ribeirasacra

They will not chase you back home. However if you do not pay you could get caught by the police in Portugal. Fines are instant and relatively high.

MyriamC

On our way from the Eastern Algarve to Porto we did everything we could to avoid the A22 (which is electronic toll only) because we would fly home the next day and there was no way to pay the toll (your passing needs 48 hours to show in their system). We managed to get to our hotel in Porto through 'normal' tollroads. Woohoo!
The next day we drove to the airport and - you won't believe this - all of a sudden that € sign on the road ... for 0,25 euro! So, we are now awaiting an invoice for 0,25 euro and a fine (that is what Europcar told us). To be continued ...

ozgirl

Myriam, have replied twice to this and posts not appearing??
Anyway, thanks for your enthusiasm and input on Portugal, probably included it in our itinerary partly on your posts!
LOVED Portugal.
We had to return our lease car to an industrial type area near, but not at, the airport and then they shuttled us to airport. Because of this I'm pretty sure we actually missed all electronic toll roads!
Hope things turn out fine ( no pun intended) with your experience.

wfg463

In addition to the good information here about the toll roads in Portugal, it's
worthwhile to check out the 'slow travel' site. The moderator is based in north-west
Spain and has become something of an expert on the tolls. His section is hugely
popular and posts almost daily.

ribeirasacra

wfg463 That is me!
ozgirl fingers crossed or you...Glad you loved Portugal.
MyriamC toll+fine+ admin charges. We wait to hear back from you. It maybe be months it maybe a week before you receive the bill.

indy_dad

Appreciate the info here.

You know, for someone like me who is sitting here deciding on when/where to spend my precious holiday time, this certainly is a tick in the negative column for Portugal. I'm sure the good out weighs the bad but maybe it's just the thing to send me (and others) to another location.

Maybe I'll go to Barcelona . . .

. . . wait, I'm bound to get pickpocketed there.

ribeirasacra

These toll roads can be avoided...pickpockets are harder to avoid!
Don't let this put you off going to Portugal, just be armed with the information.

wfg463

desculpe ribeirasacra! missed your postings here! please keep up the
terrific updates. I travel regularly to Lisbon (wife's family) and they are
invaluable.

muito obrigado!

ozgirl

Indy_dad, go to Portugal! It is beautiful, toll roads are a minor detail. One thing to be clear about there is that there are only a small number where this is a problem (with the electronic unmanned roads,) many are just your normal manned booths - a little research and you'll be fine. Enjoy!

crckwc1

After much research and information from ribeirasacra (thanks!) we ventured into Portugal from Spain onto Portugal A25, driving a rent car with Spanish plates. Before we got to the start of the electronic system, we began looking for signs about the electronic tolls. Nothing. It was Sunday so the post office was closed. In fact, everything along the way was shuttered and closed. We saw no signs indicating Via Verde or anything similar. We even parked, got out and searched for information. nada. Sooo -- we drove on, right under the electronic thingy and onward. I thought at any moment the police would stop us and impose a huge fine but luckily that didn't happen. In Coimbra, our first stop, our B&B hosts assured us that we could pay at the post office on Monday. No. We were told we couldn't pay after using the road because there was no way to access foreign license plate numbers, so it was "free." We were offered a 3-day pass for 20 euro or a 5-day pass for 10 euro but we could use neither because we wouldn't be on the electronic highway for several days. Thereafter, we avoided the electronic toll roads until we arrived in Lagos. When we were ready to leave that area, we went to yet another post office. After much discussion and even more time, it was finally determined that a 10 euro 5-day pass would get us out of Portugal and into Spain -- if we were leaving that day and would enter Spain the same day. Presumably, but not explained, if we were to be in Portugal a longer time, we would have to ?load? more money onto the card. Unsure the procedure, but no matter. We got our pass and swiftly made our way onto the A22 and over the Spanish border. We still technically owe for our jaunt along the A25 and have no clue if we'll get a bill someday. My advice to travelers with out-of-country license plates is to just avoid the electronic tolls when possible. And don't take advice from any well-meaning Portugese natives unless they work for the highway system or the post office. They understand only the system as it pertains to residents of Portugal -- at least that was true of all the ones who tried to help us. In retrospect, the electronic toll system is a royal pain, but not so much as to prevent me from going again. Portugal is a wonderful tourist destination.

MyriamC

Yes, Indy_dad, go to Portugal! It is a beautiful country, with wonderful people. Even a big fine for not being able to pay our 0.25 euro toll will not keep us from going back next year, and hopefully still this October.

SloJan2

Well, the good news is that if you are coming into Portugal on the A22 (from Seville), they have a great system set up. We drove through it on July 3. We saw the signs for foreigners, pulled over as indicated and the car was approached by a very nice young woman askin what language we spoke. Now, they just take a picture of your ca´r´s license plate, link it to your credit card and will charge your card automatically. It works on all non-traditional toll roads. Easy peasy. There were about 5 stalls to handle the cars expected during the tourist season. So, no more hopping to the post office for us.

Janetd5

For those checking this post, my recent trip to Portugal involved picking up a rental car in Porto at the Rua Antonio Bessa Leite downtown location. (I had traveled by bus from Lisbon to Porto, and spent some time in Porto before needing the car. Also didn't want to go to the airport to pick up the car as an electronic toll road is involved somewhere around the airport.) A week later I returned the car to the Lisbon airport. My drive south from Porto to Lisbon was via Coimbra, Obidos, Estremoz, and Evora, and I managed to avoid any electronic tolls. I came close where there was a short stint on the A17 when going between Coimbra to Obidos, but went through the outskirts of Leiria to avoid the electronic tolls. I did pay tolls throughout the drive at booths, but avoided the electronic tolls and the pesky procedure to pay them!

Europcar provided me with a list of the electronic toll roads (called SCUTS): A28, A4, A41, A42, A17, A25, A29, A22, A23 and A24.

The greatest help we had on the road - my friend's iPad2. While she didn't have access to the internet during the drive, she pulled up the daily route using wifi and the map app the night before. In the car she could access this route, enlarge it when needed, and a blue dot gave our car's specific location! To me, magic!!! Any wrong turn was quickly resolved by checking for the blue dot. Very helpful when navigating the outskirts of Leiria.

We had a great time in Portugal. Don't let the electronic tolls discourage you, especially since they can be avoided.

ozgirl

Slojan2, sounds like the system you encountered was perhaps what all the construction work we saw on June 15 was about?
Glad it worked well for you, it's obviously evolving daily!

SloJan2

The only downside in my mind to this system is that the PT gov't. now have access to my credit card. I am willing to take that risk though, as I am a bit lazy.