🇪🇸 Same-country drive · Spain
Driving from Valencia to Alicante
Road trip guide for driving the 179 km from Valencia to Alicante, covering the A-7 and A-31 routes, local traffic conditions, and regional driving tips.
- Drive time
- 2h 3m
- Distance
- 179 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €21
- petrol · diesel ≈ €18
- Tolls
- ≈ €16
- per-km
- 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
+1h 13m- Distance:
- 189 km (+10 km)
- Duration:
- 3h 16m
Via: N-332 · Carretera de Cartagena a Valencia · CV-5000 · CV-500
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.
What the drive is like
Drafted from the route's computed data on April 25, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.
You clear the Valencia city limits via the V-31, quickly merging into the A-7 as the dense urban sprawl gives way to the vast orange groves and agricultural plains of the interior. The transition from the coastal capital to the inland motorways is straightforward, though you should expect heavy congestion during the morning and evening peaks as commuters move between the regional hubs. Watch your speed as you transition between the A-35 and A-33; these stretches are well-maintained but prone to gusty crosswinds coming off the nearby mountains, which can catch high-profile vehicles off guard. Joining the A-31 for the final push toward the Mediterranean coast, the landscape shifts into the drier, rugged terrain characteristic of the province of Alicante. This route is largely free of the tolls found on some other Spanish motorways, but keep a close eye on the digital signage for speed limit adjustments near Almansa and Elda, where radar enforcement is active. The road quality remains high, consistent with Spain's standard of 120 km/h motorway limits, allowing for a steady rhythm until you descend toward the coast. Approaching Alicante, the traffic volume increases significantly as you near the Costa Blanca resorts. The exit strategy into the city centre requires patience, especially during the summer months when tourist traffic peaks. Ensure you are familiar with your hotel's parking situation, as street parking in the historic port area is limited and strictly monitored. While the drive is relatively short, staying alert for local drivers performing sudden manoeuvres is essential once you hit the suburban belt of the city.
Route highlights
- The transition from the V-31 urban gateway to the A-7 agricultural corridor
- The mountainous landscape near Almansa along the A-33
- The final descent into the Mediterranean coastal basin toward Alicante
- Navigating the historic port area near the Alicante waterfront
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Easy one-day drive
Comfortable as a single day for one driver. Leave after breakfast, arrive with time to settle in.
- Distance:
- 179 km
- Duration:
- 2h 3m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Canals 🇪🇸 es
≈60 km≈ 4.8 km detour from the main route
-
Villena 🇪🇸 es
≈119 km≈ 0.7 km detour from the main route
Key moves
Things to know before you set off — borders, sides of the road, tolls.
Tolls on motorways in 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.
Long rural stretch on V-31 Pista de Silla
Plan for about 13 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
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.
Tolls, vignettes & road payment
Most Spanish tolls were abolished in 2024
TipThe AP-1, AP-7 (Bilbao stretch) and most of the Mediterranean coast highways are now toll-free. A handful remain: AP-9 (Galicia), AP-66 (León–Asturias), Catalonia's C-32/C-16 tunnel approach. Spain is no longer a high-toll country for cars — your fuel + a few specific bridge fees is the realistic budget.
Fuel stations
Off-motorway stations close late evening
TipSpanish provincial fuel stations often close 22:00–07:00, especially in the south. Motorway services (Cepsa, Repsol on the autovía) run 24/7. If you're routing through an Andalusian backroad, fuel before sunset and don't bank on a small-town pump.
Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump
TipMajor brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.
Money & connectivity
EU roaming covers calls, texts and data at no extra cost
TipYour home EU SIM works at home rates across every EU member, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The "fair use" cap on data only applies if you're abroad more than four months. For a 2-week road trip, just use your phone normally — but switch off "data roaming" if you're leaving the EU into UK / CH for any segment.
Emergency & breakdown
112 works everywhere in the EU and continental neighbours
TipSingle number for police, ambulance, fire — works from any phone, any network, any country. On motorways, the orange SOS pillars every 2km connect direct to the regional traffic control centre and pinpoint your location. Use them over your phone if you can — it speeds the response.
