BARCELONA: A total of 575,651 vehicles left Barcelona and its metropolitan area between Thursday at 12pm and Friday at 3pm, as part of the May Day holiday getaway. This figure accounts for 99.3% of the 580,000 vehicles expected to depart by Friday, the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) announced in a statement.
Traffic officials noted that mobility on Friday for the holiday exodus was 4% higher than in 2025. Despite the increased volume, overall congestion was 5% lower than the previous year. The peak intensity for vehicle departures occurred on Friday midday, with 32,000 vehicles per hour, leading to a maximum of 92 kilometres of traffic jams, which was 21 kilometres less than last year.
Congestion Hotspots Across Catalonia
The most significant traffic jams on Friday morning were concentrated on various sections of the AP-7 motorway. Drivers faced over 10 kilometres of congestion between Castellví de Rosanes and Castellbisbal in Barcelona province, and more than 7 kilometres between Castellet i la Gornal and Olèrdola, also in Barcelona.
Towards Girona, complications arose between Mollet del Vallès and La Roca del Vallès, and between Llinars del Vallès and Sant Celoni. Other affected routes included the C-55 in Castellgalí and the C-16 between Berga and Cercs, both in Barcelona province. In Girona, the C-17 experienced delays in Ripoll.
Access roads to beach areas also saw congestion. These included the C-35 and C-65 between Llagostera and Cassà de la Selva in Girona, the N-II between Tordera (Barcelona) and Vidreres (Girona), and the C-32 between Castelldefels and Sitges in Barcelona.
Thursday's Traffic and Police Operations
On Thursday, mobility was 5.5% higher than in 2025, yet global congestion was 22% lower. The AP-7 motorway was identified as the route with the most significant traffic issues on Thursday.
For both the outbound journey and the return operation scheduled for Sunday, the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's police force, will deploy 1,365 officers. They will conduct 1,029 controls for alcohol, drugs, and speed, among other checks. Additionally, more than 100 kilometres of special traffic management measures, including circulation, ordering, and regulation, will be put in place to help manage the flow of vehicles.
