The A 1—Autoestrada do Norte—is the biggest and the most important highway in Portugal. It connects the two largest cities in Portugal, Lisbon and Porto, also passing by some district capitals and industrial zones. Being the most important connection between two major cities, it was designed to be parallel to other roads, like the EN1.
At 303 km long, the highway starts in Lisbon, in the interchange between the CRIL and the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Then the road goes along some cities near Lisbon, mainly Alverca do Ribatejo and Alenquer. Near Torres Novas it connects with the A23, a road that connects the A1 with Castelo Branco and Vilar Formoso, by the A25, near the border with Spain. This interchange marks the end of the 3x3 profile that started in Lisbon, to start a profile of two lanes.
Construction began in 1960, first with a 3.6 km section in Gaia, from the current interchange with A44 to just before the Arrabida bridge. On 22 June 1963, the Arrabida bridge opened, also a 6.8 km southern extension to Carvalhos had been completed. On the southern end, first to open was the 25 km section from Lisbon to Vila Franca de Xira on 28 May 1961.
Construction would not resume before the democratization and the establishment of Brisa company on 22 November 1972; the next 6 km section from Vila Franca to Carregado opening on 26 August 1977. More intensive construction began in the 1980s, in 1982, the first section outside of Lisbon and Porto urban areas opened - the Coimbra bypass from Condeixa to Mealhada. The final section - 87.4 km from Torres Novas to Condeixa - opened on 13 September 1991.
The highway is owned by Brisa. A trip between Lisbon and Porto using the A1 costs €22.20.
Exits
Lisbon - Porto Number of the exit Km Destinations Exit road10Algés / Odivelas Setúbal / Montijo A 12 IC 175São João da TalhaN 101A8Póvoa de Santa Iria / Vialonga Sacavém / MoscavideN 115-5 IC 2214Alverca do Ribatejo / VialongaN 1014Praça de Portagem de Alverca (toll)214Cascais / Loures A 9 2A20Vila Franca de Xira (sul) / AlhandraN 10325Vila Franca de Xira (norte) / Porto Alto3A29Plataforma Logística de Lisboa Norte430Carregado / Alenquer Arruda dos Vinhos
Benavente / ALGARVEN 3 A 10 547Aveiras / Alcoentre / AzambujaN 3665A57CartaxoN 114-2665Santarém ( A 13 )N 1146A67Caldas da Rainha / Rio Maior A 15 794Torres Novas / Abrantes Castelo Branco / Tomar A 23 8114Fátima OurémN 3569129Leiria / Marinha Grande A 8 10153Pombal / Castelo Branco Figueira da FozIC 810A169SoureN 34811181Condeixa / LousãIC 2 A 13-1 12189Coimbra (South) / Taveiro / AlfarelosN 34113197Coimbra (North) / Viseu Fig. da Foz / Cantanhede IP 3 A 1414209Mealhada / CantanhedeN 23415232Aveiro (South) /ÁguedaN 23516247Aveiro (North) Viseu A 25 17258Vale de Cambra / Oliveira de AzeméisN 22418274Sta. Maria da Feira / São João da MadeiraN 22318A284Espinho (East) / Picoto A 41 285Praça de Portagem de Grijó (toll)18B*288Carvalhos / Grijó19291Carvalhos Gaia via N1N120**292Porto via Freixo Bridge Gondomar / Braga A 20 21*294Porto via Freixo Bridge Espinho / Canelas A 29 22296Gaia (Santo Ovídio)23298Gaia (Coimbrões) Espinho / Valadares A 44 - VCI A 4424300Gaia (Devesas) Canidelo25302Gaia (Afurada)302Arrábida Bridge303Direction of Freixo Bridge A 28 * Exit only available on north–south side
** Exit only available on south–north side
References
A1 – Auto-estrada do Norte on BRISA - Auto-estradas de Portugal S. A. Web site