Have You Heard Of Operación Salida? Driving In Spain During The Summer Exodus

If you’re living in Spain right now then you may notice that there are more cars on the road than ever before. You’re not imagining things!  Every year Spain experiences a week which is referred to as the ‘summer exodus’ where people escape the heat of the country’s big cities and head to the cooler coast and mountains instead.

With so many people moving around the country at the same time, this can lead to traffic jams and other problems on the roads. There will be millions of people on the roads and highways of Spain this August.

So what can you do to avoid the traffic? And what do you need to know?

Understanding Operacion Salida

Operacion Salida is the name given to this mass road trip that takes place in Spain every summer. It involved millions of people and tends to be worse around the most popular coastal areas of the country.

There are several times of the summer when Operacion Salida is in force: these are the last few days of July, the first days of August, the public holiday on August 15^th, and the end of August when everyone returns to their homes and back to school and work.

Sometimes traffic jams are unavoidable with this sheer volume of traffic on the roads. And there’s nothing worse than being stuck in a car on a hot day for hours on end. But the good news is that there are some tips and tricks that you can try to avoid the worst of the traffic jams.

Travel At Quieter Times

The roads are at their busiest during the first few days of August according to Spain's General Directorate of Traffic (DGT). This national authority predicts that there will be around 48.3 million trips on Spanish roads throughout the month of August this year.

Delaying your trip by a day or two is one of the best ways to avoid the worst of the traffic. For 2024 the worst days to travel were 31^st July  and 1^st August. The weekend of August 2^nd to August 4^th was also very busy. The DGT advised motorists not to take the roads on these days – but the sheer volume of traffic on the roads shows that advice wasn’t taken!

Looking forward, you should try to avoid being on the roads on Thursday August 15th (a national holiday across Spain) and the following day Friday 16th. Then again at the end of the month when people return to their homes after their summer break. The worst days will be between Friday August 30th to Sunday September 1st, which will see the biggest number of cars on the roads returning to the cities.

Stay Informed

You can stay informed about where and when the worst of the traffic and any accidents are by following the live traffic information on the DGT website.

Spanish traffic authorities will add additional lanes during peak rush hour times, halt all road construction work and prevent slow vehicles such as lorries from driving during these periods of heavy traffic. They will also announce this on their website.

Knowledge is power, so knowing when and where these measures are being put in place will help you to make informed decisions.

Download Your Preferred Traffic App

There are a range of traffic apps available in Spain that will keep you updated with any accidents and traffic hotspots in real time. These apps can also warn of police controls and steer you away from motorway tolls or locate the best-priced fuel on your route.

Google Maps  - is a great choice for real time traffic information and getting faster routes.

Waze – is considered the best app for Operacion Salida as the information is user generated, meaning users can share accidents, police check points, and anything else that impacts their journey.

RACC – With minute-by-minute traffic updates this app allows you to plan your journey in real time to beat the traffic. It will even tell you the best time to leave your home to minimize your journey time!

Via Michelin – If you want to avoid road tolls then this is the best app to choose to plan your route. You can also use it to calculate how much fuel you need and the cheapest place to buy it on the way.

How Do The Authorities Prepare For Operacion Salida?

That noise you keep hearing overhead? It’s traffic helicopters and drones patrolling the skies. These patrol over the busiest roads in the country as a safety measure, looking for  dangerous driving, traffic accidents and tailbacks. 

The drones are equipped with cameras to beam live footage back to road traffic monitors who will use the information to alert ground patrols to traffic problems such as accidents.

You’ll also find a higher police presence on the roads during this time. The Civil Guard have said there will be more patrol cars out on the roads during the busiest periods of Operacion Salida and at peak times leaving beach resorts.

Be prepared to be asked to present your driving documentations and make sure you drive safely to minimize your risk of being stopped at all. This means watching your speed and always obeying the speed limits. Never drink and drive, and check your car before you leave the house – check your tyre pressure and your water levels too.

Always wear your seat belt and remember that the journey is a part of your trip and a part of the adventure. So take regular breaks to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. This will prevent tiredness and help to keep you safe on the roads.

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