The A 6 is a Portuguese

motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...

which runs east from Marateca (a short distance from

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

) to the

Portugal–Spain border The Portugal–Spain border, also referred to as "The Stripe" ( es, La Raya, pt, A Raia, gl, A Raia, mwl, La Raia), is one of the oldest borders in the world. The current demarcation is almost identical to that defined in 1297 by the Treaty of ...

, near

Elvas Elvas () is a Portuguese municipality, former episcopal city and frontier fortress of easternmost central Portugal, located in the district of Portalegre in Alentejo. It is situated about east of Lisbon, and about west of the Spanish fortress ...

, where it connects to the Autovía A-5 in Spain. Since 1999 the highway has formed part of the principal road linking

with

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

. At its western end the road connects with the A2 approximately 50 km (30 miles) south-east of

, but while the A2 swings to the south the A6 continues east passing through the Alto Alentejo via Montemor-o-Novo,

Évora Évora ( , ) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. It has 53,591 inhabitants (2021), in an area of 1307.08 km2. It is the historic capital of the Alentejo and serves as the seat of the Évora District. Due to its well-preserved old to ...

and the Estremoz

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

quarries. It then continues past Borba and

, the Portuguese part of the road terminating at the crossing of the

Caia River The Caia () is a river in the Iberian Peninsula, a tributary to the Guadiana. It is one of the main water courses in the Portalegre District, Portugal. Portugal does not recognise the border between the Caia and Ribeira de Cuncos River deltas, si ...

which here forms the frontier with

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. Apart from the most easterly section approaching the frontier, the road is the responsibility of Brisa, the Portuguese highway operator. The toll for a Class 1 vehicle (normal motor car) travelling the full distance from Marateca to

is €11.95 (2010). The road carries very little traffic.Brisa Annual Report 2012 p.194

References

Motorways in Portugal European route E90 {{Portugal-road-stub