🇦🇹 Cross-border drive · Austria → Spain 🇪🇸
Driving from Linz to Madrid
Plan your Linz to Madrid drive. Navigate A1, A8, and Spanish motorways. Budget for tolls and enjoy diverse landscapes. Essential driving tips.
- Drive time
- 23h 6m
- Distance
- 2,234 km
- Same day?
- Split it
- 12 h+, plan a stop
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €319
- petrol · diesel ≈ €271
- Tolls
- ≈ €199
- mixed
- EV charging
- Unknown
- not yet surveyed
On this page
Route map
Route options
Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.
Avoids motorways
+9h 57m- Distance:
- 2,198 km (−36 km)
- Duration:
- 33h 4m
Via: B 16 · N 145 · CL-101 · N 10
How else can you make this trip?
Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.
23h 6m
2.234 km · €319 fuel
See details ↓
Not realistic
2.234 km is far beyond a typical multi-day cycle tour. Try a shorter pair like a day or weekend stage.
No direct service
Our coach data (FlixBus + BlaBlaCar) doesn't list a direct service for this pair. National operators (e.g., National Express in the UK, Eurolines feeders) may still cover it — check their site directly.
3h 27m
from €40
See details ↓
24h 3m
OEBB Personenverkehr AG Kundenservice · DB Fernverkehr AG
See details ↓
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on April 24, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
Your journey from Linz begins by picking up the A1 motorway heading west, swiftly connecting to the A25 and then the A8, which will be your primary artery through Austria. This initial stretch is straightforward, mostly autobahn driving, setting a brisk pace. Keep an eye out for speed limit changes as you transition between different road classifications and as you approach urban areas. As you leave Austria, the A8 will guide you towards the German border, where you’ll briefly merge onto German Autobahns, often known for their sections with no mandatory speed limits, though always be mindful of posted signs and traffic conditions.
Crossing into Italy will bring a notable change. The Italian autostrada system operates primarily on a toll road basis, meaning you'll collect a ticket upon entry and pay upon exit, so budget for these cumulative costs. You'll likely navigate through the scenic, albeit mountainous, terrain of Northern Italy. As you continue southwest towards France, the landscape shifts again. Prepare for French autoroutes, which are also tolled, and generally well-maintained but can be expensive over long distances. Speed limits in France are strictly enforced, and variable message signs provide real-time traffic and speed guidance.
Entering Spain, you'll transition to the Spanish autopistas and autovías. While autovías are generally toll-free, many autopistas do have tolls, especially those closer to major cities like Madrid. The driving experience in Spain is similar to other Western European countries, with good road quality and clear signage. Be aware of potential low-emission zones in larger cities like Madrid, which may require specific vehicle registration or permits, especially if you plan to drive into the city centre. Consider parking options and potential access restrictions well in advance of your arrival in Madrid.
Route highlights
- Austrian A1 and A8 autobahn sections
- Navigating Italian toll autostradas
- French autoroutes with scenic stretches
- Spanish autovías and autopistas
- Potential for high mountain scenery
- Varying toll systems across countries
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Overnight recommended
Too long for a single-driver day. Plan on 2 overnight stop(s) to do this trip right.
A natural overnight stop near the halfway point: Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule (fr).
- Distance:
- 2,234 km
- Duration:
- 23h 6m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Altomünster 🇩🇪 de
≈279 km≈ 11.9 km detour from the main route
-
Zell 🇩🇪 de
≈559 km≈ 2.3 km detour from the main route
-
Besançon 🇫🇷 fr
≈838 km≈ 19.7 km detour from the main route
-
Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule 🇫🇷 fr
≈1,117 km≈ 29.8 km detour from the main route
-
Trélissac 🇫🇷 fr
≈1,396 km≈ 22.2 km detour from the main route
-
Saint-Paul-lès-Dax 🇫🇷 fr
≈1,676 km≈ 19.5 km detour from the main route
-
Briviesca 🇪🇸 es
≈1,955 km≈ 6 km detour from the main route
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Multi-country chain · AT → DE → FR → CH → ES
You'll cross 5 countries on this drive — each with its own toll system, fuel pricing, and motorway rules. Skim the must-know section below before you set off, and have your registration plus insurance card in the door pocket for any roadside check.
Tolls on motorways in FR / ES
Budget for motorway tolls — France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal charge per-km, Croatia and Greece by section. Contactless cards work almost everywhere; have one loaded.
Vignette required in AT / CH
Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania require a sticker or e-vignette for motorway use. Buy at the border — missing one is a heavy on-the-spot fine.
Long rural stretch on La Transeuropéenne
Plan for about 168 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on N 70
Plan for about 44 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Must-know before you go
The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.
