Roads in Portugal are integrated in the Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 2000 (2000 National Roadway Plan), which describes the existing and planned network of portuguese roads.
The Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 2000 (PRN 2000), approved in 1998, has replaced the PRN 1985 (1985 National Roadway Plan), which itself replaced the PRN 1945 (1945 National Roadway Plan).
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The first real projects for road plans in Portugal date back from 1843 and 1848, and were based on 18th century plans which was based on connections between Lisbon and strategical points of the country, and as a support for fluvial routes. The precognized network was classified in 1850 as Estradas (Roads) and Caminhos (Paths), being Estradas classified as 1st and 2nd class, and Caminhos, routes of local interest.
In 1862, the road network (existing and projected) is classified as Estradas Reais (Royal Roads), of 1st (with direct or indirect (via railways, for instance) origin in Lisbon) and 2nd Class, Estradas Distritais (District Roads) and Estradas Municipais (Municipal Roads), the latter being managed by the municipalities.
In 1913, the Estradas Reais were renamed as Estradas Nacionais.
Despite these efforts of a constitution of a Road Network, many routes were not clearly classified and the state of most roads was chaotic, and with the expansion of the automobile in the 1920s, new directions should be taken upon the Portuguese road network.
In 1927, yet under the military dictatorship, by Law nº 13 969 from 20 July 1927, the Junta Autónoma das Estradas (JAE) was created in order to study the state of the portuguese road network. The preliminary report was clear to state that from the 16000 km of the national road network, 4000 km were to be completed, and 10000 km were in almost in ruin state.
The roads were then reclassified as Estradas Nacionais (1st and 2nd Class), Estradas Municipais and Caminhos Públicos (Public Paths), the latter two under municipalty management.
In 1933, the whole network (national and municipal) totalized 16900 km. The State recognized the importance of the road network and which led to the elaboration, in 1945, of the first real National Roadway Plan, the Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 1945 (PRN 45) (Law nº 34 593 from 11 May 1945). By that date, the National and Municipal network, comprised 20500 km.
The 1945 National Roadway Plan, classified the national road network in Rede Fundamental (fundamental network) and Rede Complementar (complementary network), the latter served to support the fundamental network, the roads were classified accordindg to the following:
In 1961, a separated lesgislation (Law nº 2110, from 19 August 1961) upon municiapl roads defined new guidelines on construction, keeping and fiscalization on these roads, and those were classified as following:
The Main Roads could be, by law, upgraded into 4 lanes with central separation, if necessary. In fact this happened even before the PRN 1945 with the N7 (nowadays A5) between Lisbon and the National Stadium, completed in 1944, and in 1961 with the first 25 km of N1 road, between Lisbon and Vila Franca de Xira. The first urban highways have been built also in the 1960s.
The road classes where identified by colour codes: red for 1st class, blue for 2nd class, green for 3rd class, yellow for Municipal Roads and brown for Municipal Paths. The numbering distribution for main roads was according to the importance of its route in the network, and for N101 and over were numbered in a North to South growing fashion.
The extension of the roads had noting with its class (except for branch road, which were usually short distance), existing 3rd class roads more than 100 km long, and Main Roads with as short as 8 km long, like the N7 highway, now part of A5. The longest road of the 1945 Plan was N2, connecting Chaves to Faro, with 740 km long.
According 1945 National Roadway Plan, there were 18 Main Roads, designated N1 through N18.
| Number | Route | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| N 1 | Lisbon - Vila Franca de Xira - Leiria - Pombal - Coimbra - Albergaria-a-Velha - Porto | 315 | On 1945 National Roadway Plan, it was Portugal's main road, connecting Lisbon and Oporto. Originally crossing the towns or city centres on its route, over the years many variant roads have been built to avoid urban areas.
