Our list of road trips: ➡️ the best road trips in SPAIN 🇪🇸: ua-cam.com/video/6XUEIFcgE9Q/v-deo.html ➡️ the best road trips in PORTUGAL 🇵🇹: ua-cam.com/video/A7AONxut3CM/v-deo.html
Keep up the great work.these videos are excellent and I believe in safety. I have learnt a great deal from your wonderful team, thank you for this thankless work, David marshall
Done that many times. When you leave Santader, you might be overwhelmed. That's ok. Just follow the signs leading to the A-8. Go east on the A-8 until you reach Bilbao. Here, you have a choice. You can either use the AP-8 and indulge in tons of tunnels (and pay a toll), or use the A-8 and go through Bilbao. Follow Vitoria-Gasteiz. Eventually, you'll reach a fork. Keep right to go to Vitoria-Gasteiz on the AP-68. Once on the AP-68, you'll reach the toll plaza and have to grab a ticket. Keep this very safe. You will be driving for hours in a very rural part of Spain. Service stations are every 30 km, rest stations are 10-5 km apart. You just follow the main road until Zaragoza. You will pay a toll and then you can follow Barcelona from there. At Barcelona, the AP-7 leads up to Girona and eventually France. Spanish roads are notoriously easy to navigate and it will be a lot more enjoyable then the drive to the Portsmouth or the Plymouth.
America has built //way// too many motorways without good alternatives. In Spain, people would rather take the train form Barcelona to Madrid (2:30) and not the car (5:00).
Wow, there's so much here I didn't know when I rented a car in Arcos de la Frontera. But, fortunately for me, it was easy driving in Spain and I recommend the GPS as it definitely helps on the round-abouts.
A little correction, not all the toll roads start its name with AP because in Madrid there are some toll roads that start with R-(2 to 5) or for example the M-12
Thanks a lot, Albert, you are absolutely right, but bear in mind we didn't intend to produce the definitive A-Z on roads in Spain but rather an easy-to-understand approach to the issue. But many thanks for your valuable contribution.
While driving a car, can we rely on google maps specifically with respect to one way lanes, speed limit indicators lane use suggestions while travelling? Can it be also useful in hilly areas like val d'aran?
Thank you for the information. Definitely useful. But the only thing is that I was hoping you could have translated the types of roads so I could have known them in English. But no big deal. I can research that myself. Muchas gracias!
Thank you for your words, Daniel. There isn't always a direct equivalent, it is for that reason that we opted for an explanation of what each of the types of roads involves. The basics are: autovías and autopistas = highways; carreteras nacionales = national roads; carreteras autonómicas/comarcales = country roads. Kind regards!
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal thank you very much. It’s just that I am currently studying for the English test and from the names they use I’m not sure is it will be consistent to the actual test. But I think I can figure it out. But, nonetheless, the information you provided will be quite useful. Thank you again
Great video. I was a boy when I went to Spain that was back in the 80s. But I mostly been to Portugal as I have family living there, and I haven't been in 10 years. So now as I have three kids and the cost of flying is so expensive, plus I would like a little adventure I thought it would be fun... Hopefully to go on a road trip from the UK to Portugal, I looked up at some planing routes and clearly I would have to go through France. Into Spain through to Portugal. Now my worry is. I never driven outside the UK before this would be my/our first family holiday into Europe. It's been a long time coming. I'm also looking into trading my old car for something more reliable and spacious. I'm hoping to be ready for next summer to hit the road. I'll be taking at least 3 weeks off work for this, this video has given me more of understanding of different roads and especially abroad. Our budget isn't big so I'm hoping by planning way ahead can keep the coast low and doing some pit stops even staying at a hotel over night ect. Has anyone done a road trip from The UK across into Portugal if so I would appreciate any tips that may help. Again thanks again for making this video will. Be checking out others. Have a great week all
Thank you for the information. I’m preparing for the theory test here and this was useful. Just a quick question: is the carretera convencional the same the as the nacional ones?
Hi Tony, great video. I have driven in Spain quite a lot but one thing i am still unsure about. On some roads there are blue speed signs normally before a tunnel or a bend in a road. What do these mean and how do they affect a car driver?
Hello there, blue speed signs show recommended speeds rather than enforced speeds. They usually appear in stretches of road where there might be some risks involved: entrance to a tunnel, long bend and so on. In a way, they advise you to be cautious. All the best.