City access & emission zones
Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart need a green Umweltplakette
Must knowGermany's low-emission zones (Umweltzone) are simpler than the French system but stricter on entry. You need a colour-coded sticker physically on your windscreen before entering. The vast majority of zones today require a green sticker (Euro 4+ petrol, Euro 6+ diesel). Order via TÜV / DEKRA / certified workshops — about €6–13, ships in days. Driving without one costs €100 even if your car would qualify.
Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla now run ZBE low-emission zones
Must knowSpain's Zonas de Bajas Emisiones (ZBE) cover central Madrid (24/7), Barcelona inside the Rondes (weekdays 7:00–20:00), Sevilla, Valencia and a growing list. Foreign plates need to register at the city portal in advance — your Euro emission class determines whether you get in. Without registration, cameras log entry and the fine reaches your home address.
Order your Crit'Air sticker before the trip
Must knowParis, Lyon, Strasbourg, Marseille, Toulouse and a growing list of cities require a Crit'Air air-quality sticker visible on your windscreen — even for a single drive-through. It's €4.51 from the official site and ships by post (allow 2–6 weeks abroad). Without it, expect on-the-spot fines from €68. Your registration document tells the issuer your emission class.
Foreign plates must be pre-registered to enter the centre
Must knowMadrid
Cameras read your plate but don't know your emission class. Without registration on Madrid's portal (madrid.es/zbe), the system flags you regardless of the car's actual rating, and the fine reaches your home address weeks later via cross-border collection. Register before you set off.
Madrid 360 / ZBEDEP — pre-2000 cars banned outright
Must knowMadrid
Madrid Central (now ZBEDEP) is one of the strictest emission zones in Europe. Within the 4.7 km² central perimeter (formerly Distrito Centro), vehicles registered before 2000 are banned outright; the rest need to match Spain's "Etiqueta Ambiental" rating. Operates 24/7. Fine is €200 per entry.
Borders & documents
You're leaving the EU customs zone
Must knowSwitzerland is in Schengen but NOT in the EU customs union. Random customs stops happen at every border. Personal allowance: €300 in goods (CHF cash equivalent), 5L wine, 1L spirits. Above that you declare and pay duty. If you've loaded the boot with cured meat or cheese in Italy, declare it — confiscation is routine.
Tolls, vignettes & road payment
Digital vignette before crossing the border
Must knowAustrian motorways need a vignette — €10.10 for 10 days, €30.40 for 2 months, or €103.80 annual. The digital version (linked to your plate) is bought online at asfinag.at and activates from a chosen date — if you buy on the Austrian side of the border, it's only valid 18 days later under consumer-protection rules. Buy ahead.
Mont Blanc, Grand St Bernard, San Bernardino tunnels charge extra
Must knowThe vignette covers most motorways but NOT the major Alpine road tunnels. Mont Blanc tunnel (FR-IT) is roughly €54 one-way for a passenger car, Grand St Bernard about €33, San Bernardino is included in the vignette but Gotthard road tunnel is a vignette-only route in summer (the queue can be 2 hours; the rail-shuttle alternative through the Lötschberg is faster).
Vignette is annual only — CHF 40
Must knowSwitzerland sells one vignette: an annual sticker (or e-vignette) for CHF 40 / about €42. There's no 10-day option. Buy at any border post or online before you leave. The sticker must be physically affixed to the windscreen — keeping it loose in the glovebox earns the same CHF 200 fine as not having one.
You'll hit three different toll systems on this trip
Must knowThis route crosses countries with mismatched toll mechanics — France's ticket-and-pay, vignette stickers, electronic-only stretches. There's no single transponder that works everywhere, but a Telepass EU device covers FR/IT/ES/PT and a Bip&Go covers the same plus a few more. For a one-off trip, contactless cards plus a Swiss vignette and Austrian e-vignette is the simplest mix.
Brenner, Tauern and Karawanken tunnels are extra
UsefulEight Austrian routes charge separate tolls on top of the vignette: Brenner (A13, ~€11.50), Pyhrn (A9, ~€6.50), Tauern (A10, ~€14), Karawanken (A11, ~€8.50) and others. Pay at the booth — no vignette discount. If you're heading south to Italy via the A13, budget for it.
Contactless works at every autoroute booth
UsefulFrench autoroutes use a ticket system: take a card on entry, pay on exit. Every barrier accepts contactless tap-to-pay — pull into the "CB / bank card" lane (orange "t" logo means Liber-T transponder only, avoid those). For frequent EU travellers a Bip&Go transponder pays itself off in two trips by skipping the queue.
