Rental Car

A rental car is the best way to discover Portugal — the country is compact enough that you could drive from the Algarve to Porto in one day (550 km, 5h), and the road infrastructure is excellent. Highways (Autoestradas) are modern and well-developed, and the country roads through Alentejo and the Douro Valley offer panoramas that are among the most beautiful in Europe.

Prices & Booking

Rental cars in Portugal are cheap compared to the rest of Europe: From 15–25 €/day for a small car in the off-season, 30–50 €/day in summer. Book through comparison portals (billiger-mietwagen.de, CHECK24) at least 4–6 weeks in advance — in the high season (July/August) the best deals are quickly gone. Recommended providers: Europcar, Sixt, Hertz (reliable, good condition) and local providers like Guerin and Goldcar (cheaper, but pay close attention to the condition). Always book full insurance without excess through the comparison portal — not at the counter, where it is significantly more expensive.

Highways & Tolls

Portugal's highways are toll roads, and the toll system is notoriously complicated. There are three systems:

• Manual toll: Classic toll booths with barriers. Pay cash or card. In the Algarve (A22) and some other highways, there are no more barriers — here the electronic system applies.
• Via Verde: Portugal's electronic toll via transponder. Most rental car companies offer Via Verde as an option (3–5 €/day extra + toll fees). Be sure to ask when picking up!
• Electronic toll without transponder (SCUT): Some highways (especially in the Algarve, A22) only have electronic toll stations without barriers. Without Via Verde, you must register your license plate at a CTT post office or online (pagamentodeportagens.pt) and pay in advance. Otherwise, hefty back payments threaten!

Toll costs: Lisbon → Porto approx. 22 €, Lisbon → Algarve approx. 20 €, Lisbon → Évora approx. 8 €. Alternatively, you can take the toll-free national roads (N-roads) — significantly slower, but often more scenic.

Driving in Portugal

Portuguese drive on the right (as in Germany), and the traffic rules are similar. Speed limits: 50 km/h in urban areas, 90 km/h on country roads, 120 km/h on highways. The Portuguese generally drive briskly, and the highway police (GNR) like to use speed cameras — stick to the limits. Driving in Lisbon and Porto is unnecessary and stressful (narrow streets, one-way streets, lack of parking) — only take the rental car when you leave the cities. Alcohol limit: 0.5 per mille (0.2 for novice drivers under 3 years of license).

Parking

Parking in the cities is a challenge. In Lisbon and Porto, there are zones with parking meters (0.80–1.60 €/hour, max. 2 hours) and parking garages (10–20 €/day). In the Algarve, parking in the resorts is difficult in summer — arrive early. In Alentejo, in the north, and in the countryside, parking is not a problem and is usually free. Tip: The app "ePark" (Lisbon) and "Telpark" (Porto) allow cashless parking via smartphone.