🇪🇸 Same-country drive · Spain
Driving from Valencia to Zaragoza
Essential driving guide for the 317 km route from Valencia to Zaragoza via the A-23, covering mountain terrain and traffic tips.
- Drive time
- 3h 40m
- Distance
- 317 km
- Same day?
- Yes, half day
- under 4 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €36
- petrol · diesel ≈ €33
- Tolls
- ≈ €29
- 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.
Alternative
+38m- Distance:
- 370 km (+53 km)
- Duration:
- 4h 18m
Via: A-23 · N-330 · A-3 · Z-40
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.
3h 40m
317 km · €36 fuel
See details ↓
20h 10m
371 km · Climb 2.610 m
22 km on EV8 Mediterranean Route
See details ↓
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.
5h 2m
RENFE OPERADORA · Renfe Cercanias
See details ↓
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 depart Valencia via the V-21, immediately picking up the A-23 inland as the coastal humidity gives way to the starker, higher elevation of the Aragonese interior. This route tracks the dramatic ascent through the Sierra de Javalambre, a stretch where the gradients require a steady foot and the wind can whip off the surrounding plateaus with surprising force. While the road is modern and well-maintained, the climb out of the Valencian plain is consistent, shifting your driving pace from the relaxed atmosphere of the coast to the more industrial, cross-country rhythm of the A-23.
Traffic intensity drops significantly once you pass Teruel, leaving you with long, sweeping sections of motorway that are often blissfully empty. Keep in mind that Spain maintains a standard motorway limit of 120 km/h, and the Guardia Civil frequently monitors these stretches; with fewer vehicles around, it is easy to let your speedometer creep upward. As you approach the Z-40, the orbital road surrounding Zaragoza, the terrain levels out into the Ebro valley, and the city’s skyline begins to dominate the horizon long before you actually reach the outskirts.
Navigating the approach to Zaragoza is straightforward, though the Z-40 can become quite congested during the morning and evening peaks. Unlike many European neighbours, Spain relies on distance-based motorway tolls rather than a vignette system, so be prepared to grab a ticket or use electronic toll tags if your route diverts onto specific private sections. You will find fuel prices are generally consistent across these provinces, but it is wise to top off in the larger towns before crossing the more isolated, high-altitude passes where service stations become sparse.
Route highlights
- The transition from the coastal climate of Valencia to the rugged, high-altitude terrain of the Sierra de Javalambre
- The long, sweeping vistas of the A-23 past Teruel which offer some of the least congested driving in Spain
- The view of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar as you approach central Zaragoza from the Z-40
- The dramatic elevation change as the road leaves the Mediterranean basin and enters the Ebro valley
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:
- 317 km
- Duration:
- 3h 40m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Teruel 🇪🇸 es
≈106 km≈ 39.8 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-21 Avinguda de Catalunya
Plan for about 18 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-23 Autovía Mudéjar276 km
-
V-21 Avinguda de Catalunya18 km
-
Z-40 Cuarto Cinturón de Zaragoza6 km
-
V-23 —4 km
-
Z-30 Ronda Hispanidad2 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.
- Motorway
- 87%
- Secondary
- 0%
- Other / rural
- 13%
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)
≈ €36
23.8 L × €1.53 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €33
19 L × €1.74 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €36
55 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
≈ €29
- ES — €0.09/km on the motorway network (≈ 317 km in-country ≈ €29) 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.
🇪🇸 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
🇪🇸 Zaragoza
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
12°
4°
|
14°
5°
|
18°
8°
|
22°
10°
|
26°
13°
|
32°
18°
|
34°
20°
|
35°
21°
|
27°
16°
|
23°
14°
|
17°
9°
|
12°
5°
|
| 31mm | 34mm | 58mm | 28mm | 44mm | 48mm | 9mm | 15mm | 57mm | 76mm | 24mm | 25mm |
hot mild cold
Next 5 days at Zaragoza
Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.
-
Sat 16
⛅
18° / 12°
—
-
Sun 17
⛅
24° / 9°
0.7mm
-
Mon 18
☀️
25° / 11°
—
-
Tue 19
☀️
26° / 14°
—
-
Wed 20
☀️
30° / 15°
—
Forecast: MET Norway
Directions
Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.
Show all 14 manoeuvres
- Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges 0.1 km
- Avinguda d'Aragó 0.2 km
- Avinguda de Catalunya (V-21)
- Avinguda de Catalunya (V-21) 18 km
- — 0.7 km
- — 0.3 km
- (V-23) 4 km
- Autovía Mudéjar (A-23) 276 km
- Autovía Mudéjar (A-23) 1.0 km
- Cuarto Cinturón de Zaragoza (Z-40) 6 km
- — 0.2 km
- Ronda Hispanidad (Z-30) 2 km
- Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero
- Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero
Cycling from Valencia to Zaragoza
Touring-pace bicycle route generated by BRouter, with elevation gain and matched against the EuroVelo cycle network.
- Distance
- 371 km
- vs 317 km driving
- Riding time
- 20h 10m
- Touring pace; experienced riders cut this 20–30%.
- Total climb
- ↑ 2.610 m
Routed on the BRouter trekking profile — balanced for paved leisure tourers; gravel and fast-bike profiles produce different lines.
On the EuroVelo network
Sections of this route follow signed EuroVelo cycle routes — well-maintained, signposted, and bike-friendly:
- EV8 Mediterranean Route · 22 km
Total: 22,0 km on EuroVelo (6% of the route).
Show route on map
By train from Valencia to Zaragoza
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
- 5h 2m
- 4 changes
- Lead operator
- RENFE OPERADORA
- + 1 more
- Alternatives
- 5
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- EUROMED 01112
- AVE 03308
All operators across alternatives
- RENFE OPERADORA
- Renfe Cercanias
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 any tolls on the road between Valencia and Zaragoza?
Much of the A-23 is toll-free, but Spain uses distance-based tolls on certain motorways. Ensure you have a payment method ready if your GPS suggests a specific route that diverts from the main A-23 corridor.
What is the best time of day to drive this route?
Mid-morning or early afternoon is ideal. This avoids the heavy commuter traffic around the Valencia metropolitan area and allows you to arrive in Zaragoza before the evening rush hour on the Z-40.
Is the mountain section of the A-23 difficult in winter?
Yes, the route climbs through high altitudes in the Sierra de Javalambre. While the A-23 is prioritised for snow clearance, sudden cold snaps can make these high passes icy, so check local weather reports before departing in the winter months.
How this page is built
Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, BRouter for the bicycle route, EuroVelo GPX (ODbL) by the European Cyclists' Federation for the cycle-network overlay, 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.