Álava sets the AP-68 toll between 0.30 and 11.45 euros per trip

The Foral Government Council of the Provincial Council of Álava has approved the initial amount of the toll for the use of the AP-68 highway in the section running through the Historical Territory of Álava, with rates ranging between 0.30 and 11.45 euros per trip depending on the origin, destination, and vehicle category. The decision is formalized in Foral Decree 41/2026, of November 5, published in the Official Gazette of the Historical Territory of Álava (BOTHA) number 129, of November 9, 2026, within section I (official reference 2026-03222). The regulation comes into force on November 11, 2026.

The decree develops Foral Rule 21/2026, of October 28, which regulates the implementation of a pay-per-use system on high-capacity roads of the Historical Territory of Álava (BOTHA number 125, of October 30, 2026), which established the essential elements of the toll and referred the approval of its initial amount and subsequent updates to the Foral Government Council. The regulatory competence is based on article 7.2 of Foral Rule 10/2023, of March 15, on the government, organization, and legal regime of the Provincial Council of Álava, and the text has the favorable opinion of the Consultative Commission of the Foral Administration of Álava, issued on November 3, 2026.

The scope is the Álava section of the highway, comprised between the provincial border of Bizkaia (P. K. 22.38) and the provincial border of Burgos (P. K. 77.60). On the AP-68, both light and heavy vehicles are subject to the toll, unlike other tollable high-capacity roads, where only the transport of goods is taxed.

Rates by vehicle category

The amounts are expressed in euros including VAT and are organized in an origin-destination matrix among the six access and exit points considered. Full journeys between provincial borders are the most expensive:

• Category 2 heavy vehicles: from 1.05 to 11.45 euros; the Bizkaia Border-Burgos Border trip costs 11.45 euros.
• Category 1 heavy vehicles: from 0.90 to 9.90 euros; the Ribabellosa-Zambrana route is 0.90 euros.
• Light vehicles: from 0.30 to 3.35 euros; the Ribabellosa-Zambrana section costs 0.30 euros and the full journey, 3.35 euros.

Implementation will be progressive. In this first phase, the amounts correspond only to the infrastructure cost component, and the incorporation of new tariff differentiations will be made as the technological identification system advances and in accordance with European regulations.

Six subsections and exemption in Ziorraga-Altube

The decree structures the Álava section into six subsections with distances considered for the calculation:

• Bizkaia-Ziorraga border: 7.0 kilometers.
• Ziorraga-Altube: 7.1 kilometers.
• Altube-Subijana: 17.6 kilometers.
• Subijana-Ribabellosa: 14.7 kilometers.
• Ribabellosa-Zambrana: 3.8 kilometers.
• Zambrana-Burgos border: 5.1 kilometers.

The Ziorraga-Altube route is exempt for heavy vehicles of categories 1 and 2, while light vehicles pay 0.50 euros for the same stretch. The application of the fee will be carried out without direct or indirect discrimination based on nationality, country of establishment, registration, or origin of transport, and sufficient publicity will be given to the amounts and conditions.

Possible postponement until June 2027

The sole transitional provision allows for the fee not to be temporarily required between November 11, 2026, and June 1, 2027, on those routes where collection cannot be guaranteed due to toll adaptation works, in consideration of network functionality and road safety. The specific determination of the affected routes and vehicles will correspond to a provincial order from the first deputy general and provincial deputy of the Department of Sustainable Mobility and Road Infrastructure, Jon Nogales Prieto. The decree bears the signature of the general deputy, Ramiro González Vicente, and its content will be communicated to the General Assemblies of Álava.

The fee is justified by the imminent reversion of the highway and by the principles of “user pays” and “polluter pays,” with the aim of financing the collection system, the maintenance of the infrastructure, and improvement actions for the provincial road network. For transporters and drivers crossing Álava, the measure represents a new and direct cost on the main corridor toward Bizkaia and Burgos, partially mitigated by the Ziorraga-Altube exemption and the planned postponement margin during the works.

Source: Official Gazette of the Historical Territory of Álava, number 129, of November 9, 2026, section I (official reference: 2026-03222).