In 1961, the section between Lisbon and Vila Franca de Xira has been converted on a highway, which in the 1970s had been renamed as A1, and to became part of the future Lisbon-Oporto Highway, completed in 1991. So, nowadays this road starts at the level of km 26. According to 1985 National Roadway Plan, the most parts of this road have been included on IC2, signed as IC2/N1. Some sections which aren't common with IC2 are intended for local traffic, like the section between Alcoentre and Rio Maior. |
| N 2 | Chaves - Vila Real - Viseu - Penacova - Abrantes - Ponte de Sor - Montemor-o-Novo - Ferreira do Alentejo - Almodôvar - Faro | 740 | The longest road of Portugal according to 1945 National Roadway Plan conneting North to South, "cutting" the country halfway between West and East.
Many branches had been replaced in importance by 1985 Plan's IP roads, some renamed as Estrada Regional (R 2) and some municipalized, anyway its original route is almost kept, and so this road is still considered the longest road of the country with about 740 km long (6 km longer than the actual IP1 road, which is composed of many highways). the N 2 is nicknamed as "Portuguese Route 66" |
| N 3 | Carregado (N1) - Santarém - Torres Novas - Vila Velha de Rodão - Castelo Branco (N18) | 155 | It was the most direct connection between Lisbon (Carregado is located at km 33 of N 1) and the most important cities of the former provinces of Ribatejo, Beira Baixa and Beira Alta, the latter through N18, which this road meets in Castelo Branco. |
| N 4 | Montijo - Vendas Novas - Estremoz - Elvas - Caia | 175 | This road crosses the south bank of Tagus to the border village of Caia, near Badajoz. |
| N 5 | Montijo - Marateca - Alcácer do Sal - Torrão (N2) | 87 | In the original plan the intention of this road was to connect with N 2 road and then to the Algarve, but the most popular route to the Algarve was composed by N 5 (until Alcácer do Sal), N 120 (Alcácer do Sal - Grândola), N 259 (Grândola - N 262), N 262(until Mimosa) and N 264 (Mimosa - São Bartolomeu de Messines - Algoz, in the Algarve). In 1985 became part of IP1 road, in the PRN 2000 as long as A2 highway has been extended into Algarve, these roads have been included on IC1 road. Renamed as R 5 between Montijo and Marateca. |
| N 6 | Lisbon - Paço de Arcos - Parede - Estoril - Cascais | 25 | The famous seaside Road of Cascais/Estoril Coast, also known as Avenida Marginal, on most of its route.
It's designed on a four lane, two each direction, without physical separation scheme. This road was projected to have its km 0 in the northeast area of Lisbon, near Moscavide, as confirmed by the existence of N 6-1 (a branch road that should emerge from N 6), which crossed the nowadays' Parque das Nações area. |
| N 7 | Lisbon - National Stadium | 8 | Original name of the A5, the first Portuguese motorway, inaugurated in 1944. It was only extended into Cascais in 1991, known then, yet, as A5. |
| N 8 | Lisbon - Loures - Torres Vedras - Óbidos - Caldas da Rainha - Alcobaça - Cruz da Légua - IC2 / N1 | 131 | Connects Lisbon to the West Region. It was part of IC1 in the 1985 National Roadway Plan, and it was reclassified as N 8 in the 2000 National Roadway Plan. |
| N 9 | Cascais (N6) - Sintra - Torres Vedras - Alenquer (N1) | 98 | Crosses the northern region of Lisbon, along with N 6 (Lisbon-Cascais), N 1 (Alenquer-Vila Franca de Xira) and N 10 (Vila Franca de Xira-Lisbon) forms a ring road around Lisbon region. |
| N 10 | Almada - Setúbal - Vila Franca de Xira - Lisbon | 151 | A ring road that connects the south bank of Tagus to Lisbon, via Marechal Carmona Bridge (Vila Franca de Xira). Between Vila Franca de Xira and Lisbon it has a parallel route with A1 highway (this branch of A1 had been part of N 1 Road) |
| N 11 | Montijo - Barreiro | ? | Short distance road in the south bank of Tagus, the original plan included a connectiton from Barreiro to Trafaria never built, as the miriametric stones indicate. It was renamed as R11. |
