The Spanish Motorway Network [A Detailed Guide For First-Timers]

The highways in any country are an essential part of the road network and critical in linking important parts of the country. The Spanish highways in particular, are known for the picturesque landscapes that they cut through. If you are new to Spain, this article can be helpful in giving you some important details and rules of the network.

What Is The Spanish Motorway Network?

The expansion of the Spanish road network has been fairly recent and started towards the end of the twentieth century. This was after Spain joined the European Union, and then received developmental funds to improve the conditions of isolated regions and connect them to economic centers.

There are two types of roads in this network, and we will be describing each of these so you can avoid confusion (and any traffic fines) in case you are driving in Spain. Autopistas are the motorways with tolls whereas Autovias are generally free. On most autopistas (i.e. motorways with tolls), you will enter through a cabin toll when getting on the motorway, and will collect a ticket. Then at the point that you want to get off it, you will go through a similar cabin toll. Here, you will insert the ticket you collected on entry, and pay the amount that is due. Tolls in Spain are believed to be more expensive than in other European countries like France.

Autopistas are designated by the letters AP and followed by a road number e.g. AP-6. In recent years, the government has also made some of these toll-free. There are a minimum of two lanes for traffic in each direction. And these are separated by a median strip. The autopistas do not go through any cities, towns or villages but go around them. Moreover, service stations are also at least 40 kilometers apart. So you should plan ahead if you want to make a stop; you’ll find large signs that will let you know in advance how far the next service station is.

Autovias are also pretty similar to autopistas, with the difference that they are free to use. They are designated by the letter A followed by the road number e.g. A-28. The autovia becomes a ring road closer to cities, in which case the identifying letter A may change to some other letter that identifies the city e.g. the M-30 is in Madrid and the Z-40 is in Zaragoza. All other features are similar to the autopista i.e. a minimum of two lanes, distant service stations and the fact that these roads avoid going through cities and towns. The service stations are not usually present on the autovias themselves. Instead there are usually exits with off-highway service stations and garages.

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How long Is The Spanish Motorway Network?

The Spanish motorway is the third longest network in the world, measuring almost 17,000 kilometers as of 2019. It stands behind only China and the US in terms of length, and is spread over the entire country.

How Fast Can You Drive On The Motorway In Spain?

The autopistas and autovias have a maximum speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour (or 75 miles per hour). The minimum speed is also usually set at around 60 kilometers per hour. This means that the entry of some vehicles might be banned. The autopistas are usually specifically reserved for automobiles, so any vehicles that are unable to retain a speed of 60 kilometers per hour will not be allowed. Autovias on the other hand also allow some slower vehicles like agricultural machinery or bicycles and electronic bikes as long as they do not disrupt the traffic flow too much.

10 Rules Of The Spanish Motorway 

Always Carry Safety Equipment

Spanish traffic law requires that you always carry reflective jackets for yourself and all the passengers in your car, a warning triangle as well as headlamp beam deflectors. This is because in case you have an accident or your car breaks down, you should be clearly visible to other drivers on the road. This will help avoid any further mishaps.

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Overtaking

If you are coming in from a country like the UK where you drive on the left side of the road, driving in Spain could get a little disorienting. But remember that in Spain you drive on the right side of the road, and will be overtaking in the left lane. When not overtaking, you should aim to keep a distance of at least 50 meters from the vehicle in front of you.

GPS Navigation

You are generally allowed to use GPS navigation in Spain to find your way around the country. However, it is illegal to use software that has built-in knowledge of where speed cameras are located on motorways. If you are found to be using such an app, you will face heavy fines and your car will be towed. The use of radar jamming equipment is also strictly prohibited.

Documents To Carry

The legal age to drive in Spain is 18 years, and you can only obtain your license after this (even if you had already obtained your license in another country where the legal age for driving is lower). You should always carry your driving license, identity documents, car insurance certificate and your car registration documents with you.

In An Emergency

Spanish motorways have emergency telephones that are linked to an SOS telephone network. You will find these every 2 kilometers along any route. If you dial 112 from anywhere in Europe, an operator can connect you to the emergency services response teams in the country that you are in. You can then access support in the local language or in English.