What your car must carry
Triangle, first-aid kit, hi-vis vest — all three
Must knowGermany requires a warning triangle, a first-aid kit (compliant with DIN 13164, with a "use by" date — €10 at any pharmacy), and a reflective vest in every passenger car. Roadside checks do happen at borders. The first-aid kit is the one foreign drivers most commonly miss.
Hi-vis vest in the cabin, triangle in the boot
Must knowA reflective vest must be reachable without leaving the vehicle (in the door pocket or under your seat — boot is too late). One warning triangle is also mandatory. The 2012 breathalyzer rule was scrapped in 2020 but is still nice to keep. No spare-bulb requirement.
Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.
Main roads
The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.
-
A 8 —259 km
-
A-1 Autovía del Norte255 km
-
A 36 —237 km
-
A 63 Autoroute des Landes205 km
-
A 5 —160 km
-
A 89 La Transeuropéenne160 km
-
AP-1 Iparraldeko autobidea126 km
-
A 79 La Bourbonnaise91 km
-
A 94 —87 km
-
AP-1; AP-8 AP-1 / AP-865 km
-
A8 Innkreis Autobahn50 km
-
A 71 L'Arverne46 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.
- Motorway
- 84%
- Secondary
- 7%
- Other / rural
- 9%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Demanding
Tough drive — multiple complicating factors compound fatigue. Strongly recommend splitting across days.
- Long drive: 23h 6m behind the wheel at free-flow speeds.
- Cross-border: AT → ES. Keep documents accessible and check border rules.
- About 316 km on non-motorway roads where speeds and conditions vary.
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €319
167.6 L × €1.90 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €271
134 L × €2.02 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €233
391 kWh × €0.60 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Motorway tolls & vignettes
≈ €199
- AT — Vignette (motorway sticker / e-vignette) — €10.10 for 10 days Annual vignette is €103.80 if you drive often
- FR — €0.10/km on the motorway network (≈ 961 km in-country ≈ €96)
- CH — Vignette (motorway sticker / e-vignette) — €42.00 for 365 days
- ES — €0.09/km on the motorway network (≈ 566 km in-country ≈ €51) Toll-free on the A-network; charged only on AP roads.
Prices last refreshed 2026-05-04.
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇦🇹 Linz
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5°
-2°
|
8°
1°
|
13°
3°
|
16°
6°
|
20°
10°
|
26°
15°
|
27°
17°
|
27°
16°
|
23°
13°
|
16°
8°
|
8°
2°
|
5°
-0°
|
| 46mm | 43mm | 62mm | 77mm | 92mm | 58mm | 83mm | 80mm | 105mm | 52mm | 75mm | 67mm |
hot mild cold
🇪🇸 Madrid
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11°
3°
|
14°
3°
|
16°
5°
|
21°
9°
|
24°
11°
|
30°
18°
|
35°
20°
|
35°
21°
|
27°
15°
|
22°
12°
|
15°
7°
|
11°
3°
|
| 50mm | 17mm | 120mm | 44mm | 62mm | 43mm | 1mm | 6mm | 64mm | 87mm | 39mm | 30mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Madrid
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Tue 12
☀️
15° / 11°
0.1mm
-
Wed 13
🌧️
19° / 9°
15.4mm
-
Thu 14
☀️
20° / 8°
—
-
Fri 15
☀️
15° / 8°
0.4mm
-
Sat 16
☀️
17° / 6°
—
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 77 manoeuvres
- Hauptplatz 0.2 km
- Einhausung Niedernhart (A7) 0.5 km
- Mühlkreis Autobahn (A7) 4 km
- — 0.6 km
- West Autobahn (A1) 5 km
- Welser Autobahn (A25) 19 km
- Innkreis Autobahn (A8) 50 km
- (B143) 13 km
- Altheimer Straße (B148)
- (B148)
- (B148) 4 km
- Altheimer Straße (B148)
- Altheimer Straße (B148) 4 km
- Umfahrung St. Peter (B148) 5 km
- Innviertler Ersatzstraße (B148) 3 km
- (B148)
- (B 12) 14 km
- (A 94) 87 km
- — 0.7 km
- (A 99) 27 km
- (A 99) 4 km
- (A 8) 259 km
- (A 8) 1 km
- (A 5) 28 km
- — 0.3 km
- (A 5) 132 km
- (A 36) 237 km
- Autoroute de Lorraine-Bourgogne (A 31) 4 km
- Autoroute du Soleil (A 6) 31 km
- —
- (N 80) 0.1 km
- Route Centre-Europe Atlantique
- Route Centre-Europe Atlantique 26 km
- (N 70) 0.2 km
- (N 70) 44 km
- Route Centre-Europe Atlantique (N 79) 10 km
- La Bourbonnaise (A 79) 91 km
- Route Centre Europe Atlantique 0.7 km
- L'Arverne (A 71) 46 km
- La Transeuropéenne (A 89) 160 km
- (A 89) 1.0 km
- L'Occitane (A 20) 16 km
- La Transeuropéenne 168 km