| N 12 | Matosinhos - Rio Tinto | 17 | Oporto ring road, to be converted into a boulevard. |
| N 13 | Porto - Viana do Castelo - Valença | 115 | Road crossing the Northwest region of Portugal, with an almost seaside route. |
| N 14 | Porto - Braga | 56 | |
| N 15 | Ermesinde - Amarante - Vila Real - Mirandela - Bragança | ? | The main road from Oporto to the region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, until the construction of IP4. |
| N 16 | Aveiro - Viseu - Guarda - Vilar Formoso | 224 | Connects Aveiro to the most important border with Spain. From the 1970s and on the road was considered obsolete due to several kilometres of traffic jams in order to cross the border, as an alternative IP5 was built, but this road proved to be highly dangerous and was converted into an autoestrada, the A25. |
| N 17 | Coimbra - Celorico da Beira (N16) | ? | Connects Coimbra with the Beira Alta region, crossing the outskirts of Serra da Estrela. |
| N 18 | Guarda - Castelo Branco - Portalegre - Estremoz - Évora - Beja - Ourique - Ervidel (N2) | 379 | Crosses the most important cities in the far east of Portugal, connects with N 2 in Ervidel. Many branches were included on IP2. |
From 1960s and on, many routes started to be assumed as somewhat outdated, so in 1972, Brisa was set up in order to manage a projected network of highways, which by that time didn't reach an extension of 100 km. New branches of highways only after the Carnation Revolution, like the branch Vila Franca de Xira-Carregado (1977), Carregado-Aveiras de Cima (1980), Condeixa-a-Nova-Mealhada (1982), which permitted bypassing the city centre of Coimbra, Santa Maria da Feira-Carvalhos (1980) and Albergaria-a-Velha-Santa Maria da Feira (1983), all from A1 highway, as well as the extension of A2 highway into Setúbal (between 1978 and 1979).
However the whole road network started to be assumed as more and more inadequate in order to properly serve the whole country.
In the eve of Portugal integration into EEC, the replacement for 1945 National Roadway Plan comes to the light by the Law 380/85, from 25 September, the Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 1985 (1985 National Roadway Plan) or PRN 85.
The road network would be again composed by the Rede Fundamental (fundamental network), composed of 9 Itinerários Principais (Principal Routes), designated IP1 through IP9, which totalized 2635 km:
| Number | Route | Length |
|---|---|---|
| IP 1 | Valença - Braga - Porto - Aveiro - Coimbra - Leiria - Santarém - Lisbon - Montijo - Setúbal - Aljustrel - Faro - Castro Marim | 734 |
| IP 2 | Portelo - Bragança - Guarda - Covilhã - Castelo Branco - Portalegre - Évora - Beja - Faro | 564 |
| IP 3 | Vila Verde da Raia - Vila Real - Lamego - Viseu - Coimbra - Figueira da Foz | 279 |
| IP 4 | Porto - Vila Real - Bragança - Quintanilha | 237 |
| IP 5 | Aveiro - Viseu - Guarda - Vilar Formoso | 204 |
| IP 6 | Peniche - Caldas da Rainha - Rio Maior - Santarém - Torres Novas - Abrantes - Castelo Branco | 219 |
| IP 7 | Lisbon - Setúbal - Évora - Estremoz - Elvas - Caia | 225 |
| IP 8 | Sines - Santiago do Cacém - Beja - Serpa - Vila Verde de Ficalho | 154 |
| IP 9 | Viana do Castelo - Ponte de Lima - Braga - Guimarães - Amarante - Vila Real | 161 |
The Itinerários Principais were set to be of restricted access, forbidding pedestrian, animal and bicycle traffic, but exceptions could be accepted, specially for branches resulting from the reclassifications of former National Roads into IP network.
The road network was composed also by the Rede Complementar (Complementary Network), composed by 24 Itinerários Complementares (IC) and Other Roads (former National Roads not set for municipalization). Complementary Network was 4807 km long.
The PRN 85 established 24 Itinerários Complementares (Complementary Routes), designated IC1 through IC24, which totalized 2439 km:
The whole network totalized 9881 km, about 12000 km of 1945 National Roads were set for municipalization.
