The Directorate-General of Traffic (DGT) kicked off its annual ‘Operación Navidad’ on 19 December, activating a nationwide traffic-management plan that will run until 6 January. The agency forecasts 22.4 million car journeys – a record since before the pandemic – and is deploying 6,000 Guardia Civil traffic officers, 780 fixed and mobile speed cameras, 39 drones and 245 roadside alcohol-testing points.
Although primarily a domestic initiative, the operation is highly relevant to expatriates and cross-border commuters based in Spain. Many foreign residents drive to France and Portugal for the holidays, and DGT has coordinated with both countries’ highway agencies to share real-time congestion data. Extra reversible lanes will open on the AP-7 towards the French border and on the A-5 corridor into Portugal during peak departure windows.
For drivers who suddenly discover they need documentation beyond their typical residence papers—say, a multiple-entry Schengen visa or a permit for a non-EU travel companion—VisaHQ can take the bureaucracy off their plate. Its Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) walks users through requirements, fees and processing times, and even arranges courier collection, allowing holidaymakers to focus on the road rather than consulate queues.
![Spain’s ‘Operation Christmas’ mobilises 6,000 officers for 22.4 million holiday road journeys]()
For mobility managers overseeing company car fleets or temporary assignments, the key takeaway is to adjust travel allowances: average journey times between Madrid and Barcelona are expected to lengthen by up to 40 minutes, while the Valencia-Alicante coastal stretch could double during the New Year weekend. Freight movements face restrictions too – lorries over 7.5 tonnes are banned from certain arteries at specified times, something relocation firms should factor into household-goods shipments.
The DGT has also suspended all non-urgent road works and will push real-time alerts to English-language channels on X (formerly Twitter). Employers should remind foreign staff of Spain’s zero-tolerance drink-drive limit for novice drivers (0.0 g/l) and the heavy fines for using mobile phones behind the wheel.
While the measure is not an immigration policy per se, it underlines Spain’s integrated approach to holiday mobility and the way domestic transport planning can ripple into international assignment logistics.
Although primarily a domestic initiative, the operation is highly relevant to expatriates and cross-border commuters based in Spain. Many foreign residents drive to France and Portugal for the holidays, and DGT has coordinated with both countries’ highway agencies to share real-time congestion data. Extra reversible lanes will open on the AP-7 towards the French border and on the A-5 corridor into Portugal during peak departure windows.
For drivers who suddenly discover they need documentation beyond their typical residence papers—say, a multiple-entry Schengen visa or a permit for a non-EU travel companion—VisaHQ can take the bureaucracy off their plate. Its Spain portal (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) walks users through requirements, fees and processing times, and even arranges courier collection, allowing holidaymakers to focus on the road rather than consulate queues.
For mobility managers overseeing company car fleets or temporary assignments, the key takeaway is to adjust travel allowances: average journey times between Madrid and Barcelona are expected to lengthen by up to 40 minutes, while the Valencia-Alicante coastal stretch could double during the New Year weekend. Freight movements face restrictions too – lorries over 7.5 tonnes are banned from certain arteries at specified times, something relocation firms should factor into household-goods shipments.
The DGT has also suspended all non-urgent road works and will push real-time alerts to English-language channels on X (formerly Twitter). Employers should remind foreign staff of Spain’s zero-tolerance drink-drive limit for novice drivers (0.0 g/l) and the heavy fines for using mobile phones behind the wheel.
While the measure is not an immigration policy per se, it underlines Spain’s integrated approach to holiday mobility and the way domestic transport planning can ripple into international assignment logistics.