Hi Tony, My wife and I will be travelling from Ireland this coming June in our fully electric car. As we are going to road trip throughout northwest Spain. In your very helpful video on types of Roads in Spain you mentioned that on the AP motorways there will be a carbon toll. Can you tell me are we exempt from paying this toll as we are driving in a fully electric vehicle? Thanks, Séamus
Hi Séamus, we don't recall ever mentioning a "carbon toll". At the time being, tolls are applied to all cars regardless of the fuel they use. All the best.
Hi Tony, could you explain how the toll road payments work please? We're going to be driving from Bilbao to Zaragoza on the AP68. Do we get a ticket when we enter the toll road and pay when we exit in Zaragoza or do we make a series of payments through toll booths along the way? Thanks for your videos, they're really well done and a great source of information! Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy, we don't have a specific video on the subject but in the majority of cases, it is as you describe, you get a ticket when you enter the system, pay when you exit. In specific locations, there might be a stretch of road where you will pay for the distance you have travelled to that point, where you will find toll booths. Unlike Portugal, paying tolls in Spain is not a tricky affair. All the best.
We don't know whether there's an agreement between Spain and Canada, but you should check with the company you intend to rent the car from, they will be able to give a definitive answer on the issue.
Hello sir, i will be comming to spain this september in a vehicle with my family on a boat, we will land in Alicante and we plan to do a road trip on the coastline and visit the best cities not so far from alicante (300km) away as max, what cities do you recommend to visit ? What is the best plan you could make if you was at my place ? The visit will last for 15 days. I would really appreciate it if you could help And Thank you for your amazing content, it is very helpful
And not all of Autovias (Highways) start its name with A, many of them start its name with the code of the city/province/autonomous comunity + 2/3 numbers
If there is Autovia (A) running parallel to the Autopista (AP), does existence of the AP make it not worth for the government to keep the A in great condition because it doesn't make any money? I'm taking about a scenario like with the A-7 and AP-7
I've been on the A-68 after we took a wrong turn in Zaragoza trying to get to Santander port, and it's ok. The speed limit was lower but the road was fine.
es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Autopistas_y_autov%C3%ADas_de_Espa%C3%B1a it's in Spanish but here there's a summary of all the Autovias and Autopistas de Peaje in Spain
Would be good if you mention about the minimum speed limit in each of the road type too. In Australia if you drive in a motorway or highway, there is a max speed limit everywhere and it changes here and there along the way, however you also cannot drive way too slow. You could also be fined because of that. Is that also applicable in Spain? I am going to Mallorca in Sept and we are planning to rent a car. I am a bit nervous because I don't have any experience to drive in Europe except I did once in Norway. I saw some vlogs of people driving in Mallorca and there are absolutely a lot of dangerous ones, because there are a few of two way roads or tunnels where they are narrow and could only fit 1 car. I could see a road sign showing 2 arrows, the right arrow is marked red and the other arrow pointing down is marked blue. What does it mean? Could you do a video explaining different road signs in Spain? Thanks so much for the tips though, they are extremely helpful.
Hello there, thanks for your suggestions. The video was supposed to be a basic introduction to the topic, everything you mention is quite interesting and we will see how we can record a new video on the topic. It's not easy because there is a lot of research involved. We cannot cover all the road signs so we have to establish which ones are different from, say, the US, India, Australia, China, Japan and a few other countries. In Spain there are no "too slow" fines. They might be on the Highway Code but they are unheard of (unless you drive at 10 km/h on a motorway). The road signs with two arrows is usually found before a narrow passage. If there are two cars coming, the one coming in the direction of the blue arrow has the right of way. All the best!
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal hi, you could just do a video explaining the road signs which are commonly found in Spain, you do not have to establish which ones are different to other countries. Some signs would basically look similar and have same meaning as in any other countries, but would be good if we are 100% sure about them, instead of just guessing because of their similarities.
I love España, but I haven’t dared to drive myself around, the one reason being, where are the orange lines I’m confused by the fact that opposite traffic lanes aren’t demarcated by the *orange* lines, the way they’re here in the US
I saw this one, but i didn't get which one is conventional road, because u name in spanish, can you mention me the in spanish which one is conventional road
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal Where i live, there is only single-lane roads. But there is this one dual-lane road which links to the C-31. Towns tend to have a lot of one-way single-lane roads.