In 1993, it was proposed the reclassification of 600 km of roads in the IC newtwork and about 1700 km into Other Roads, but the optimization of the 1985 National Roadway Plan only came with the 2000 National Roadway Plan, which was initially proposed in 1996.
Like nowadays, during the application of 1985 National Roadway Plan, the highways received diferent classification according the characteristic of they been concessionated or not. So, although all portuguese motorways officially had an IP or IC classification, only concessionated highways received the Axx classification (whether tolled or not), while the other highways - non concessionated, and therefore, always non-tolled - were signalized as IPxx or ICxx. Because, until the 2000s, almost all concessionated highways were tolled, in that time, the diferent classification caused by the concession or not of the highways, usually coincided with the characteristic of an highway be tolled or not, what could help the drivers, in that time, to know in advance what were the tolled highways and the non-tolled highways.
In 1998, by Law nº 222/98, from 17 July, it was approved the Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 2000 (2000 National Roadway Plan) or PRN 2000, which comprises an optimization of the 1985 National Roadway Plan, with the addition of about 1500 km of roads into the National Network, and the creation of the Rede Regional (Regional Network), of about 5000 km of roads, as well as the identification of the Rede Nacional de Auto-Estradas (National Highway Network), as part of IP and IC network. The plan includes 16500 km of roads.
The Road Network is defined, as following:
It should be noted that IP and IC roads, may have other designations, specially those integrated in the National Highway Network, where the "A" designation is preferred on traffic signage, except for some city or suburban highways.
Since its approval, the 2000 National Roadway Plan is a document that has known some updates, particularly in 1999 and in 2003.
Autoestrada is the Portuguese word for motorways or freeways. Portugal has about 3000 km of motorways crossing all the coast and connecting the main inland cities and towns. Several autoestradas are linked with the Spanish motorway system and, through Spain, to the rest of Europe.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, Portugal was the country with the greatest development in the motorway network in the European Union. It had 316 km of motorways in 1990 and the number increased to 1242 km by 1999 and 2100 km by the end of 2007.[1]
Each Autoestrada forms part or all of an IP or an IC.[2] These are dedignated with an "A" code as well as an IP or an IC code, though they are typically known to motorists by the A designation. In addition, many of these roads are part of the European road network, and so also carry an "E" designation, which may serve as reference for non-Portuguese drivers.
| Number | Designation | Route | IP/IC | Length | Construction | Concessionaire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A 1 | Autoestrada do Norte | Lisbon - Santarém - Leiria - Coimbra - Aveiro - Porto | IP 1 (Lisbon - Carvalhos) IP 6 (Santarém/ A 15 - Torres Novas/ A 23 IC 1 ( A 29 interchange - Porto) IC 2 (Carvalhos - Arrábida-Porto) IC 23 (Coimbrões-Gaia/ A 44 – Arrábida-Porto/ A 28 ) |
303 | 1960 - 1991 | Brisa |
