Driving on the AP-7 motorway linking southern Alicante province with the Region of Murcia will become more expensive from January 1, after the central government approved a new toll rise of 4.68 per cent on the Alicante–Cartagena section.
The increase affects one of the main transport arteries in south-east Spain, used daily by thousands of motorists for commuting, freight transport and medium- and long-distance travel between the two regions.
The decision was taken by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility as part of its annual review of tolls on state-owned motorways. For 2026, toll adjustments across the network will range from 3.64 per cent to 4.68 per cent, depending on the individual concession. The Alicante–Cartagena stretch falls at the upper end of that scale.
According to the government, the rise reflects inflation adjustments linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), combined with the gradual withdrawal of subsidies introduced in recent years to cushion drivers from sharp toll increases. Those subsidies were first applied in 2023 and are now being phased out.
The Ministry has acknowledged that, without public support, the increase would have been significantly higher. In 2026, the state has set aside €15 million to limit toll rises on national motorways. Without this contribution, drivers on the AP-7 between Alicante and Cartagena would have faced a hike of 5.86 per cent — almost 1.5 percentage points more than the final approved rate.
Despite this mitigation, the rise is expected to have a noticeable economic impact on one of the busiest toll roads in the region, heavily used by both private vehicles and heavy goods traffic.
There is, however, some relief for motorists in Alicante province. The AP-7 Alicante ring road will become permanently toll-free following a recent agreement approved by the Council of Ministers. The measure is intended to ease urban congestion, facilitate local journeys and reduce costs for thousands of drivers who use the ring road every day.
The exemption does not apply to the Alicante–Cartagena section of the AP-7, which will remain a toll road and will apply the new rates from the start of the year in line with the ministerial order governing toll updates for 2026.
