Drivers in Spain are celebrating the end of toll systems on many major roads.
The AP-1 has been the first toll road in Spain to have its barriers lifted and will be followed by the AP-7 and AP-4 by the end of the year.
2021 will see more toll roads revert to free as concession contracts come to an end.
Toll roads in Spain have been a sore subject for drivers and the lifting of these tolls, with more roads to follow, is a welcome relief.
In Portugal, however, Spanish and other foreign register vehicle drivers continue to suffer the intestinal complexity and diversity of payment systems peculiar to the Algarve’s Via do Infante tolling system, or simply ignore the issue and drive on regardless.
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Not true ! ! Why would "those up North" want to leave the Utopia of Lisbon to come South. They might only migrate South for a week, when the beaches at Cascais become too over crowded. When this happens, the motorway is the only option, as it gets them here fast and also gets them back to Lisbon fast.
The old section from Burgos to Vitoria ( or Gasteiz as you prefer ) is now toll free the newer section from Vitoria to the French border via the Bilbao to S. Sebastian AP-8 will cost you €13.77. If I fully understood the man who collected my toll today this situation will continue for some years as the section is much newer and the concession still has a way to run.
To avoid the toll use the A-1 ( former N-! ) either by staying on it after Vitoria when heading to France, or by leaving the AP-8 from the border towards Bilbao at the first exit after the first service area when returning.