So how bad is the nonToll road to Spain (1 Viewer)

[Hymerbell]

Thinking of heading down to Portugal.... the Michelin guide says the toll road A63 would be €26. Haven’t taken my new motorhome on a toll road yet so don’t know what class I’ll be.... 3 m high 3900 kg. Do they weigh you? Sometimes my sat dish tipped me over 3 meters

and they tried charging more Class 3 or something. So would it be more than €26.

So thinking of taking the non-toll road but it doesn’t look great anybody done it in August. Are there massive queues ?

 

[EuroTrotters]

I have only ever been charged class I on Spanish motorways. Including our very High La Strada and Frankia 5 ton with sat dish. Never been to Portugal in Moho

 

[Hymerbell]

I have only ever been charged class I on Spanish motorways. Including our very High La Strada and Frankia 5 ton with sat dish. Never been to Portugal in Moho

Oh right...well that’s good news...thanks. I think it’s the French Autoroutes that sometimes include the sat dish....which they shouldn’t...I’ve been caught a few times...always check now...still €26 as opposed to zero though...

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[Boringfrog]

The A63 in France? You can bypass the toll booths quite easily.

 

[Sundowners]

The non toll roads across Spain, all the way from The Somport Tunnel, Jaca to Burgos to Salamanca to Portugal are beautiful roads, smooth 2-3 lane motorways all the way to Portugal, no traffic jams, never experienced any in all the trips we’ve made. To be honest they can get a bit boring but you can get over the miles quickly if you want to. All bigs towns are bypassed.

 

[Barclaybasher]

My van is 2.9m but sat dome takes it over 3m - class 3 in France and booths not manned so I avoid French Tolls, Spanish OK.

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[Hymerbell]

The non toll roads across Spain, all the way from The Somport Tunnel, Jaca to Burgos to Salamanca to Portugal are beautiful roads, smooth 2-3 lane motorways all the way to Portugal, no traffic jams, never experienced any in all the trips we’ve made. To be honest they can get a bit boring but you can get over the miles quickly if you want to. All bigs towns are bypassed.

Ah but I’m here...blue dot....plays there seems to be a raid closure at Java....is that the Somport Tunnel closed

 

[Hymerbell]

My van is 2.9m but sat dome takes it over 3m - class 3 in France and booths not manned so I avoid French Tolls, Spanish OK.

I always argue with them on the intercom...and they change it back to Class 2

 

[Yorick]

I drove Cadiz to Calais many times. Only paid tolls 15 miles from Spain border to about 30 miles past it.

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[Hymerbell]

I drove Cadiz to Calais many times. Only paid tolls 15 miles from Spain border to about 30 miles past it.

Yes that’s the bit I’m trying to avoid...€18. Plus €7 on the A63.....not saying I’m tight or anything

 

[Yorick]

Yes that’s the bit I’m trying to avoid...€18. Plus €7 on the A63.....not saying I’m tight or anything

It saves about 3 hours in tiny villages. You'll wish you had paid. It's horrendous.

 

[BreweryDave]

In France it measures roof height, so 3m or over class 3.
dont know how spain measures it, but very cheap anyway.
In Portugal, believe it or not, it somehow automatically measures the height to the roof from the centre of the front wheel

if in France going via Bordeaux, I’d always opt to pay the tolls driving via biaritz and that part of the coast south, cos it’s a pain!
north of Bordeaux, I use the N10 no probs.

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[gus-lopez]

is that the Somport Tunnel closed

No. The som port is above that at Candanchu.

 

[Hymerbell]

The non toll roads across Spain, all the way from The Somport Tunnel, Jaca to Burgos to Salamanca to Portugal are beautiful roads, smooth 2-3 lane motorways all the way to Portugal, no traffic jams, never experienced any in all the trips we’ve made. To be honest they can get a bit boring but you can get over the miles quickly if you want to. All bigs towns are bypassed.

Actually I might go that way....won’t get caught up all around Bayonne etc...thanks

 

[Hymerbell]

In France it measures roof height, so 3m or over class 3.
dont know how spain measures it, but very cheap anyway.
In Portugal, believe it or not, it somehow automatically measures the height to the roof from the centre of the front wheel

if in France going via Bordeaux, I’d always opt to pay the tolls driving via biaritz and that part of the coast south, cos it’s a pain!
north of Bordeaux, I use the N10 no probs.

Yes it looks messy around there...Drove going North once past queue on other side coming out of Bordeaux...looked like a 2 hourer...think I’ll go Somport Tunnel

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[Hymerbell]

It saves about 3 hours in tiny villages. You'll wish you had paid. It's horrendous.

