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Date Published: 01/05/2026

Andalucía braces for more than 1.2 million journeys over May Day weekend

Traffic chiefs have launched a major operation with drones, helicopters and extra patrols to keep roads moving

Andalucía is set for a very busy puente de mayo (May Day long weekend), with forecasts pointing to 1,268,400 long-distance journeys across the region. The rush is being driven by the Labour Day holiday, along with the regional holiday on May 2 in Madrid, which is expected to add even more pressure to the roads.

To manage the extra traffic, the Spanish Directorate General of Traffic has launched Operation May 1, 2026. The special operation began at 3.00pm on Thursday April 30 and will run until midnight on Sunday May 3, covering the periods when traffic is expected to be heaviest.

The plan is to regulate, manage and monitor traffic across the full road network, with maximum resources deployed to help keep journeys as smooth and safe as possible. Guardia Civil officers, technical staff and road maintenance crews are all part of the operation.

In Andalucía, the 24-hour traffic management centres in Málaga and Seville will be at the heart of the work, with more than 60 specialist professionals coordinating the monitoring. Helicopters and drones will also be in use, giving authorities extra eyes on the main roads and helping them spot incidents in real time.

The busiest routes are expected to include the A-4, A-7, A-45, A-92 and AP-7, along with secondary roads leading to tourist areas and second-home destinations. Those stretches are likely to see the highest volumes, especially during the main departure and return times.

By province, Seville is forecast to see the most traffic, with 311,000 journeys expected. Málaga follows with 258,400, then Cádiz with 159,000 and Granada with 144,000. It is a clear sign of just how heavily used the roads become during one of the most important travel weekends of the year.

For drivers, it means a few days when planning ahead and allowing extra time could make all the difference. The DGT says the aim is simple: keep traffic flowing and reduce the chance of problems at one of the calendar’s busiest moments on the road.

You might also be interested in: Spain Labour Day weekend: Supermarket opening hours during the May bank holiday

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