Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Rain showers18°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Mostly sunny18°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Mostly sunny16°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Cloudy19°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Fog18°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Cloudy16°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Light rain18°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Light rain19°C - SunOct 4
CautionHeavy rain near Barcelona around 7 AM CEST.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Heavy rain20°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Rain19°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Rain17°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Cloudy19°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Cloudy18°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Light rain14°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Cloudy19°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Cloudy19°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–21°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Cloudy21°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Cloudy19°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Partly sunny16°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Cloudy19°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Fog18°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Partly sunny18°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Cloudy21°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Rain20°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Cloudy18°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Mostly sunny18°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Cloudy18°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Partly sunny19°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Partly sunny18°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Mostly sunny16°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Partly sunny19°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Cloudy20°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 14–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Rain19°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Heavy rain18°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Partly sunny17°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Cloudy18°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Partly sunny17°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Light rain14°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Cloudy17°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Light rain18°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Mostly sunny17°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Sunny17°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Mostly sunny16°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Sunny18°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Light rain showers15°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Partly sunny13°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Sunny17°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Partly sunny19°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–14°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Barcelona7 AM CEST Light rain14°C El Vendrell7:45 AM CEST Mostly sunny13°C Lleida8:30 AM CEST Sunny10°C Zaragoza9:45 AM CEST Sunny13°C Calatayud10:30 AM CEST Sunny11°C Puerto de Alcolea11:30 AM CEST Mostly sunny9°C Guadalajara12:15 PM CEST Sunny13°C Madrid12:45 PM CEST Sunny14°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Barcelona (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Barcelona, SpainStart 30 melevation
- El Vendrell, SpainKm 76 · 47 min 54 melevation
- Lleida, SpainKm 169 · 1 h 36 min 162 melevation
- Zaragoza, SpainKm 307 · 2 h 49 min 218 melevation
- Calatayud, SpainKm 389 · 3 h 33 min 540 melevation
- Puerto de Alcolea, SpainMountain pass · Km 483 · 4 h 25 min 1,224 melevation
- Guadalajara, SpainKm 565 · 5 h 8 min 712 melevation
- Madrid, SpainKm 620 · 5 h 44 min 663 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Barcelona, Calatayud and Madrid.
| Month | Barcelona Barcelona (El Raval) station · 33 m | Calatayud Daroca station · 779 m | Madrid Madrid (Retiro) station · 667 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | High / low °C | High / low °C | |
| Jan | 15° / 9° | 10° / 0° | 10° / 3° |
| Feb | 15° / 8° | 12° / 0° | 12° / 4° |
| Mar | 17° / 10° | 16° / 2° | 16° / 6° |
| Apr | 19° / 13° | 18° / 5° | 19° / 8° |
| May | 23° / 16° | 22° / 9° | 23° / 12° |
| Jun | 27° / 20° | 28° / 13° | 29° / 17° |
| Jul | 29° / 23° | 31° / 15° | 33° / 20° |
| Aug | 29° / 23° | 31° / 15° | 32° / 19° |
| Sep | 26° / 20° | 26° / 11° | 27° / 16° |
| Oct | 23° / 17° | 20° / 8° | 20° / 11° |
| Nov | 18° / 12° | 14° / 3° | 13° / 6° |
| Dec | 16° / 9° | 10° / 0° | 10° / 4° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): BARCELONA EL RAVAL, SP (SPE00155991, 33 m); DAROCA, SP (SPE00120629, 779 m); MADRID RETIRO, SP (SP000003195, 667 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Spain rather than repeat them.
- Spain · DGTDGT road conditions
Check the official forecast from AEMET and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Barcelona to Madrid with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Barcelona to Madrid?
620 km (385 miles), about 5½ hours of driving without stops, by way of A-2 and AP-2. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Puerto de Alcolea, at 1,224 m (4,017 ft). It comes at km 483, about 4 h 25 min of driving after you leave Barcelona.
How cold is Madrid in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Madrid (Retiro) (667 m), averages a high of 10°C and a low of 3°C in January (1991–2020 averages).