Castles & Palaces
Aljaferia Palace, Zaragoza
A magnificent 11th-century Moorish palace in Aragon, the northernmost example of Hispano-Muslim architecture in Spain.
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Road trip route · Spain
Madrid to Barcelona drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 6 hr 51 min
- Distance
- 617 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €68
- Tolls (est.)
- €16
The Madrid to Barcelona drive
The drive from Madrid to Barcelona covers 383 miles (617 km) and takes about 6 hr 51 min without stops. That's a long day, but doable in one go with a couple of proper breaks. If you'd rather split it, Zaragoza is about halfway.
About 51% of it is on the A-2, and most of the rest on the AP-2 and the AP-7. On the way you go past Alcalá de Henares, Calatayud and Vilafranca del Penedès, and you'll be near Zaragoza roughly 3 h 29 min in.
There's real climbing in this one: the road gets up to roughly 1,180 m, with something like 1,881 m of ascent over the whole drive.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €68 one-way plus roughly €16 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 383 miles this is longer than 90% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Split across 2 days it works out at about 3.4 hours behind the wheel each day, which leaves most of the daylight for the places in between.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartMadrid
- 33 kmAlcalá de Henares22 min in
- 231 kmCalatayud2 h 34 min ingood place to stop
- 314 kmZaragoza3 h 29 min ingood place to stop
- 564 kmVilafranca del Penedès6 h 16 min ingood place to stop
- 593 kmRubí6 h 35 min in
- 617 kmBarcelona
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A-2317 km · 51%
- AP-2216 km · 35%
- AP-749 km · 8%
Best stops between Madrid and Barcelona
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Cathedrals & Temples
Basilica del Pilar
A vast riverside basilica bristling with tiled domes and towers, Spain's great Marian shrine reflected in the Ebro at Zaragoza.
Ancient Ruins
Tarragona Roman Amphitheatre
A seaside Roman amphitheatre overlooking the Mediterranean, centrepiece of one of Spain's great Roman cities.
Landmarks
Ferrari Land
Europe's first Ferrari-branded theme park at PortAventura with the continent's tallest and fastest vertical accelerator.
Landmarks
PortAventura World
Spain's most visited theme park on the Costa Dorada featuring themed areas inspired by world civilizations.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Spain
- Motorway
- 120 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autopistas de peaje (AP roads)
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
Low-emission zones: ZBE (Zonas de Bajas Emisiones) - national rollout.
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Madrid to Barcelona FAQs
How long is the drive from Madrid to Barcelona?
Driving from Madrid to Barcelona takes about 6 hr 51 min nonstop, covering 383 miles (617 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Madrid to Barcelona?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €68 one-way. Expect around €16 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Madrid to Barcelona in one day?
Yes, though it's a long day: about 6 hr 51 min of driving. Plenty of people do it in one go with two or three proper breaks; if you'd rather split it, Zaragoza is about halfway.
Which roads do you take from Madrid to Barcelona?
The fastest route uses the A-2 (about 317 km), the AP-2 (about 216 km), the AP-7 (about 49 km). It passes Alcalá de Henares, Calatayud, Zaragoza, Vilafranca del Penedès.
Where should I stop on the way from Madrid to Barcelona?
If you stop every couple of hours, Calatayud comes up about 2 h in, and Zaragoza comes up about 4 h in, and Vilafranca del Penedès comes up about 6 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 16 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Madrid and Barcelona?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Aljaferia Palace, Zaragoza, Basilica del Pilar, Tarragona Roman Amphitheatre: see the full list of 5 stops on this page.
More drives from Madrid & Barcelona
Barcelona → ValenciaBordeaux → BarcelonaLondon → BarcelonaMadrid → BilbaoMadrid → GranadaMadrid → LisbonMadrid → MalagaMadrid → SevilleMadrid → ValenciaParis → Barcelona
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Spain road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Spain guide.