🇪🇸 Same-country drive · Spain
Driving from Zaragoza to Alicante
A practical guide for driving from the historic heart of Zaragoza to the Mediterranean coast of Alicante via the A-23 and A-31.
- Drive time
- 5h 30m
- Distance
- 472 km
- Same day?
- Yes, doable
- under 8 h
- Fuel cost
- ≈ €55
- petrol · diesel ≈ €49
- Tolls
- ≈ €43
- 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
+5m- Distance:
- 498 km (+26 km)
- Duration:
- 5h 36m
Via: A-23 · A-7 · A-31 · A-35
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.
5h 30m
472 km · €55 fuel
See details ↓
Not realistic
472 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.
5h 28m
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 Zaragoza by catching the A-23 south, leaving the flat Ebro basin behind as the landscape begins to harden into the rugged, arid terrain of Aragon. The drive is a study in shifting topography, transitioning from the quiet, high-altitude plains of the interior into the scrub-covered mountain corridors that lead toward the Mediterranean coast. Watch your speedometer as you merge; Spanish authorities strictly enforce the motorway limit of 120 km/h, and speed cameras are common on stretches where the road dips into valleys near Teruel. By the time you transition onto the A-31, the environment shifts noticeably, with the dry, continental heat of the interior giving way to the humid, saline air of the Valencian Community.
The route is straightforward but demands attention during the final approach to the coast. You will find that the traffic density increases significantly once you pass through the inland industrial hubs and approach the coastal plain, as local commuters merge with tourists heading toward the Costa Blanca. While Spanish motorways remain toll-free for the vast majority of this path, be prepared for heavy truck traffic on the A-31, which serves as a major artery between Madrid, Valencia, and the southern ports. Overtaking requires patience here, as the long-haul freight often bunched up in the right lanes makes for a slow climb over the final ridges before the descent into Alicante begins.
Driving in Spain requires a relaxed approach to the clock, especially when timing your arrival in a city as popular as Alicante. The port city can be notoriously difficult to navigate in the late afternoon, with narrow streets and aggressive local traffic patterns that stand in contrast to the wide, open motorways you have just traversed. If you are arriving during the summer months, remember that the sun hangs low and bright over the windscreen during the late afternoon hours on the final stretch into the city, so keep your sunglasses handy and ensure your coolant levels are topped up before you leave Zaragoza, as the mountain sections can tax older engines.
Route highlights
- The transition from the Ebro River Valley to the rugged terrain of the Teruel province
- The sweeping views of the Mediterranean coastline during the descent into the Alicante basin
- Navigating the historic, narrow port-side streets of Alicante upon arrival
Trip plan
How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.
Long day — start early
Doable in one day but it is a full day behind the wheel. Start before 9am, plan one proper lunch stop, keep the driver rested.
- Distance:
- 472 km
- Duration:
- 5h 30m (free-flow, no traffic)
Where to stop
Places along the route that make natural breaks for coffee, lunch, or a night.
-
Utiel 🇪🇸 es
≈236 km≈ 41.7 km detour from the main route
-
Ayora 🇪🇸 es
≈354 km≈ 2.2 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 N-330
Plan for about 76 km of two-lane country roads. Slower than motorway, but often the pretty part — fewer overtakes after dark.
Long rural stretch on N-330 Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza
Plan for about 33 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.
-
N-330 Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza188 km
-
A-23 Autovía Mudéjar157 km
-
A-31 Autovía de Alicante91 km
-
N-3 —10 km
-
N-420 —4 km
-
N-234 —3 km
Route character
How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.
Mixed motorway + secondary — varied pace, some scenic stretches.
- Motorway
- 53%
- Secondary
- 45%
- Other / rural
- 2%
Drive difficulty
At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?
Overall
Moderate
Manageable but pay attention — long enough that a second driver or a planned lunch break is smart.
- About 181 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)
≈ €55
35.4 L × €1.54 / L · 7.5 L/100 km
Diesel
≈ €49
28.3 L × €1.72 / L · 6 L/100 km
Electric (DC fast)
≈ €53
83 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
≈ €43
- ES — €0.09/km on the motorway network (≈ 472 km in-country ≈ €43) 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.
🇪🇸 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
🇪🇸 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 39 manoeuvres
- Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero 1 km
- Paseo de María Agustín 0.2 km
- Rotonda Ciudad de Toulouse
- Rotonda Ciudad de Toulouse
- Vía Ibérica 2 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 3 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330)
- — 0.1 km
- — 0.2 km
- Autovía Mudéjar (A-23) 157 km
- (N-420)
- (N-420) 4 km
- (N-234) 3 km
- (N-330) 25 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 5 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 33 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 9 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 16 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330) 23 km
- (N-3) 0.1 km
- (N-3) 3 km
- —
- (N-3) 0.2 km
- (N-3) 4 km
- (N-3)
- (N-3) 2 km
- (N-3)
- Calle Camino del Pontón
- (N-330) 76 km
- Carretera de Alicante a Francia por Zaragoza (N-330)
- —
- Autovía de Alicante (A-31) 46 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 train from Zaragoza 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
- 5h 28m
- 4 changes
- Lead operator
- RENFE OPERADORA
- + 1 more
- Alternatives
- 6
- Itineraries returned by the planner.
Trains on the fastest itinerary
- AVE 03112
- AVE 05742
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 this route?
The route from Zaragoza to Alicante via the A-23 and A-31 currently consists of toll-free motorway sections, making it a very economical drive compared to routes in Northern Spain.
What is the best time of day to arrive in Alicante?
Try to avoid arriving during the mid-to-late afternoon peak hours. Alicante's city center can become quite congested, and finding parking near the beach areas is significantly easier during the morning or late evening.
Is the route mountain-heavy?
You will encounter significant elevation changes as you traverse the interior of Spain, particularly between Zaragoza and the border of the Valencian Community. While these are not high-altitude Alpine passes, they are winding, arid stretches that require steady focus.
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.