rogandgee

I will be renting a car to use in Portugal for about two weeks and will be traversing the country between the Algarve and Porto visiting both the coast and the interior.

I am not sure what systems the car rental companies use and whether I have a choice as I am told that Easy Toll is the best for this situation.

Any help that I get to make the right choices would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

ribeirasacra

As I understand it every car hire company by law has to have a transponder fitted to their cars. However, if you are unsure why not contact them?
If a transponder is fitted you will be billed some time after your return as the device is not read when you return your car.

Alec

The system when I rented on the Algarve last year was that the car came equipped with a transponder, and had to pay 20 euro in cash to be loaded. Then every time I drove on the Algarve motorway (the only stretch that uses electronic tolling; other motorways use traditional toll plazas/booths). The idea was that provided I didn't exceed 20 euro in tolls, I didn't owe any further money (but unused amount wasn't refunded). There are other systems in use by other rental operators, such as debiting your credit card when the bills are in.

rogandgee

Thank you. Good idea to contact the rental company.

ribeirasacra

**Algarve motorway (the only stretch that uses electronic tolling; other motorways use traditional toll plazas/booths).***
Sorry that needs correcting.
The country has had the option of electronic toll payments since 1991.This was where there were manned booths too.
The north of Portugal was the area to first have the full electronic toll system installed. It was later spread around the rest of the country.
On this page http://www.pagatelia.com/via-t-portu...peajesportugal shows the extent of the "highways"
Green lines indicate tolled highways with booths.
Blue lines indicate electronic only tolled highways.
Grey lines indicate toll free highways

john777

Do not rent from Goldcar despite teaser prices. We did and regretted it. Their transponder did not work properly and we were billed for highway tolls after our return to the USA even though we thought we had paid in full when we returned the car. After a number of expensive phone calls to the relevant authorities in Portugal we hope the matter is settled but still not completely sure. Rent from Auto Europe. At least in the event an an issue you will be talking to a nice and helpful person in Maine.

WoinParis

Could the nice person in MIne have voted for Trump and his policy of America first ?

rogandgee

Thanks for your help guys although I certainly fail to understand the comment by WoinParis. What's that about?

Cowboy1968

Just as a side note:
Auto Europe is a reseller company which does not own one car.
Goldcar is an actual rental car company.
While I would second the opinion to avoid Goldcar, they are also listed with Auto Europe. So unless you keep an eye on which the actual rental car company is you can very well end up renting from Goldcar via Auto Europe.
If things go South, I would not expect the nice folks in Maine to work miracles all the time.

dfourh

My last rental was with Avis (booked through a wholesaler, billigermietwagen.de). They asked a fee of about $25 for the transponder. When I got to the car it was sitting on the front seat, and I asked an agent in the lot about it, and he said not to worry, so I threw it in the glove compartment. It didn't 'peep' when I went through tolls, which made me nervous, so I tried affixing it to the windshield in the spot where it apparently goes, and then it peeped again going through tolls, but it kept falling down, and sometimes I got it affixed and it peeped, and other times it was lying on the dash and it didn't peep.

When I returned the car I paid the $25 for the transponder and that was that. Never got billed later for any missed toll violations or anything.

rogandgee

Thanks guys

luz_de_lisboa

Agree with the advice to familiarize yourself with the road signage. Add to that the laws on navigating traffic circles - critical!

Also agree that you needn't worry about not speaking Portuguese, especially with your destinations. A few pleasantries are good to know. But otherwise English is the common language that is used to communicate with tourists from all over the world, not just from the US and UK.

rogandgee

Are the traffic circle laws not international like other European countries? Once you handle the Arch de Triumph in Paris (which I have done at peak hour), one should be good to go. Can luz_de_lisboa elaborate on this please?