In June we intend to take the ferry to Santander and drive (in a British registered car) to Lagos. I have been looking at various routes. We will arrive at 8 o'clock in the morning and I am looking at only 1 stop over at a nice hotel after 7 to 7.5hrs. We want to get to our destination as quickly as possible. The Michelin route planner shows various roadworks on the A62/A66.
Question is: Should we cross the border at Vilar Formoso, Badajoz or drive all the way down to Ayamonte via Seville? We want to take the fasted and most painless route. We are happy to pay for the tolls. If anyone has travelled recently to the UK I would appreciate your advice/recommendations. Thank you.

According to ViaMichelin very little in it in time or money but Badajoz route is much shorter distance.

I prefer the safer full motorway option via Seville for a long drive.

Do the Seville route - more relaxing driving . Try an overnight in Merida, wonderful 'place to visit

After trying several routes to the West coast, I found it better to drive through Badajoz.
But it's been some years since I drove through.

Also Salamanca, Plasencia and Cáceres‎ all possible interesting stops.

Use route on https://geoportalgasolineras.es/geop...aciones/Inicio to find cheapest fuel.

Hi

Would agree with the above driving route having driven down 5 times and going via Obidos on one ocassion.. Salamanca and Caceres are both great places to stop.

If you do go via Portugal, you will need to either get a transponder ordered or stop at the area where you can get a monthly ticket for using on the toll motorways. Make sure that the correct registration number has been printed correctly on it as the ANPR cameras are a bit suspect reading UK number plaates as said, it only lasts for 30 days.

If you use a motorway with barriers in Portugal, you must stop at the barrier and pay / insert your credit card. The paper ticket does not allow you to just drive through the electronic lanes.(this does not apply to athe A22 by the way)

It is also very easy to renew online.

Have a pleasent drive

Thanks for all the advice and recommendations. We don't have a transponder but it seems, unless I got it wrong, I can register and pay for our UK car using easytoll without a transponder https://www.portugaltolls.com/en/node#easytoll . Hopefully, this should take care of the electronic cameras. I was going to do that just before we leave the UK. I hope it will accept foreign number plates. We then only have to worry stopping and paying at the manned toll booths.

Yes, EasyToll will work, you can also sign up on your arrival in Portugal providing you enter at one of the 4 points where there is an EasyToll booth.

Presumably the 30 days is enough for you?

Yes thanks. We will only stay max. 21 days. Better to do it all online beforehand then one doesn't have to fiddle around with the machines.