Easter Traffic in Euskadi: Fewer Journeys and No Fatalities

The Basque Government reported that traffic volume during Easter 2026 was lower than anticipated due to bad weather, with no fatalities recorded.

Generic image of an empty highway in the Basque Country, with green mountains and cloudy sky, suggesting reduced traffic.
IA

Generic image of an empty highway in the Basque Country, with green mountains and cloudy sky, suggesting reduced traffic.

The Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) registered lower-than-expected traffic volumes during Easter 2026, with no fatalities, as reported by the Basque Government this Wednesday.

An average of 534,000 inbound and an equal number of outbound journeys were recorded, nearly 0.2% less than in 2025. This reduction in mobility is primarily attributed to the precipitation experienced on April 1 and April 2, key days for the Easter departure operation.
Regarding cross-border traffic, the Biriatu border crossing saw a significant 6.4% increase compared to Easter 2025. This rise, much higher than anticipated, has been linked to the summer-like temperatures from April 4 to Easter Monday (April 6).
Concerning entries to capital cities, traffic towards Bilbao decreased by 4%, while that to Donostia increased by 2%. Data for Vitoria-Gasteiz remained similar to the previous year, without significant changes.
In terms of accidents, 78 traffic incidents occurred on BAC roads between April 1 and 6, with no fatalities recorded. Five people sustained serious injuries. The accident rate decreased by 29% compared to 2025, when 110 incidents were registered.
The highest traffic flows were concentrated in usual areas, though with lower density than in the previous Easter. In Bizkaia, during the departure operation, the longest queues were on April 4, between 11:45 and 13:30, with tailbacks of up to nine kilometers on the A-8 near Muskiz. In Gipuzkoa, queues also formed on the AP-8 and N-1, mainly around the Biriatu toll booth and near Idiazabal. In Araba, congestion occurred at the Armiñón junction, connecting the A-1 and AP-1 highways.