Our list of road trips:
➡️ the best road trips in SPAIN 🇪🇸: ua-cam.com/video/6XUEIFcgE9Q/v-deo.html
➡️ the best road trips in PORTUGAL 🇵🇹: ua-cam.com/video/A7AONxut3CM/v-deo.html
I’ll be traveling to Spain next week and your videos have been instrumental for this trip. Thank you very much.
Delighted to hear that.
1:18 Viña Herminia winery, at Aldeanueva, Eastern Rioja. Autopista AP-68
Keep up the great work.these videos are excellent and I believe in safety. I have learnt a great deal from your wonderful team, thank you for this thankless work, David marshall
Our pleasure, David!
Thank you for the video. I'll be in Spain for the first time next week. This will be very helpful. - John
Great to hear that, John.
Thanks!
That's very kind, Mark!
thank you for posting!! Gracias por subir este video!!!!!!!!!!!! muy buena information !!
Gracias a ti, John.
Very very well made video. Thanks for posting.
Thank YOU for your comment!
I'm planning a road trip from 🇬🇧 to 🇪🇸 next year ! So much info it's definitely putting my first time driving abroad at ease !! Toot toot !
🚗 💨 💨
👏👏👏👏 wonderful, Siobhan, hope you plan a super road trip!
Thanks for this. Really helpful. 😊
Time to plan how to get to Sevilla from Nerja
Excellent!
Helpful, thank you. I may have a very long drive to do from Bilbao to Malaga!
Knowing this info is vital!
That's a long drive indeed. Have a safe trip!
Thank you.
Great information, planning a trip from Santander to Barcelona next year so getting some education in early
That's great, Paul, you will be driving through some wonderful regions of Spain. All the best!
Done that many times. When you leave Santader, you might be overwhelmed. That's ok. Just follow the signs leading to the A-8.
Go east on the A-8 until you reach Bilbao. Here, you have a choice. You can either use the AP-8 and indulge in tons of tunnels (and pay a toll), or use the A-8 and go through Bilbao. Follow Vitoria-Gasteiz. Eventually, you'll reach a fork. Keep right to go to Vitoria-Gasteiz on the AP-68.
Once on the AP-68, you'll reach the toll plaza and have to grab a ticket. Keep this very safe. You will be driving for hours in a very rural part of Spain. Service stations are every 30 km, rest stations are 10-5 km apart.
You just follow the main road until Zaragoza. You will pay a toll and then you can follow Barcelona from there. At Barcelona, the AP-7 leads up to Girona and eventually France.
Spanish roads are notoriously easy to navigate and it will be a lot more enjoyable then the drive to the Portsmouth or the Plymouth.
Thank you a lot !!
Our pleasure!
I wish here in America we had such beautiful smooth roads. Our roads are like somewhere in India. Wow will America ever reach the level of Spain???
Thank you, Emil.
America has built //way// too many motorways without good alternatives. In Spain, people would rather take the train form Barcelona to Madrid (2:30) and not the car (5:00).
USA has an area like all the europe bro..
Its not easy to make good highways in such a bigass country..
Gracias
Wow, there's so much here I didn't know when I rented a car in Arcos de la Frontera. But, fortunately for me, it was easy driving in Spain and I recommend the GPS as it definitely helps on the round-abouts.
Thanks Peter, a GPS is truly helpful!
7:41 These roads are most fun.
Absolutely!
A little correction, not all the toll roads start its name with AP because in Madrid there are some toll roads that start with R-(2 to 5) or for example the M-12
Thanks a lot, Albert, you are absolutely right, but bear in mind we didn't intend to produce the definitive A-Z on roads in Spain but rather an easy-to-understand approach to the issue. But many thanks for your valuable contribution.
While driving a car, can we rely on google maps specifically with respect to one way lanes, speed limit indicators lane use suggestions while travelling? Can it be also useful in hilly areas like val d'aran?
In 90% of cases Google Maps should get it right.
Thank you for the information. Definitely useful. But the only thing is that I was hoping you could have translated the types of roads so I could have known them in English. But no big deal. I can research that myself. Muchas gracias!
