The AP-68 motorway is set to become toll-free later this year when its long-running concession contract expires.
From 11 November 2026, drivers will no longer have to pay to use the 294-kilometre route linking Bilbao with Zaragoza. The motorway, which has operated as a toll road for 46 years, will revert to public management once the current concession ends.
The AP-68 is one of northern Spain’s most important transport corridors, running across four regions: Basque Country, La Rioja, Navarre and Aragón. It provides a key connection between the Basque ports and the Ebro Valley, and is used daily by thousands of private motorists, freight operators and long-distance travellers.
The removal of tolls is expected to bring significant savings for regular users, as the AP-68 has long been considered one of the more expensive motorway routes in Spain for commuters and transport companies travelling between cities along the corridor.
The change will also benefit international drivers, including many from the UK who arrive in northern Spain by ferry via the ports of Port of Bilbao and Port of Santander. For many travellers continuing their journey through Spain, the AP-68 forms a key onward route inland.
Authorities expect the end of the toll to improve mobility, reduce transport costs and support regional economic activity across the areas served by the motorway.
The AP-68 will join a growing list of Spanish motorways that have become free to use in recent years after their concession contracts expired, following long-standing calls from drivers and regional governments to remove toll charges.