| A 2 | Autoestrada do Sul | Lisbon / Ponte 25 de Abril - Marateca - Alcácer do Sal - Grândola - Ourique - Albufeira | IP 1 (Palmela/ A 12 - Albufeira) IP 7 (Lisbon - Marateca/ A 6 - A 13 ) |
240 | 1966 - 2002 | Brisa |
| A 3 | Autoestrada do Minho | Porto - Famalicão - Braga - Ponte de Lima - Valença | IP 1 IP 9 (Ponte de Lima/ A 27 - Braga/ A 11 ) |
112 | 1989 - 1998 | Brisa |
| A 4 | Autoestrada Transmontana | Porto - Penafiel - Amarante - - Vila Real - - Mirandela - - Bragança - - Quintanilha | IP 4 IP 9 (Castelões/ A 11 - Vila Real) |
63 (223) |
1990 - 2012 | Ascendi Brisa AE do Marão AEXXI |
| A 5 | Autoestrada do Estoril | Lisbon - Oeiras - Cascais | IC 15 | 25 | 1944 - 1991 | Brisa |
| A 6 | Autoestrada do Alentejo | Marateca - Évora - Estremoz - Elvas - Caia | IP 7 | 159 | 1995 - 1999 | Brisa |
| A 7 | Autoestrada do Alvão | Vila do Conde - Famalicão - Guimarães - Fafe - Vila Pouca de Aguiar | IC 5 | 100 | 1999 - 2007 | Ascendi |
| A 8 | Autoestrada do Oeste | Lisboa - Caldas da Rainha - Leiria - A1 | IC 1 (Lisbon - Marinha Grande/ A 17 ) IC 17-CRIL (Km 0-Km 2) IC 36 (Marinha Grande/ A 17 - Leiria/ A 1 ) |
138 | 1984 - 2011 | AE do Atlântico |
| A 9 | Circular Regional Exterior de Lisboa | Caxias (National Stadium) - Queluz - Loures - Alverca | IC 18 | 35 | 1994 - 1995 | Brisa |
| A 10 | Autoestrada do Ribatejo | Bucelas - Arruda dos Vinhos - Carregado - Benavente | IC 2 (Bucelas/ A 9-CREL - Carregado) IC 11 (Carregado - Benavente/ A 13 ) |
40 | 2003 - 2007 | Brisa |
| A 11 | Apúlia - Braga - Guimarães - Penafiel | IC 14 (Apúlia/ A 28 - Braga/ A 3 ) IP 9 (Braga/ A 3 - Castelões/ A 4 ) |
80 | 1998 - 2006 | Ascendi | |
| A 12 | Lisbon / Ponte Vasco da Gama - Montijo -Setúbal | IP 1 (Lisbon - Palmela/ A 2 ) IC 3 (Montijo - Setúbal) |
41 | 1979 - 1998 | Brisa | |
| A 13 | Marateca - Benavente - Salvaterra de Magos - Almeirim -**- Chamusca -**- Golegã -**- Vila Nova da Barquinha/ A 23 - Tomar - - Avelar - - Condeixa - - Coimbra | IC 3 (Coimbra - Benavente/ A 13 ) IC 11 (Benavente/ A 10 - Marateca/ A 2 - A 6 ) |
78 (224) |
2002 - 2005 | Brisa | |
| A 14 | Autoestrada do Baixo Mondego | Figueira da Foz - Montemor-o-Velho - Coimbra | IP 3 | 40 | 1994 - 2002 | Brisa |
| A 15 | Óbidos - Rio Maior - Santarém - ** - Almeirim | IP 6 (Óbidos/ A 8 -Santarém/ A 1 ) IC 10 (Santarém/ A 1 - Almeirim) |
51 (55) |
1995 - 2001 | AE do Atlântico | |
| A 16 | Lisbon - - Pontinha - Sintra - Alcabideche | IC 16 (Lisbon - Sintra) IC 30 (Sintra - Alcabideche) |
27 (28) |
1995 - 2011 | Ascendi | |
| A 17 | Autoestrada do Litoral Centro | Marinha Grande - Figueira da Foz - Mira - Aveiro | IC 1 | 100 | 2004 - 2008 | Brisa Ascendi |
| A 18 | Torres Vedras - ** - Carregado | IC 11 | (27) | - | ||
| A 19 | Porto de Mós - Azóia - Leiria | IC 2 | 16 | 2010 - 2011 | AE do Litoral Oeste | |
| A 20 | Circular Regional Interior do Porto | Carvalhos - Ponte do Freixo - Francos | IP 1 (Carvalhos - Antas-Porto/ A 3 ) IC 23 (Freixo-Porto - Francos-Porto/ A 28 ) |
17 | 1989 - 1995 | AE do Douro Litoral |
| A 21 | Malveira - Ericeira | 21 | 2005 - 2008 | Mafratlântico | ||
| A 22 | Via do Infante de Sagres | Lagos - Portimão - Albufeira - Faro - Castro Marim | IP 1 (Tunes/ A 2 - Castro Marim) IC 4 (Lagos - Loulé) |
133 | 1991 - 2003 | Euroscut Algarve |
| A 23 | Autoestrada da Beira Interior | Torres Novas - Abrantes - Castelo Branco - Fundão - Covilhã - Guarda | IP 6 (Torres Novas/ A 1 - Castelo Branco) IP 2 (Fratel - Guarda/ A 25 ) |
