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Planning a 7-day trip in Spain, driving from Madrid airport going North to Segovia, North to Los Picos de Europa, and along the coast to Bilbao. I'm sure some of the drive we will use toll-roads... My questions are:
1. How does one identify a toll road on the signs and on a map? I think I read a road number has a letter identifying it as a toll-road. Or is there a color (on the signs or on the maps) that we should pay attention to?
They are usually blue signs that identify the toll road. When coming up to the pay booths they have signs above them, if paying by cash you need to get in the lane with Manual above it sorry not sure about credit card as we always have lots of change in the car. ( although I am fairly sure you can but you will need to get in the correct lane)
On the national motorway network in Spain, baymont inns and suites you can identify tolled freeways by the letters "AP-" as a prefix to the highway number. The non-tolled motorways would have only the prefix "A-". So AP-7 and A-7 go more or less the same way - with AP-7 being the toll road, and A-7 the free road.
As the autonomous regions of Spain all have their individual way for road numbering, you can sometimes identify tolled roads by their letters and number, and sometimes not. In the Madrid region, the tolled motorways start with "R-". No clue about the numbering in the North, though.
2. I think you pay either cash or by e-payment like EZpass in the US. Not sure about this as I always paid cash so far. As you usually pay in installments of mostly single digit euro amounts I wonder if credit cards would be accepted. Anyway, some local expert will know this. If you don't have change, simply choose the "Manual" lane (also identified by the icon of a guy with a cap) at the toll plazas to pay with euro bills at a staffed lane.
the automated booths also take bills. Just don't get in the few 3-legged "T" lanes that are for those electronic monthly passes... all other lanes will show the shape of credit cards... a rectangle.. there is also a button on the machine should you need help. Really study up beforehand as some toll roads are really worth paying for to avoid a huge mountainous area.. while others, I find, are unnecessary.