Ah right well that was my original question....how bad is it...question answered...thanks...going via Somport Tunnel now.

 

[BreweryDave]

Actually I might go that way....won’t get caught up all around Bayonne etc...thanks

If your intention is to head the the Algarve rather than driving through Portugal, the A66 to seville then accross to the border is all good free motorway.

 

[Yorick]

Ah right well that was my original question....how bad is it...question answered...thanks...going via Somport Tunnel now.

Paying the 20€ is so much easier.

I did Cadiz to Thame in 3 days.

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[Sundowners]

Our route, non tolls all the way, is N10 to Bordeaux, south ofBordeaux, take the road to Mont de Marson, on to Pau, then to Oloron St. Marie, through the Somport Tunnel, Jaca, Pamplona, Burgos, Palencia, Salamanca, then your choice into Portugal, ours is to turn off before Salamanca to Zamora then into Portugal via Miranda do douro, as we live in Central Portugal, lovely scenic route, very good roads all the way, a little further than past Biaritz but a lot less stressful. We do this in three days towing a trailer, easy days. With known places for night stops.

 

[2657]

Oh right...well that’s good news...thanks. I think it’s the French Autoroutes that sometimes include the sat dish....which they shouldn’t...I’ve been caught a few times...always check now...still €26 as opposed to zero though...

If your sat dish takes you over 3m then you are over 3m, measured by height beam.

 

[Sundowners]

Ah but I’m here...blue dot....plays there seems to be a raid closure at Java....is that the Somport Tunnel closed

View attachment 422012View attachment 422013

That looks as though that is the new road they are building that is closed. There is no access for heavy vehicles through Jaca, so you need to make sure you bypass that.

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[2657]

In France it measures roof height, so 3m or over class 3.
dont know how spain measures it, but very cheap anyway.
In Portugal, believe it or not, it somehow automatically measures the height to the roof from the centre of the front wheel

if in France going via Bordeaux, I’d always opt to pay the tolls driving via biaritz and that part of the coast south, cos it’s a pain!
north of Bordeaux, I use the N10 no probs.

I am fairly certain that in Portugal it is the height from the ground to the top of whatever is above the front axle, when I had the Pickup this was Class 2 because of this.

 

[Sundowners]

I am fairly certain that in Portugal it is the height from the ground to the top of whatever is above the front axle, when I had the Pickup this was Class 2 because of this.

As far as we know that is correct, our Via Verde transponder is based on that information in our Seat Alhambra.

 

[63720]

IMO the non toll coast road is a maze of flowerplanted roundabouts, housing developments and small town centers best avoided by going inland if you don't want to pay.

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[BreweryDave]

I am fairly certain that in Portugal it is the height from the ground to the top of whatever is above the front axle, when I had the Pickup this was Class 2 because of this.

I think you’re right.....clear as mud as per usual in Pt It says from the first axle, can’t work out if that means from the ground or the axle height

Classes of vehicles

 

[Hymerbell]

Our route, non tolls all the way, is N10 to Bordeaux, south ofBordeaux, take the road to Mont de Marson, on to Pau, then to Oloron St. Marie, through the Somport Tunnel, Jaca, Pamplona, Burgos, Palencia, Salamanca, then your choice into Portugal, ours is to turn off before Salamanca to Zamora then into Portugal via Miranda do douro, as we live in Central Portugal, lovely scenic route, very good roads all the way, a little further than past Biaritz but a lot less stressful. We do this in three days towing a trailer, easy days. With known places for night stops.

Yes I think I’ll go that way, I saw an aire in Oloron St.Marie as my first stop...looked OK.

 

[Sundowners]

Yes I think I’ll go that way, I saw an aire in Oloron St.Marie as my first stop...looked OK.

Gateway a bit tight if you have a large motorhome. We parked in the Intermarche carpark. We also stay overnight at one of the many stopping places going to the tunnel and just after. Quite a few trucks use the tunnel road which can be narrow in places don t be in a hurry and pull over when you see them coming, let them pass if you are a bit nervous. It's a lovely scenic route

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[Hymerbell]

Gateway a bit tight if you have a large motorhome. We parked in the Intermarche carpark. We also stay overnight at one of the many stopping places going to the tunnel and just after. Quite a few trucks use the tunnel road which can be narrow in places don t be in a hurry and pull over when you see them coming, let them pass if you are a bit nervous. It's a lovely scenic route

Well I wasn’t nervous until you said that ! I normally just shut my eyes and keep going.

 

[bobnick]

C.O.C. (convenience over cost i employ)

 

[63720]

The 121 and 121a are good alternatives which we often use. Takes you down into Pamplona where there are a couple of free Aires.

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