Over 532,000 vehicles departed the Barcelona metropolitan area between 12pm on Thursday, 30 April and 1:30pm on Friday, 1 May, as part of the May Day holiday exodus. This figure represents approximately 92% of the 580,000 journeys forecast to happen by 3pm, according to traffic officials.

Major traffic jams on Friday morning were concentrated along various sections of the AP-7 motorway. Towards Tarragona, drivers faced over 10 kilometres of congestion between Castellví de Rosanes and Castellbisbal, and more than 7 kilometres between Castellet i la Gornal and Olèrdola. Heading towards Girona, delays also occurred between Mollet del Vallès and la Roca del Vallès, and between Llinars del Vallès and Sant Celoni.

This May Day holiday, the first since Easter and with spring well underway, has seen people travelling to both coastal and inland destinations. This combination increased pressure on Catalonia's road network. Beyond the AP-7, delays were reported on the C-55 near Castellgalí, the C-16 between Berga and Cercs, and the C-17 in Ripoll and between Aiguafreda and la Garriga, heading towards Centelles.

Coastal Routes Also Affected

Access roads to beach areas also experienced incidents. These included the C-35 and C-65 between Llagostera and Cassà de la Selva towards Sant Feliu de Guíxols, the N-II between Tordera and Vidreres, and the C-32 between Castelldefels and Sitges.

The holiday travel operation began on Thursday afternoon, with mobility 5.5% higher than the previous year. However, overall congestion was 22% lower. Traffic remained steady until 9pm, with between 32,000 and 36,000 vehicles per hour. The maximum congestion reached 88 kilometres, significantly less than the 160 kilometres recorded in 2025.

On Friday, mobility increased by 4% compared to the previous year, with 5% fewer traffic jams. The peak of circulation was at 12pm, with 32,000 vehicles per hour. Maximum congestion reached 92 kilometres, which was below the 113 kilometres seen last year.

AP-7 Remains Key Congestion Point

The AP-7 was once again the most affected route, with some delays caused by accidents without injuries. The C-17 and Barcelona's ring roads, specifically the B-10 and B-20, also saw dense traffic. Authorities will continue to monitor traffic flows throughout the holiday weekend, advising drivers to check real-time updates before travelling.