🇪🇸 Spain — truck driving bans 2026
Unlike many of its neighbours, Spain does not close its roads to all heavy goods vehicles at weekends: the basic restriction only targets vehicles carrying dangerous goods. However, certain regions — Catalonia and the Basque Country in particular — add their own rules, sometimes right at the French border. Here are the details.
1. General rule
The basic national ban does not apply to all heavy goods vehicles, but only to those carrying dangerous goods:
☢️Dangerous goods. Vehicles carrying dangerous goods — including empty and uncleaned — are banned from driving on Sundays and public holidays from 08:00 to 24:00, as well as on eves of public holidays from 13:00 to 24:00 (except when that eve falls on a Saturday).
🏙️Madrid and Barcelona. Specific restrictions apply in and around these two cities on Sundays and public holidays.
2. Catalonia and the Basque Country
These two autonomous communities apply their own restrictions and impose mandatory routes (RIMP) for dangerous goods. Click to expand the details:
Basque Country ▾
Mandatory RIMP routes for dangerous goods (enquiries with the Dirección de Tráfico de Euskadi).
HGV traffic over 7.5 t on Sundays and public holidays is only permitted in the France → Spain direction, and only on the "major corridors": the A8 and N1 routes after crossing the French-Spanish border at Biriatou.
Catalonia ▾
Mandatory RIMP routes for dangerous goods (enquiries with the Servei Català de Trànsit).
In the province of Girona, HGV traffic over 7.5 t is banned on the AP7 / E15 in the Spain → France direction, between Agullana and the Col du Perthus, on certain public holidays listed in the French restriction calendar.
3. Public holidays 2026
Below, national public holidays only. Note: Spain has numerous regional and local holidays that vary by autonomous community — check the calendar for the region you are travelling through.
1st January — New Year's Day
6 January — Epiphany
3 April — Good Friday
1st May — Labour Day
15 August — Assumption
12 October — National Day
1st November — All Saints' Day
6 December — Constitution Day
8 December — Immaculate Conception
25 December — Christmas Day
4. Good to know
🚦Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on motorways, 80 km/h on priority roads or dual carriageways, and 70 km/h on other roads.
🛠 Drive with peace of mind, wherever you are in Europe
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