- (N 89) 18 km
- Rocade Intérieure (N 230) 17 km
- Autoroute des Landes (A 63) 24 km
- Autoroute des Landes (A 63) 150 km
- Autoroute de la Côte Basque (A 63) 31 km
- AP-1 / AP-8 (AP-1; AP-8) 7 km
- Bizkaiko Golkoko Autobidea (AP-1; AP-8) 4 km
- AP-1 / AP-8 (AP-1; AP-8; E-15) 0.7 km
- Bizkaiko Golkoko Autobidea (AP-1; AP-8) 3 km
- AP-1 / AP-8 (AP-1; AP-8) 2 km
- Kantauriko autobidea (AP-1; AP-8) 5 km
- Kantauriko autobidea (AP-1; AP-8) 44 km
- Iparraldeko autobidea (AP-1) 4 km
- Eibar-Gasteiz autobidea (AP-1) 9 km
- Eibar-Gasteiz autobidea (AP-1) 4 km
- Iparraldeko autobidea (AP-1) 2 km
- Iparraldeko autobidea (AP-1) 7 km
- Gasteiz-Eibar autobidea (AP-1) 10 km
- —
- (N-240) 5 km
- — 0.5 km
- (A-1) 27 km
- (AP-1) 90 km
- Autovía del Norte (A-1) 114 km
- Autovía Madrid - Burgos (A-1) 6 km
- Autovía del Norte (A-1) 108 km
- Calzada lateral M-30 (M-30) 4 km
- Calzada lateral M-30 (M-30) 0.6 km
- (M-30) 0.2 km
- Avenida de la Paz (M-30) 1 km
- Calzada lateral M-30 (M-30) 1 km
- — 0.7 km
- Paseo del Prado
- Calle de la Cruz
By plane from Linz to Madrid
Indicative travel time on a non-stop flight, based on great-circle distance, average commercial cruise speed (850 km/h), and a 90-minute allowance for taxi, security, and boarding.
- Total time
- 3h 27m
- Door-to-door from :from airport.
- In the air
- 118 min
- At ~850 km/h cruise speed.
- On the ground
- 90 min
- Taxi + security + boarding (typical short-haul).
- Route
- LNZ → MAD
- 1.672 km great-circle.
Indicative fare: from €40 — fares vary by season, day of week, and how far ahead you book. Always check the airline or a meta-search before planning around this number.
Show flight path on map
Estimate-only. We don't pull live schedules or fares for flights — see the methodology page for how this number is computed.
Air travel emits roughly 5–10× the CO₂ per passenger-km of rail for the same distance.
By train from Linz to Madrid
Fastest cross-border rail itinerary from the public Transitous planner. Times reflect a typical Monday-morning departure on the next available service-day.
- Fastest journey
- 24h 3m
- 7 changes
- Lead operator
- OEBB Personenverkehr AG Kundenservice
- + 7 more
- Alternatives
- 6
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- RJX 60
- IC 190
- IC1
- AVE 03080
All operators across alternatives
- OEBB Personenverkehr AG Kundenservice
- DB Fernverkehr AG
- Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB
- RENFE OPERADORA
- Renfe Cercanias
- WESTbahn Management GmbH
- SNCF VOYAGEURS
- RER
Includes a high-speed rail leg (TGV, ICE, AVE, Frecciarossa-class).
Show route on map
Routing via the public Transitous OTP planner (community-run MOTIS instance). Cached 24 hours; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Frequently asked
What's the most significant change driving from Austria to Italy?
The primary change is the toll system. Austria is largely vignette-based for motorways, while Italy uses a pay-as-you-go toll system based on distance traveled.
Are there many tolls on the route from Germany to Spain?
Yes, the French autoroute system is heavily tolled, and Spanish autopistas also incur tolls. Budget accordingly for these sections.
Do I need winter tires for this route?
Winter tire mandates vary by country and by season. In Austria and parts of Germany and Italy, winter tires are legally required during winter months (typically November to April). Check current regulations for each country before you travel.
What are the speed limits like across these countries?
Speed limits vary. Austria and Germany have typical highway limits (often 130 km/h, but Autobahn sections may have no limit). Italy, France, and Spain generally have limits around 120-130 km/h on motorways, with lower limits in place and strictly enforced.
Are low-emission zones common on this route?
Low-emission zones (LEZs) are increasingly common in major cities, especially in Germany, France, and Spain. Madrid has its own LEZ. Research specific city regulations before you enter to avoid fines.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, EU Weekly Oil Bulletin for cross-border fuel-price bands, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.