217 | Early 1990s - 2003 | Scutvias |
| A 24 | Autoestrada do Interior Norte | Coimbra - ** - Mealhada - ** - Viseu - Peso da Régua - Vila Real - Chaves - Vila Verde da Raia | IP 3 | 162 (227) |
1998 - 2010 | Norscut |
| A 25 | Autoestrada das Beiras Litoral e Alta | Aveiro - Viseu - Guarda - Vilar Formoso - ** - border with Spain | IP 5 | 197 (199) |
1991 - 2006 | Ascendi |
| A 26 | Autoestrada do Baixo Alentejo | Sines - - Santiago do Cacém - - Beja | IP 8 IC 33 (Sines - Santiago do Cacém) |
11 (95) |
2012 | AE do Baixo Alentejo |
| A 27 | Viana do Castelo - Ponte de Lima | IP 9 | 24 | 2001 - 2005 | AE do Norte Litoral | |
| A 28 | Autoestrada do Litoral Norte | Porto - Viana do Castelo - Caminha - ** - Valença | IC 1 IC 23 (Arrábida-Porto/ A 1 – Francos-Porto) |
93 (123) |
1960 - 2008 | AE do Norte Litoral |
| A 29 | Autoestrada da Costa de Prata | Angeja - Ovar - Espinho - Vila Nova de Gaia | IC 1 | 53 | 1995 - 2009 | Ascendi |
| A 30 | Sacavém - Santa Iria de Azóia | IC 2 | 10 | 1998 | Ascendi | |
| A 31 | Variante a Coimbra | Coimbra (south) - Coimbra (north) | IC 2 | 5 | 1991 | - |
| A 32 | Autoestrada do Entre Douro e Vouga | Oliveira de Azeméis - Vila Nova de Gaia | IC 2 | 35 | 2011 | AE do Douro Litoral |
| A 33 | Circular Regional Interna da Península de Setúbal | Funchalinho - - Coina - Montijo - ** - New Lisbon Airoport - ** - Canha | IC 3 (Montijo - Canha) IC 32 (Funchalinho - Montijo) |
16 (59) |
? | AE do Baixo Tejo |
| A 34 | A1 - Pombal | IC 8 | 5 | Early 1990s | - | |
| A 35 | Mira - ** - Mealhada - ** - Mortágua - ** - Santa Comba Dão - Canas de Senhorim - ** - Mangualde | IC 12 | 19 (94) |
1998 | - | |
| A 36 | Circular Regional Interior de Lisboa | Algés - Odivelas - Sacavém | IC 17-CRIL | 21 | 1995 - 2011 | Ascendi |
| A 37 | Radial de Sintra | Lisbon - Queluz - Sintra | IC 19 | 16 | 1994 | Ascendi |
| A 38 | Via Rápida da Caparica | Almada - Costa da Caparica | IC 20 | 6 | 1966 | AE do Baixo Tejo |
| A 39 | Via Rápida do Barreiro | Coina - Barreiro - ** - Lisbon | IC 21 | 7 (23) |
? | - |
| A 40 | Olival Basto - Odivelas - Montemor | IC 22 | 4 | 1998 | Ascendi | |
| A 41 | Circular Regional Exterior do Porto | Perafita - Maia - Aguiar de Sousa - Argoncilhe - Espinho | IC 24 | 62 | Early 1990s - 2007 | Ascendi AE do Douro Litoral |
| A 42 | Ermida (A41) - Paços de Ferreira - Lousada | IC 25 | 20 | 2005 - 2006 | Ascendi | |
| A 43 | Porto - Gondomar - Aguiar de Sousa (A41) | IC 29 | 9 | 2005 - 2011 | AE do Douro Litoral | |
| A 44 | Gulpilhares (A29) - Vila Nova de Gaia - Oliveira do Douro (A20) | IC 23 | 9 | 2000 - 2007 | Ascendi AE Douro Litoral |
|
| A 47 | Maceda - Santa Maria da Feira - ** - Mansores | 3 (19) |
? | - | ||
| A 48 | São João da Madeira - ** - Ovar | 13 | - | |||
| VRI | Via Regional Interior | Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport - Custóias (A4) | 3 | 2006 | Ascendi |
Label:
Toll payment in Portugal uses a pioneer electronic payment system, Via Verde. The driver installs a small device on the front windshield that communicates electronically with Brisa (the company responsible for managing most of the motorways in Portugal). Since the payment is done electronically, it's quick to enter or leave the motorway, avoiding payment lines (which are still available (mostly) for drivers who haven't adhered to Via Verde).
