Lorraine Williamson
Motorists across Spain face a fresh round of toll increases from 1 January 2026, marking the country’s most significant adjustment since the government eased years of price restrictions. The rise coincides with permanent changes to one of eastern Spain’s busiest corridors: the AP7 ring road around Alicante, which is now officially toll-free.
The announcement comes at a time when Spain’s road network is under pressure from higher traffic volumes, inflation, and long-standing financial disputes between the state and private toll operators.
Why toll prices are climbing again
Tolls in Spain are revised every January, but the 2026 increase is not a routine inflation update. For several years, successive governments capped or froze annual rises to shield households from spiralling living costs. While the policy was popular with drivers, it left private concession holders with shortfalls they say hindered long-term maintenance and safety works.
This year’s recalculation combines inflation, economic indicators, and a correction for those previously suppressed price rises. Operators argue they are simply recovering lost ground after a long period of forced restraint. The Ministry of Transport has confirmed the mechanism and authorised the updated formula.
Exact tariffs will appear shortly in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE)—a yearly ritual for drivers planning their budgets or holiday travel.
Where drivers will feel it most
Not all toll roads are created equal, and the impact will vary sharply depending on who runs them.
Privately managed routes: noticeable increases
Sections of the AP7 along the Costa del Sol—particularly between Málaga and Guadiaro—are expected to climb roughly 1% above inflation. It may sound modest, but for commuters and delivery companies, this adds up quickly.
Other privately operated roads preparing for similar rises include:
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AP51, AP61 and AP6 around central Spain
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AP53 and AP66 in the northwest
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AP71 towards León
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AP68 across the Ebro corridor
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AP7 between Vega Baja and Cartagena
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AP46 near Málaga
In Galicia, the AP9—a perennial source of regional controversy—faces an increase of around 5%, placing additional strain on one of the country’s busiest Atlantic axes.
State-run toll roads have a different rulebook
Toll roads controlled by the state-owned company SEITT operate under a separate system. Their prices are set directly by Madrid rather than by concession contracts.
Routes such as R3 and R5 near Madrid, the M12, and AP36 rose 5% on 1 January 2025. From 2026 onwards, these increases will be capped at a maximum of 2% per year, offering more predictability than their privately managed counterparts.
Night-time travel on these roads between midnight and 6.00 am will remain free, an incentive introduced to ease congestion and support freight logistics.
AP7 around Alicante finally becomes free
Amid the price hikes, Alicante drivers have something to celebrate. The long-debated toll section of the AP7 ring road will stay free of charge permanently.
The government trialled the measure in mid-2024, hoping to relieve the saturated A70. With congestion falling and no major adverse effects reported, the Ministry of Transport has now ratified its decision.
Officials say the move will spread traffic more evenly, improve air quality in surrounding districts, and reduce the risk of bottlenecks on the approaches to Alicante city.
How will this affect everyday driving?
For many families and hauliers, 2026 will mean rethinking the cost of everyday travel. Toll-free alternatives exist along most major corridors thanks to Spain’s extensive autovía network, but these routes are not always as quick or as comfortable as their paid counterparts. Drivers planning long-distance journeys will need to weigh up whether the toll road genuinely shortens their travel time, whether they may save fuel on a smoother and more direct route, and how heavy congestion might be on nearby free motorways—particularly during holiday periods or the height of summer.
The impact will vary across the country, yet the direction of travel is clear: Spain is recalibrating the funding of its key highways, and motorists will increasingly have to decide whether speed and convenience justify the higher charges now coming into force.
The road ahead
As 2026 approaches, Spain’s toll network is entering another period of adjustment, balancing the demands of infrastructure funding with drivers’ concerns about affordability. While some routes, like Alicante’s AP7, are becoming more accessible, others will take a larger share of household and transport budgets.
With the finalised BOE rates due soon, travellers planning winter holidays or early-2026 commutes will want to check updated tariffs before hitting the road.
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