Driving in Spain: Toll road costs & average fuel prices
Toll roads
When driving in Spain, aside from the usual expenses like fuel, it’s important to remember there are a far greater number of toll roads (autopistas) than in the UK.
Despite the costs, these are often well worth using as a more convenient way of getting around. But that’s not to say that all of its 16,000 kilometres of motorway roads have a fee attached.
Did You Know?
If you’re travelling on an autovia (the other kind of Spanish motorway), there is never a toll. These are similar to the UK’s dual-carriageways and can be identified by the E prefix.
Usually when entering a toll road you take a ticket from a booth and then make payment using either cash or card (with separate lanes for each) at another booth when you exit.
Further information on prices can be found in a variety of detailed PDFs at the Autopistas website, allowing you to plan the cost of journey more effectively in advance. If you miss a turn, or find yourself going the wrong way, the ‘cambio de sentido’ sign may prove useful: This indicates you’re able to change direction/do a U-turn ahead.
Average fuel prices
When travelling abroad it’s always wise to have a good idea of how much the journey is likely to cost before you set off. One of the major considerations for people planning to drive in Spain will be the cost of fuel. Naturally, prices can vary but a little preparation ahead of getting behind the wheel should help you to avoid any unpleasant surprises and reduce the chances of getting stuck at the roadside with an empty tank.
It’s All About Location...
While there's no shortage of places to fill up in Spain, it’s worth remembering that petrol stations can be harder to come by in more rural areas. So, it’s well worth keeping an eye out for them while you’re on the major toll roads/main motorways and filling up there, to avoid potentially running into problems later.
A really useful place to keep an eye on fuel costs, whether its Super 95, Premium 98, Diesel or LPG is the Autotraveler website. It offers details such as historical maximums and gives regular updates on current average prices, as well as the historical maximums. It even includes a graph, giving you an overview of how the prices might have changed in recent days and weeks. To give you a rough idea of costs, as of May 2015, Super 95 had hovered around €1.31.
Translation Tips
1. Petrol = Gasolina
2. Unleaded petrol = Sin plomo
3. Diesel = Gasóleo
Spain Driving - Pocket Guide
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Driving abroad
Be sure to check out our other driving abroad guides:
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