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Driving from Madrid to Barcelona - northern or southern route?

Posted by on

I'm renting a car and driving from Madrid to Barcelona. There are two routes I could take and I'm curious if anyone has opinions:

A northern route through Zaragoza takes about 6 hrs 30 mins according to Google
or
A southern route through Valencia takes about 7 hrs 15 minutes according to Google

The southern route follows the coast from Valencia up to Barcelona, which could be scenic, but not sure it's worth the extra 45 minutes? As we are doing this in one day, we'd only be able to stop for lunch on the way.

Ultimately, I'm asking if the Valencia route would be much more scenic and worth the extra time. Otherwise, I'd take the shorter option.

Posted by
7162 posts

Take the northern route. The only way the route between Valencia and Barcelona would be scenic is if you stayed partly off the interstate (E15/AP7). That route, mostly on the N340, is slower and would only add more time to an already long driving day.

I will add that it’s a shame you have to make the drive in one day as there are plenty of places worth visiting en route.

Posted by
7304 posts

The route via Zaragoza is much better both from a scenery and a driving time standpoint. Between Guadalajara and Zaragoza, the highway is really quite deserted and starkly beautiful. Also, just before Lleida, you should leave the toll AP-2 highway and take the A-2 instead. Just as fast, free, and prettier.

Now...why are you renting a car to get from Madrid to Barcelona? The train takes 2.5 hours and is cheaper if it's 1 or 2 of you.

Posted by
4180 posts

If you do not have any nights to spare on the road trip then I'd opt for the northern route and stopping in Zaragoza for lunch on the way.

May I ask why are you planning to drive from Madrid to Barcelona? Would not the high speed train be faster, cheaper, and less of a hassle, especially with the new low-cost AVLO service?

Gasoline prices are skyrocketing in Spain these days, around $7 USD per gallon.

Posted by
9 posts

Thanks for the feedback on the northern route!

As to why am I driving: My family (2 adults, 2 kids) are going on a 2 month trip all over Europe. We debated taking trains, but decided it would be better to drive for the following reasons:
- With 2 kids and 5 large suitcases, it would be easier to pack/unpack and get to our stops via a car than doing that with trains and ubers/taxis.
- With all the uncertainty around COVID and increasing cases in different countries, transporting ourselves would be a little safer than taking trains everywhere.
- We are staying 5-7 nights per stop and plan to do day trips. A car gives us more flexibility.

My daughter and I did 3 weeks in the UK this past November and rented a car there too. I was surprised how easy it was to get around with Google Maps as our guide. I drove around France and Italy 15+ years ago but it was a pain without GPS/Google Maps.

Ultimately, we are trading off speed of transit for ease of transporting luggage, less COVID risk, and flexibility.

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