2026 NFL Draft is Coming to Pittsburgh, Travel Smart with E-ZPass
2026 NFL Draft is Coming to Pittsburgh, Travel Smart with E-ZPass
Middletown, Pa. — As excitement builds for the National Football League’s 2026 Draft in Pittsburgh, sports fans – with E-ZPass – can save up to 50% on tolls traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and 33% on tolls on the Ohio Turnpike. It’s the most cost-effective way to travel on both the Pennsylvania and Ohio toll roads.
Taking place April 23-25, 2026, the NFL Draft is expected to draw between 500,000 and 700,000 visitors from across the country, according to Visit Pittsburgh.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) will offer “Road to the Draft” customer service experiences at five of its 17 service plazas to support this milestone event. Customer experiences will occur at the Oakmont Plum, New Stanton, North Midway, North Somerset and Sideling Hill service plazas. These activities will include a selfie station, children’s activities area, and a 3D vinyl art activity, where guests can interact with it. Guests are encouraged to tag the PA Turnpike on its Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The PA Turnpike is also partnering with local social media influencers to build excitement. These activities are designed to give travelers and their families a fun way to celebrate Pennsylvania hosting the 2026 NFL Draft while stopping along the PA Turnpike.
“More than 85% of our customers already enjoy E-ZPass’ increased ease of travel, which is why we converted to a cashless system in 2020,” said Mark Compton, CEO of the PA Turnpike. “The Pennsylvania Turnpike is eager to welcome visitors from around the country and the Commonwealth as we prepare to host several high-profile events in 2026. There’s never been a better time to spread the word about our E-ZPass savings.”
With the launch of Open Road Tolling (ORT) in Pennsylvania, E-ZPass also provides a smoother ride with more reliable trip cost calculations. The discounted, blended passenger car rate is $.17 per mile – lower than the national toll average. In an ORT system, tolls are charged electronically as customers drive at highway speeds beneath overhead structures — called gantries — located between interchanges, without slowing down or stopping.
Already an E-ZPass customer in one of the 18 other participating states? Your transponder works in Pennsylvania and Ohio. While toll rates vary according to your state’s rules, out-of-state customers still enjoy discounted rates, smoother rides, and reliable billing.
“The Ohio Turnpike launched its Open Road Tolling system in April 2024,” said Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E., executive director of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. “E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles – save an average up to 33% on tolls – and can travel nonstop across the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike at highway speed.”
The Ohio Turnpike also features 14 modern service plazas offering travelers several amenities, including gasoline and diesel fuel, electric vehicle charging stations, popular restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, well-maintained rest rooms, and more.
E-ZPass also streamlines payments, protects personal data and saves time. Cybercriminals continue to impersonate transportation agencies across the nation, targeting unsuspecting individuals with phony bill collection texts and emails. E-ZPass customers can quickly reassure themselves by logging in to the self-service portal anytime with established, secure credentials. There, they can review bills, account status and payment methods, helping defeat smishing scammers.
ORT’s launch means proper E-ZPass transponder mounting is essential for travelers driving across Pennsylvania and Ohio. When mounted correctly, transponders have a 99.5% accuracy rate. Improper mounting poses safety risks, along with billing issues caused by missed toll readings. Learn how to properly mount your transponder here.
Getting an E-ZPass from the PA Turnpike has never been easier. Travelers have several convenient ways to open an account and start saving today.
- Visit a participating retailer: E-ZPass Go Paks are available at participating retail locations in Pennsylvania.
- Open an E-ZPass Account Using the PA Toll Pay App: Download the PA Toll Pay app to open or manage your account. Customers can add or remove vehicles with the snap of a photo, update payment information, activate your transponder, and review account activity.
- Open an Account Online: Register for an E-ZPass account online. All you need is your driver’s license, license plate number, credit card, and email address. Once you register, your E-ZPass will be mailed to your address.
- Open an Account by Phone or Mail: Call us to open an E-ZPass account by phone or download the E-ZPass application and mail it to the address below.
- In-Person: Stop by the PA Turnpike E-ZPass Customer Service center to purchase a transponder. Hours and Location Listed below:
PA Turnpike E-ZPass Customer Service Center
300 East Park Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17111
(877) 736-6727
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
An Ohio Turnpike E-ZPass transponder can be ordered online already activated and shipped via U.S. Mail; or purchased at more than 500 retail locations, including all 14 Ohio Turnpike service plaza locations, with activation instructions.
To determine the cost of your trip on the Ohio Turnpike, use the Fare Calculator.
The Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass Customer Service Center can be reached at (440) 971-2222 on Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.ohioturnpike.org or www.ezpassoh.com.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary, PA Turnpike: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Brian Newbacher, Public Information Officer, Ohio Turnpike: (440) 690-2223brian.newbacher@ohioturnpike.org