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-31 Autovía de Alicante66 km
-
A-7 Autovia de la Mediterrània43 km
-
A-35 Autovia Almansa-Xàtiva33 km
-
A-33 Autovía del Altiplano13 km
-
V-31 Pista de Silla13 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.
- Motorway
- 86%
- Secondary
- 0%
- Other / rural
- 14%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Easy
Straightforward drive. One driver, one day, little to worry about beyond fuel and a toilet stop.
- No major complicating factors — motorway-heavy, single country, comfortable length.
Fuel & tolls
Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.
Petrol (RON 95)
≈ €21
13.4 L × €1.54 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €18
10.7 L × €1.72 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €20
31 kWh × €0.64 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km
Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.
Motorway tolls & vignettes
≈ €16
- ES — €0.09/km on the motorway network (≈ 179 km in-country ≈ €16) Toll-free on the A-network; charged only on AP roads.
Prices last refreshed 2026-05-11.
Weather by month
Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.
🇪🇸 Valencia
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
17°
8°
|
17°
8°
|
20°
10°
|
22°
12°
|
24°
15°
|
28°
20°
|
31°
23°
|
32°
23°
|
27°
20°
|
25°
17°
|
21°
12°
|
17°
8°
|
| 14mm | 23mm | 62mm | 10mm | 35mm | 15mm | 17mm | 19mm | 105mm | 114mm | 44mm | 45mm |
hot mild cold
🇪🇸 Alicante
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
18°
9°
|
17°
9°
|
20°
11°
|
21°
13°
|
23°
16°
|
28°
21°
|
30°
24°
|
31°
24°
|
27°
21°
|
25°
18°
|
22°
13°
|
18°
9°
|
| 9mm | 16mm | 56mm | 16mm | 37mm | 14mm | 11mm | 13mm | 47mm | 61mm | 5mm | 30mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Alicante
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Thu 21
☀️
26° / 17°
—
-
Fri 22
☀️
27° / 19°
—
-
Sat 23
☀️
25° / 19°
—
-
Sun 24
☀️
26° / 18°
—
-
Mon 25
⛅
28° / 19°
—
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 17 manoeuvres
- Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges 0.1 km
- Avinguda d'Ausiàs March 1 km
- Avinguda d'Ausiàs March (V-31) 0.1 km
- Pista de Silla (V-31) 13 km
- Autovia de la Mediterrània (A-7) 43 km
- Autovia Almansa-Xàtiva (A-35) 21 km
- Autovía Almansa-Xàtiva (A-35) 12 km
- Autovía del Altiplano (A-33) 13 km
- — 3 km
- Autovía de Alicante (A-31) 20 km
- Autovía de Alicante (A-31) 45 km
- — 0.5 km
- Carrer de Mèxic
- Autovía de Alicante (A-31) 0.5 km
- —
- Bulevard Far de l'Illa de Tabarca
- Plaça de l'Ajuntament
By coach from Valencia to Alicante
Indicative duration of the fastest direct long-distance coach found in the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus EU schedules.
- Travel time
- 2h 30m
- Direct
- Operator
- FlixBus-eu
- Departures / day
- ~1
- Approximate based on the published schedule.
Show coach corridor on map
Schedules sourced from the FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus GTFS feeds via transport.data.gouv.fr. Times are indicative; verify on the operator's site before booking.
Booking link coming soon.
By train from Valencia to Alicante
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
- 2h 47m
- 2 changes
- Lead operator
- RENFE OPERADORA
- Alternatives
- 2
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- EUROMED 01101
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
Are there tolls on the drive from Valencia to Alicante?
No, the primary route using the A-7 and A-31 does not require payment of motorway tolls.
What is the speed limit on these motorways?
The standard speed limit on Spanish motorways is 120 km/h, though you must observe all local signs for reduced limits near interchanges and urban areas.
Is driving into the centre of Alicante difficult?
The city centre can be congested and parking is limited. It is highly recommended to secure accommodation with private parking or use designated public parking garages.
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, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.