News: AP-1 motorway is now toll-free in Spain

The AP-1 motorway between Burgos and Armiñón has become toll-free at midnight December 1, 2018 and all car traffic can now make free use of the Autopista del Norte.

If it is up to the Ministry of Development, then the AP-1 will be the first motorway in Spain that will become toll-free in the coming years. The next ones on the list are the AP-4 and AP-7 in 2019.

On Friday, November 30, 2018, the management contract with Europistas for the AP-1 motorway between Burgos (Castilla y León) and Armiñón (Basque Country) has been terminated. It is a 84.5 km long motorway which is also called the Autopista del Norte that has been in Spanish hands since 1 December 2018 and has become toll-free.

The 20,858 vehicles that daily use this former toll road no longer have to pay for it. This has brought an end to 44 years of toll payments for this part of the AP-1 highway.

AP-1

The AP-1 was one of the first motorways and toll roads to be built in Spain and it is also one of the busy roads due to freight and holiday traffic, just like the AP-7 that goes along the Mediterranean.

The AP-1 can be divided into three parts from Burgos to Eibar. The first part is located between Burgos (Castñares) in Castilla y León and Armiñón in the Basque Country and is 83 km long. The second part lies between Vitoria and Mondragón and is 30 km long while the third stretch is located between Mondragón and Eibar with a length of 17 km. From Eibar, the AP-1 highway goes into the AP-8 highway to the French border.

The construction of this highway was started in 1974 where for 44 years the highway was given in concession because of the maintenance and so toll had to be paid. The original plan was actually 20 years but it was renewed time and time again.

Next motorways toll-free

The next freeways that will go toll free are the AP-4 between Sevilla and Cádiz which is managed by Aumar (Abertis) and the AP-7 between Alicante and Tarragona which is also managed by Aumar and where both motorways (together 468 km) will end on 31 December 2019.

On August 31, 2021, the managers will terminate contracts on three other highways, namely the AP-7 between Montmeló and El Papiol, the AP-7 between Tarragona and La Jonquera and the AP-2 between Zaragoza and the coast (Mediterráneo). These motorways are managed by Acesa (Abertis) and together they account for 479 kilometers.