To Toll or Not to Toll

We are currently on an extended European Motorhome Tour , something we have done quite a few times over the last five years. It used to be for longer but now that the U.K. is no longer part of the Schengen Region, limitations apply. You will see how I neatly danced around the new travel limitations for us without mentioning the B word. This is deliberate , we have our private thoughts on the issue but that’s where we prefer them to stay.

This trip has involved us driving through France , Spain , Portugal and more recently back into Northern Spain and as I write we’re nestled nicely in the Picos National Park .

All these countries operate toll roads with varied levels of costs associated. Traditionally France has been the most expensive option in relation to Tolls, but it also has the best non toll road options in relation to routes and road conditions. Spain has a good road network, the Tolls aren’t as expensive and has recently decommissioned large parts of its toll road network, specially the AP7 sections which make travel to the Costa’s a little more affordable . Portugal has beautifully constructed toll roads which are not as cheap as Spain but save per mile more time on travel than its Iberian neighbour and the alternative non toll roads count as the worst in Europe in places.

We are often asked about our use of toll roads and this seems to be a question of interest which sparks debate. Raise the question on any Facebook Motorhome Forum and you are bound to be besieged with passionate partisan responses, sometimes forcefully, asserting an opinion in a style as seems the norm on that social media platform. But nevertheless the interest in this subject remains and we have been asked several times on this trip whether toll roads are worth it and how much does it cost.

In less turbulent times , where prices of fuel were more stable, the decision to toll or not to toll was much less complicated. Simply put tolls could add costs to your travel , but can save time. You might value the time saved by using toll roads in reaching your destination or you might enjoy the slower routes , exploring more of the countries rural attributes.

However a combination of war in the Ukraine , travellers reduced time frames, recession caused by economics and pandemics have all led to increased prices and reduced spending on the road networks by varying governments, which have led to a different set of circumstances requiring different considerations.

It should be pointed out that in some cases vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and over 3.2m high sometimes have problems being classified as Class 2 Camping Cars on the French toll roads and this needs a confident press on the intercom and negotiation with the service operator , but those under 3.5T can benefit from the toll chip. These are available in the U.K via a company called Emovis and there is one chip for France and one for Spain/Portugal. The link is here https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/
Vehicles over 3.5T, are also being excluded from some of the non toll routes due to emission restrictions depending on the vehicles emissions rating , which might make the toll roads the best practical option in some parts of France. They may also require a Crit Aire Certificate in certain zones , more information here - https://uk.france.fr/en/paris/article/critair-anti-pollution-vehicle-sticker .

So having outlined the issues, this has been our view of whether to toll or not to toll , with considerations being different for each of the three countries we have travelled through . Our vehicle is over 3.5 t with a Euro 6 Engine and whilst needing a Crit Aire Certificate (see above) , it is not excluded extensively from zones in Europe , yet.

In France toll roads are expensive, and cover large parts of the journey especially if you are transiting to Spain. However despite adding some time to the journey, good quality non toll roads , often paralleling the Toll Roads themselves are available. If you have the time, there is the opportunity to save pounds(euro’s) , travelling on enjoyable non toll routes. In France we set the Sat Nav to avoid Toll Routes with the odd exception and enjoy the ride. The exceptions to the rule this year were made due to fuel cost considerations . This is where using toll roads was clearly going to save considerable fuel and time combined , thereby due to the increased costs in fuel , using certain short sections of toll road became attractive. Costs in tolls can be calculated here https://www.sanef.com/en/my-journey/price-of-my-journey .

In Spain the decommissioning of large parts the AP7 and the poor quality of the alternative routes in places , which also added time & mileage, led us to use the toll roads extensively.

In Portugal the toll roads are not busy , superbly maintained and in the large part time saving. Fuel costs in Portugal where also higher than Spain. Our view in Portugal was to use the toll roads unless you wanted to have the fillings shaken from your teeth and loose every screw and rivet in your motorhome.

Whilst this still remains a ‘costs v time’ consideration, built around individual circumstances , the costs of fuel have altered the dynamics of the decision making process for us. In some cases now, the non toll roads do not represent the best value of money as toll road costs are dwarfed by fuel costs. The lack of repair to some of the roads in Portugal in particular will mean that the journey time may be stretched and more uncomfortable.

We hope that by sharing our considerations and decisions it help you shape your own decision making on this subject.

Happy travels Helen and Martin