Warning Of Approach

You should not use your car horn unnecessarily; this is forbidden. If you must, you can flash your lights to warn a car in front of you that you are approaching.

Road Safety

You should always aim to drive safely, especially on the motorways. Seat belts are compulsory to wear, and both the front and rear seats should be equipped with them. The fine for not wearing a seat belt can go up to 200 euros. Similarly, aim to stay within the speed limit, which is 120 kilometers per hour on motorways. In recent years, Spain has increased speed monitoring radars all over the country. A combination of fixed radars that are permanently placed, and mobile radars that are operated by the Guardia Civil or the police are used. You could be fined anywhere from 100 to 500 euros in case of an infraction. If you are found to exceed the limit by 60 km/h or more, your license could even be suspended for up to four years.

Travelling With Children

If you have children with you in the car, you will need to adhere to additional regulations. Usually, children cannot travel in the front seat if they are less than 135 cm. Moreover, children younger than 12 years or shorter than 135 cm will need to be seated in the car with a child restraint system that has been adapted to their height and size. If you are travelling in a taxi, the same rule will apply so make sure you are carrying such a restraint device in that case too.

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Don’t Drink And Drive

Spain allows a lower alcohol limit than other countries like the UK. In Spain, the legal limit is 0.5 g/L in the bloodstream and 0.25 mg/L in the airstream. If you are found to be driving while drunk or under the influence of any drugs, you could be fined between 500 to 1000 euros and get 4 to 6 points on your license.

Using Mobile Phones

Around 25% of all traffic accidents in Spain are due to distracted drivers. You are strictly prohibited from using any hand-held electronic device while driving. This is unless it is connected to a hands-free device for accessibility. In case you are found violating this law, you could get fined 200 euros or lose 6 points on your driving license.

Navigating The Spanish Motorway 

Autopistas and autovias are usually the fastest option to travel between two places. However, they are not the ideal choice if you want to take a road trip. This is because they avoid all towns and major cities, going around them instead. So you will miss out on a lot of fun and activity if you take this option for a road trip. National and country roads are much better for a trip like this.

But if you are using the motorway, in some instances you might wish to avoid paying the toll tax. There are certain areas where this is possible and also easier to do since alternate routes are available. However, generally speaking you will find that you end up spending a lot more time, fuel and energy in avoiding these tolls and it would have been much better to simply use the paid motorway instead.

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Map Of The Spanish Motorway Network

The Spanish motorway network is extensive and stretches across the country. You will find a web of paid and unpaid roads, with alternatives available for almost every major route.

Important Spanish Motorway Signs

There are several types of traffic signs that are used, and you should be familiar with the most common ones to be road aware and avoid any accidents. Here are the main categories:

  • Information signs – these are used to convey general information like a turn or steep climb coming up ahead on the road. They are usually square or rectangular shaped signs with white images on a blue background or black images on a white background.
  • Warning signs – these are meant to alert the driver to potential dangers on the road. They are typically triangular signs with black images on a white background, and a red border.
  • Prohibition signs – these will let drivers know what is not allowed on the road. The signs are similar to warning signs except that they are round in shape.
  • Mandatory signs – these let drivers know about any instructions that must be followed e.g. a mandatory right turn or slowing down due to slippery roads etc. These signs are blue circles with white images.
  • Priority signs – these will explain who has priority in a given situation. The shape and color of these signs can vary.
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Is the Spanish Motorway Dangerous?

It is widely believed that the construction of motorways has contributed to road safety in Spain, while at the same time generating an increase in traffic. The country has seen motorway fatalities fall from 776 in 2006 to 277 in 2015. Spain is also one of the countries with a lesser motorway fatality rate per 1000 kilometers of motorway. The rate is 18.1 fatalities per 1000 kilometers.

Conclusion

Travelling on the Spanish motorway can get confusing at times due to the complex manner in which routes are named. However, it is an exhilarating experience due to the picturesque landscapes and the opportunity to be able to see much of the country through these roads. If you are ever in Spain, be sure to use the motorways for some of your trips for it will surely be a memorable experience. Happy travelling!