This system has won several prizes for its innovative form of paying for services.
There are 9 Itinerários Principais (Principal Routes), represented by the letters IP, designated IP1 through IP9.[3]
IP1 and IP2 forms cross national, North-South routes, the first running by the west part of the country, but ending in the southeast border of Castro Marim/Vila Real de Santo António and the second one by the east part, roughly close to the border with Spain.
All other routes follow a West-East route, with the exception of IP3, that runs mostly North-South.
All Itinerários Principais except IP6 and IP9 are connected with Spain. IP2 reaches Spain by route of N103-7, in the region of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro.
| Number | Route | Length |
|---|---|---|
| IP 1 | Valença - Braga - Porto - Aveiro - Coimbra - Leiria - Santarém - Lisbon - Montijo - Setúbal - Aljustrel - Faro - Castro Marim | 734 |
| IP 2 | Portelo - Bragança - Guarda - Covilhã - Castelo Branco - Portalegre - Évora - Beja - Ourique - Faro | 564 |
| IP 3 | Vila Verde da Raia - Vila Real - Lamego - Viseu - Coimbra - Figueira da Foz | 279 |
| IP 4 | Porto - Vila Real - Bragança - Quintanilha | 237 |
| IP 5 | Aveiro - Viseu - Guarda - Vilar Formoso | 204 |
| IP 6 | Peniche - Caldas da Rainha - Rio Maior - Santarém - Torres Novas - Abrantes - Castelo Branco | 219 |
| IP 7 | Lisbon - Setúbal - Évora - Estremoz - Elvas - Caia | 225 |
| IP 8 | Sines - Santiago do Cacém - Beja - Serpa - Vila Verde de Ficalho | 154 |
| IP 9 | Viana do Castelo - Ponte de Lima - Braga - Guimarães - Amarante - Vila Real | 161 |
There are 37 Itinerários Complementares (Complementary Routes), represented by the letters IC, designated IC1 through IC37.[4]
Estradas Nacionais (National Routes) are part from the Complementary Network. The rules of its nambering are identical to the 1945 Plan's ones. However, the importance of Estradas Nacionais is much lower than during the term of the 1945 Plan, because these over the last decades, were passed over by the highways, and the IP and IC routes. National Routes are represented by the letter N, and they are administerated by the agency Estradas de Portugal.
Estradas Regionais (Regional Routes) integrate the Regional Network. These road class was created in 1998, with the approval of 2000 National Roadway Plan. According Law n.º 222/98 "the public road communications with supra-municipal interest, and complementary to the National Road Network, are carried by Regional Roads".
Each Regional Road mantains the number of the National Road or Municipal Road that originated it. Regional Roads are represented by the letter R. Because, in 1998, it was rejected, in a referendum, a reform which consisted of the creation of 8 administrative regions in mainland Portugal, nowadays, some Regional Roads are administrated by Estradas de Portugal, while others are administrated by portuguese municipalities.
Estradas Municipais (Municipal Routes) are represented by the letter M, and they are administrated by portuguese municipalities. These routes were created in 1961, and, over the years, many branches of National Routes had been municipalized. Some Municipal Routes created by the 1985 Plan, were renamed as National Roads or Regional Roads in the 2000 Plan.
Portugal is crossed by some European Routes:
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