Using Toll-Roads in Spain
 

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?

2. How does one pay at the booth, do they accept credit cards?

Thanks....

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)
Beware some are manned and some are not.

1. Most maps show toll roads in a slightly darker color than the free freeways.
On the national motorway network in Spain, 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.
But all toll roads are identified also by an identical sign which is a red circle filled white with a bar across in the center and the word "Peaje" written.
On the highway it would look like this:
http://cdn.20minutos.es/img2/recorte...67-600-399.jpg

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.

http://www.aseta.es/Eng/index.php?Seccion=toll_payment

Here you are this should help and yes you can pay with cc at some booths

From Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highways_in_Spain
this explains the road numbering system. It is confusing.
Top tip::::: have a loose change ready for the tolls in a small bag or box in the glove box. The passenger can then sort out the money required easier than the driver::::
Note most times you have to take a ticket when entering atoll road. Sometimes not and then you just pay a flat toll.
Never use the lane nearest the centre reservation as this is reserved for vehicles with automatic passes. Green arrows usually indicate which booths are open.

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.

Actually, even most secondary roads in Spain are very nice, especially in the countryside where you will find very little traffic, good pavement and unique scenery and quaint towns.

And don't forget that the price of the tolls have go up dramatically in some locations. It costs €11,75 to drive on the toll road (shortest route) from Bilbao to Haro. You can save €4 by getting off the highway a little earlier, but then you run into a lot of truck traffic.

The only credit cards accepted are those with 'pin and chip'.

I would plan to use cash; even if you have one of the extremely-rare-in-the-US chip AND pin cards (even if your CC card has a chip), I wouldn't count on it working in ANY automated booth of ANY sort in Spain (or France or Germany, we have found)--or in any gas station. Not for tolls, not for train or metro tickets, not for audio guides in museums, not for some gas stations, etc. Just don't risk depending on your CC while traveling for tickets/etc. We have never had any problem using CC's at hotels, restaurants, and for "bigger" purchases, including at most grocery stores, but for automated things (and even at manned toll booths) we have almost always had to resort to cash.

Read the suggestions above about which lanes to take, but plan to have enough cash to cover tolls AND some emergency gas if you run low and CC happens not to work. Better safe than sorry.

You can always pay for your fuel with a credit card if you go to the register in the store. First you fill the tank and then pay for it inside. It makes it easy to keep track of my travel expenses.

Never had any problems with paying for fuel with a CC. If the pumps are unattended (most are attended) then fill up and walk to the shop and pay. They will not know what you are going to use cash or CC before you produce it out of your wallet.

many places you pay before you pump, also.

Thanks for your suggestions so far.... Still learning it...