
Thurrock
Height limit in tunnels: 4.88m. Vehicles over this height cannot use the tunnels. National Highways directs them via the QE2 Bridge. If you're driving a tall vehicle northbound, follow diversion signs.
Traffic & Congestion Tips
Peak (busiest) times
7:00 – 9:30am
Weekdays · Morning rush
4:00 – 7:00pm
Weekdays · Evening rush
10am – 2pm
Saturdays · Weekend shoppers
Bank holidays
All day · Bank holiday weekends
Quieter times
Before 7:00am
Weekdays · Early morning clear
After 8:00pm
Weekdays · Evening quietens
10pm – 6am
Every day · Free + quiet
Sunday mornings
Before 9am · Typically clear
The crossing handles over 150,000 vehicles per day — significantly more than its original design capacity of 135,000. The northbound tunnels typically experience longer queues than the southbound bridge because two tunnels have less combined capacity than the bridge.
Live traffic: Check RAC Traffic News, Waze, or Google Maps for real-time crossing delays before you travel. National Highways also tweets crossing updates at @HighwaysUKOCM.
Lower Thames Crossing — What's Coming Next
Lower Thames Crossing — Under Construction from March 2026
The long-awaited new Thames crossing is now a reality
Approval granted
March 2025
Construction started
March 2026
Route
Shorne (Kent) to South Ockendon (Essex)
Distance from Dartford
~14 miles east
Type
Bored tunnel (not a bridge)
Expected completion
Early 2030s
The Lower Thames Crossing will be the UK's largest road tunnel — four lanes capable of handling M25-level traffic volumes. It will provide a new cross-Thames route 14 miles east of Dartford, significantly relieving congestion at the existing crossing.
Will it be tolled? Almost certainly yes — the government's model for new road infrastructure includes user charging. No confirmed pricing has been announced. Should you wait for it to open? No — completion is years away. If congestion is your concern, cross during off-peak hours at Dartford.