Thank you for your words, Daniel. There isn't always a direct equivalent, it is for that reason that we opted for an explanation of what each of the types of roads involves. The basics are: autovías and autopistas = highways; carreteras nacionales = national roads; carreteras autonómicas/comarcales = country roads.
Kind regards!
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal thank you very much. It’s just that I am currently studying for the English test and from the names they use I’m not sure is it will be consistent to the actual test. But I think I can figure it out. But, nonetheless, the information you provided will be quite useful. Thank you again
9:45 😊
Great video. I was a boy when I went to Spain that was back in the 80s. But I mostly been to Portugal as I have family living there, and I haven't been in 10 years. So now as I have three kids and the cost of flying is so expensive, plus I would like a little adventure I thought it would be fun... Hopefully to go on a road trip from the UK to Portugal, I looked up at some planing routes and clearly I would have to go through France. Into Spain through to Portugal. Now my worry is. I never driven outside the UK before this would be my/our first family holiday into Europe. It's been a long time coming. I'm also looking into trading my old car for something more reliable and spacious. I'm hoping to be ready for next summer to hit the road. I'll be taking at least 3 weeks off work for this, this video has given me more of understanding of different roads and especially abroad. Our budget isn't big so I'm hoping by planning way ahead can keep the coast low and doing some pit stops even staying at a hotel over night ect. Has anyone done a road trip from The UK across into Portugal if so I would appreciate any tips that may help. Again thanks again for making this video will. Be checking out others. Have a great week all
Hi James, this video might be helpful ua-cam.com/video/Be_F1VipXEQ/v-deo.html
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal amazing thank you... Muitos Gracias
You can pay with a credit / debit card on the autopista? Thanks!
Yes, you can.
Thank you for the information. I’m preparing for the theory test here and this was useful. Just a quick question: is the carretera convencional the same the as the nacional ones?
As far as we know "carretera convencional" is not an official category of road.
Tony, are rear seat passengers required to wear seat belts?
Yes, since 1992.
Are all the toll gates lanes accept credit cards?
When I drove to Italy last year, there were special lanes for locals who had the RFID tag
There are specific lanes for those paying with credit cards. Other lanes are reserved for tag holders.
Hi Tony, great video. I have driven in Spain quite a lot but one thing i am still unsure about. On some roads there are blue speed signs normally before a tunnel or a bend in a road. What do these mean and how do they affect a car driver?
Hello there, blue speed signs show recommended speeds rather than enforced speeds. They usually appear in stretches of road where there might be some risks involved: entrance to a tunnel, long bend and so on. In a way, they advise you to be cautious. All the best.
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal Thank you for the quick reply. That makes sense 😀
Hi Tony,
My wife and I will be travelling from Ireland this coming June in our fully electric car. As we are going to road trip throughout northwest Spain. In your very helpful video on types of Roads in Spain you mentioned that on the AP motorways there will be a carbon toll. Can you tell me are we exempt from paying this toll as we are driving in a fully electric vehicle? Thanks, Séamus
Hi Séamus, we don't recall ever mentioning a "carbon toll". At the time being, tolls are applied to all cars regardless of the fuel they use. All the best.
Hi Tony, could you explain how the toll road payments work please?
We're going to be driving from Bilbao to Zaragoza on the AP68.
Do we get a ticket when we enter the toll road and pay when we exit in Zaragoza or do we make a series of payments through toll booths along the way?
Thanks for your videos, they're really well done and a great source of information!
Cheers,
Andy
Hi Andy, we don't have a specific video on the subject but in the majority of cases, it is as you describe, you get a ticket when you enter the system, pay when you exit. In specific locations, there might be a stretch of road where you will pay for the distance you have travelled to that point, where you will find toll booths. Unlike Portugal, paying tolls in Spain is not a tricky affair. All the best.
Hi Tony, Can I drive in Spain with my Canadian license ? or do I need to an international permit?
We don't know whether there's an agreement between Spain and Canada, but you should check with the company you intend to rent the car from, they will be able to give a definitive answer on the issue.
Hello sir, i will be comming to spain this september in a vehicle with my family on a boat, we will land in Alicante and we plan to do a road trip on the coastline and visit the best cities not so far from alicante (300km) away as max, what cities do you recommend to visit ? What is the best plan you could make if you was at my place ? The visit will last for 15 days. I would really appreciate it if you could help
And Thank you for your amazing content, it is very helpful
Hi Youcef, we intend to create a consultancy service to help with queries like yours, but so far it is at a planning stage. All the best.
