Portugal to Make A25 Completely Toll-Free in April 2026; Locals on A2/A6 and Freight on A41/A19/A8 Also Win Waivers

Next spring, many motorists will notice thinner wallets at the toll plazas—unless they’re on certain stretches of the national network. Lawmakers in Lisbon have greenlit a package of exemptions that wipe out fees on key corridors, aim to ease cross-border trade and grant locals a break.

Highlights at a glance

• Complete fee removal: A25 becomes toll-free end to end

• Local discounts: Select segments of the A2 and A6 open up for nearby residents and firms

• Freight relief: Heavy trucks no longer pay on A41-CREP, plus parts of A19 and A8

• Budget impact: Up to €100 M in lost revenue, with €17.9 M hit for 2026 after adjustments

Background: Why Portagens Are Shifting

Portugal’s motorway charges—portagens—have long balanced road upkeep with user fees. However, political pressure to invigorate inland districts and border towns prompted the Assembleia da República to tweak the 2026 Budget. The result is a targeted rollback of tolls, designed to stimulate commerce in traditionally overlooked regions and reduce haulage costs for exporters.

A25 Goes Fully Toll-Free

Stretching from Aveiro’s coastal docks to Vilar Formoso on the Spanish frontier, the A25 corridor will lose its last paid segment. Until now, a small toll section near Guarda remained. From April 2026, drivers will glide through the region without any charge, creating an uninterrupted route across central Portugal. Local businesses near civil parishes such as Mangualde and Celorico da Beira anticipate new visitor flows thanks to unhampered mobility.

Selective Waivers for A2 and A6

Rather than blanket abolition, the government opted for zonal relief on the Lisbon–Alentejo (A2) and Lisbon–Spain (A6) highways. Only those with registered addresses or active companies in designated zonas de influência qualify. The cuts apply to:

• A6: Junction with A2/A13 down to Caia (border post)

• A2: Same starting point stretching south to Almodôvar

This measure balances support for frontier communities with fiscal prudence, capping the 2026 toll loss at €17.9 M (including €3.3 M VAT) for the April–December window.

Heavy Freight Benefits on A41-CREP, A19 and A8

Under a separate amendment, all veículos pesados will travel free on Porto’s outer ring road (A41-CREP) and on strategic stretches of the A19 and A8 around Leiria. Logistics firms serving the textile, paper and automotive clusters here expect significant cost savings, lowering transport fees by an estimated 15–20% per delivery.

Counting the Cost: Budgetary Consequences

The government’s technical advisers at UTAO warn that the shortfall will grow after 2026. While €17.9 M is the initial hit, the full-year impact of A2 and A6 relief reaches €23.8 M (including €4.5 M VAT). Once the A25 waiver and heavy-vehicle concessions fully roll out, total losses could near €100 M annually. Still, policymakers argue the long-term economic uplift—from higher cross-border trade with Spain to more vibrant interior markets—will outweigh the immediate fiscal gap.

What Drivers Need to Know

Registration opens January 2026 via the official online portal.

Exemptions kick in around April, after a 90-day regulatory setup.

Unregistered users face no retroactive bills, but prompt enrollment ensures seamless Via Verde statements.

By reconfiguring tolls on these six motorways, Lisbon hopes to forge a fairer road network—one that recognizes both Portugal’s coastal hubs and its often-overlooked heartland.