Tolls in Spain (and the Portuguese trap): the complete guide 💶
Quick answer: Spain freed most of its toll motorways — the AP-7, AP-4, AP-2 and others stopped charging between 2018 and 2021 — but tolls remain on the AP-6 (Madrid–northwest), the AP-9 (Galicia), the AP-68 and AP-66, plus tunnels and specific accesses. You pay at the booth (cash/card) or with the VIA-T electronic device, and barrier-free free-flow stretches keep growing. Not paying a toll is an offence with a €100 fine. And mind the crossing into Portugal: many motorways there are electronic-toll only — without a device or registration, the fine follows you home.
Spain's toll map has been shrinking for a decade — every concession that expires frees kilometres — but what remains generates constant doubts: what's charged, how, which lane to take and what happens if you sail through. And the Portuguese chapter deserves its own guide, being the classic fine of the Spanish traveller. Piece by piece:
The three charging systems (table) 🛣️
| System | How it works | Where you'll meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Closed | Take a ticket entering, pay on exit by kilometres travelled | AP-6, AP-9, most classic concessions |
| Open | Fixed charge at a mainline barrier, whatever you drive | Tunnels and some urban accesses |
| Free-flow | No barriers: camera gantries; pay by VIA-T, app or web within the deadline | New stretches and conversions; the model everything moves toward |
At the booth: card/cash lanes for manual payment and blue «T» lanes exclusively for electronic tolling — drifting into one without a device is the classic squirm with a queue behind. The VIA-T device is issued by banks and operators for around €10 or a small annual fee, works across Spain and Portugal, and charges without stopping.
What if I don't pay a toll? ⚠️
Since the Traffic Law reform, evading a toll is a minor offence fined at €100 — on top of the operator's claim for the amount. On free-flow stretches no barrier stops you: cameras read the plate and the letter reaches your home (or your rental company, with handling fees stacked on). If you passed unpaid by mistake, nearly every operator lets you settle online within 24–72 hours paying just the tariff: do it before it becomes a file.
Portugal: the toll that fines Spaniards 🇵🇹
A large share of Portuguese motorways (the former SCUT roads: the Algarve's A22, the A25, A28…) use electronic-only tolling: no booths — just gantries. Options for a Spanish plate: a compatible VIA-T (the comfortable route), registering plate and card in the EASYToll machines at border points, or prepaid TOLLCards. Crossing «to see what happens» guarantees a Portuguese sanction with surcharges that are pursued against foreign plates too.
The traveller's rule: if your route touches Portugal, solve the toll before the border — two minutes that prevent the classic registered letter three months later.
Conclusion 🏁
Spanish tolls in 2026 boil down to: fewer paid kilometres than ever, one device (VIA-T) that solves 100 % of cases on both sides of the border, and a €100 fine that's perfectly avoidable by paying on time. Plan the route knowing how fast and under which rules you'll drive — and let the only free thing on your trip be the flow.
What searchers ask (answered head-on) 🔍
The exact phrasings people type into Google and AI assistants — answered head-on:
«toll / peaje: what is it and how do you pay in Spain?»
The toll (peaje) is the charge for using certain motorways, tunnels or bridges. In Spain you pay at the booth (cash or card), with the VIA-T device without stopping, or — on free-flow stretches — online/app after passing the gantry. Not paying is a €100 offence plus the operator's claim.
«which Spanish motorways still charge tolls?»
Mainly the AP-6 with its AP-51/AP-61 branches (Madrid–northwest), Galicia's AP-9, the AP-68 and AP-66, plus specific tunnels and accesses. The AP-7, AP-4, AP-2 and others have been free since 2018–2021.
«how do I pay Portugal's tolls with a Spanish car?»
Three ways: a compatible VIA-T (the comfortable one), registering plate and card with EASYToll at the border points, or prepaid cards. The former SCUT roads (A22, A25, A28…) are electronic-only: unregistered, the fine travels straight to your Spanish mailbox.
Frequently asked questions ❓
Which Spanish motorways still charge tolls?
Among others the AP-6 and its branches (AP-51, AP-61), Galicia's AP-9, the AP-68 and the AP-66, plus specific tunnels and accesses; the AP-7, AP-4 and AP-2 are now free.
What is the free-flow system?
Barrier-free tolling: camera gantries register the plate and payment happens by electronic device, app or web within the operator's deadline.
What's the fine for not paying a toll?
€100 as a minor offence, plus the toll amount claimed by the operator; on free-flow stretches the notice arrives via plate reading.
What is the VIA-T and what does it cost?
The electronic toll device valid in Spain and Portugal: banks and operators issue it for around €10 or a small annual fee, and it charges without stopping.
How do I pay Portugal's electronic tolls with a Spanish plate?
With a compatible VIA-T, by registering plate and card at an EASYToll border point, or with prepaid cards; with none of the three, the sanction reaches Spain anyway.