And not all of Autovias (Highways) start its name with A, many of them start its name with the code of the city/province/autonomous comunity + 2/3 numbers
Once again, many thanks for your clarification, absolutely spot on.
If there is Autovia (A) running parallel to the Autopista (AP), does existence of the AP make it not worth for the government to keep the A in great condition because it doesn't make any money? I'm taking about a scenario like with the A-7 and AP-7
Public investment is not always guided by profit.
I've been on the A-68 after we took a wrong turn in Zaragoza trying to get to Santander port, and it's ok. The speed limit was lower but the road was fine.
Will you please show driving rules for practical test 😭👍i would helped me alot
If you are doing a practical test you will surely get training for it, which is beyond the realm of this channel.
“En la Puerta del Sol, como el año que fue
Otra vez el champán y las uvas y el alquitrán
De alfombra están…” oh, ya me acordó a Mecano.
How much are tolls?
Depends on the motorway and the length of motorway travelled.
7:50 my thoughts: “OMG driving there is really scary!” The author of the video: “ Those roads are the most fun to drive!”
Truly fun, and quite safe if you are careful.
Which is the road on the miniature photo?
Puente de la Constitución de 1812 in Cádiz.
es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Autopistas_y_autov%C3%ADas_de_Espa%C3%B1a it's in Spanish but here there's a summary of all the Autovias and Autopistas de Peaje in Spain
Thanks again, Albert.
I have to drive an old Land Rover discovery from France to Torrevieja and im really afraid of junctions. I dont mind motorways etc.
Don't need to be afraid, just drive safely.
Would be good if you mention about the minimum speed limit in each of the road type too. In Australia if you drive in a motorway or highway, there is a max speed limit everywhere and it changes here and there along the way, however you also cannot drive way too slow. You could also be fined because of that. Is that also applicable in Spain? I am going to Mallorca in Sept and we are planning to rent a car. I am a bit nervous because I don't have any experience to drive in Europe except I did once in Norway. I saw some vlogs of people driving in Mallorca and there are absolutely a lot of dangerous ones, because there are a few of two way roads or tunnels where they are narrow and could only fit 1 car. I could see a road sign showing 2 arrows, the right arrow is marked red and the other arrow pointing down is marked blue. What does it mean? Could you do a video explaining different road signs in Spain? Thanks so much for the tips though, they are extremely helpful.
Hello there, thanks for your suggestions. The video was supposed to be a basic introduction to the topic, everything you mention is quite interesting and we will see how we can record a new video on the topic. It's not easy because there is a lot of research involved. We cannot cover all the road signs so we have to establish which ones are different from, say, the US, India, Australia, China, Japan and a few other countries.
In Spain there are no "too slow" fines. They might be on the Highway Code but they are unheard of (unless you drive at 10 km/h on a motorway).
The road signs with two arrows is usually found before a narrow passage. If there are two cars coming, the one coming in the direction of the blue arrow has the right of way. All the best!
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal hi, you could just do a video explaining the road signs which are commonly found in Spain, you do not have to establish which ones are different to other countries. Some signs would basically look similar and have same meaning as in any other countries, but would be good if we are 100% sure about them, instead of just guessing because of their similarities.
@@vivitrumanto There is a comprehensive Wikipedia page on Spanish road signs.
I love España, but I haven’t dared to drive myself around, the one reason being, where are the orange lines I’m confused by the fact that opposite traffic lanes aren’t demarcated by the *orange* lines, the way they’re here in the US
I'm sure you'd get used to the way things work here pretty fast.
I saw this one, but i didn't get which one is conventional road, because u name in spanish, can you mention me the in spanish which one is conventional road
Several types of roads fit the "conventional road" description in Spain. The closest thing to it would be a "carretera nacional".
Carrateras autonomicas.autonomic.. are these one lane road. I didn't see opposite car lanes.
One lane roads in Spain are rare.
@@ROADTRIPSpainandPortugal Where i live, there is only single-lane roads. But there is this one dual-lane road which links to the C-31.
Towns tend to have a lot of one-way single-lane roads.
All three look the samr to mr
This guy looks like he should be guarding a castle with his cat.
Americans! No passing on the right!!!!
Absolutely not!