As the Christmas holidays get underway, roads across Spain are set to witness heavy traffic, with millions fleeing big cities to reunite with families.
In Andalucia alone, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) is expecting more than five million car journeys up until January 6.
The body warns that the sheer scale of movement across the region will require heightened caution from drivers and careful planning to avoid the worst congestion points.
The increase in traffic will not be evenly spread, however. Long-distance journeys will overlap with short trips to second homes, shopping outings and travel to winter tourism destinations – a combination that traditionally puts strain on key routes, particularly at weekends and on public holidays.
A three-stage traffic operation
The DGT’s special Christmas traffic plan will be rolled out in three main phases, each with its own pressure points:
Christmas period (up to December 25): almost 1.9 million journeys, with the heaviest traffic expected on routes leaving major cities.
New Year period (December 26 to January 1): the busiest phase, with traffic volumes approaching two million journeys.
Epiphany/Three Kings (January 2 to 6): more than 1.2 million trips, many of them concentrated returns in a short time window.
Authorities warn that the most precarious moments will be departure and return rushes, particularly in the late afternoon and evening, when family celebrations and leisure travel collide.
Roads most at risk of congestion
Traffic officials have identified a number of routes likely to experience significant delays or incidents due to their capacity, location and links to tourist and metropolitan areas.
Among the most sensitive roads are:
- A-4 and N-4 (Madrid–Cádiz corridor)
- A-92 and A-92M, the backbone of internal travel across Andalucía
- A-7 and AP-7 along the coast, especially busy with tourist traffic
- A-49, the main route to Huelva and Portugal
- A-45 and A-44, key access roads to the Costa del Sol and Sierra Nevada
- A-66 (Ruta de la Plata) for north–south travel
- A-357 and MA-20 around metropolitan Málaga
- AP-4, often heavily congested on routes to the Cádiz coast
Traffic chiefs also warn that the secondary road network, particularly routes serving rural areas, holiday destinations and second homes, carries higher risk due to lower capacity and interaction with local traffic.
Round-the-clock monitoring
Throughout the holiday period, traffic monitoring will operate 24 hours a day, with Guardia Civil traffic officers, control centres in Sevilla and Malaga, helicopters and drones all deployed to keep watch on critical stretches.
The aim, authorities say, is to spot problems early and prevent minor accidents or breakdowns from escalating into major tailbacks.
Drivers are being urged to plan journeys in advance, avoid peak travel times where possible, check road conditions before setting off and exercise particular caution at night and in potentially adverse weather conditions.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
