The A-601 is confirmed as an alternative to the A-6 for travel between Valladolid and Madrid.
April 25, 2025
Castilla y León |
Department of Mobility and Digital Transformation
The Government of Castilla y León continues to advance its commitment to safety and territorial integration through constant investment in the conservation, improvement, and modernization of the regional road network. Through rigorous technical planning and efficient management of public resources, the regional government works to ensure safe, sustainable, and citizen-centered infrastructure.
This work is evident, among others, in the highway from Valladolid to Segovia. The A-601 has been confirmed in the last decade as an alternative to the A-6 for travel between Valladolid and Madrid. This is reflected in the Average Daily Traffic Intensity, which reached 9,943 vehicles in 2024, representing a 32% increase compared to 2014, when an average of 7,518 vehicles was counted.
The increase in traffic has been continuous since the inauguration of the highway and shows how the A-601 has become a competitive alternative route to the A-6 for travel between Madrid and Valladolid, a route that can be fully completed on a dual carriageway since 2020 (when the SG-20 was completed), resulting in a shorter distance of about 4 kilometers compared to the route via the A-6 to Tordesillas.
All journeys between Valladolid and Segovia are free for users, and if the origin or destination is Madrid, the toll cost from Valladolid is significantly more economical. For the year 2025, light vehicles pay €7.3, increasing to €10.10 during peak hours, while the cost on the A-6 route was €15.15, with a general difference of €7.85 (reduced to €5.05 during peak hours).
A similar situation applies to heavy vehicles, which pay €21.75 or €25.10 on the AP-61 route (Segovia-Villalba) and €30.45 or €34.15 on the A-6 route (Villalba – Adanero), with differences of €8.70 and €9.05, respectively.
The Government reaffirms its commitment to promoting balanced mobility throughout the territory, connecting towns and cities with equity and efficiency criteria. The investment effort in road infrastructure aligns with the objectives of territorial cohesion, rural development, and road safety, essential for a more connected, competitive, and future-oriented Castilla y León.
Traffic Measurement
Traffic measurement in concession sections is carried out using 22 fixed traffic counting stations (ETD, data collection station) with loops on the pavement, allowing for continuous counting of vehicles passing daily in each direction. This provides the annual total, which, divided by 365 days, yields the AMD (Average Daily Intensity) of each ETD, both overall and by direction of traffic, distinguishing between light and heavy vehicles.
Each ETD also provides the speed of each vehicle and its average values, which are purely informative for statistical purposes.
In addition to the mentioned stations, the 92.3 kilometers of concession sections are equipped with a surveillance system using closed-circuit television with 59 cameras mounted on poles, allowing any point on the highway to be visible from screens at the control and operation centers in Portillo (Valladolid) and Carbonero el Mayor (Segovia). These centers are staffed with specialized personnel 24 hours a day, on both weekdays and holidays. Surveillance is complemented by daily patrols of the highway by the concessionaire’s personnel.
To inform users of any incidents, there are 13 variable message panels (PMV) along the concession sections, controlled from the mentioned control and operation centers, providing necessary information instantly.
The Highway
The current A-601 highway between Valladolid and Segovia began with the widening of the CL-601 road in the closest sections to both cities; first widened from Valladolid, starting on the VA-30 ring road to the CL-600 (Aldeamayor de San Martín), and on the Segovia side, widening from the N-110 (via Roma avenue roundabout) to the CL-603 (Valseca).
On September 19, 2008, the 92.3 kilometers of the intermediate section of the highway between Valladolid and Segovia were opened, achieving the connection of both cities through a high-capacity route. This intermediate section was built through two shadow toll contracts, where users do not pay, and the infrastructure owner, the Junta de Castilla y León, covers expenses based on traffic and service quality indicators.