A22 Portugal tolls

[Mark Hewitt]

Headed for a holiday in the Algarve in a few months, hiring a car.

Anyone know what the deal is with the tolls on the A22. I know they are post pay but hard to get a clear idea exactly how you go about it. Is it ANPR?

[JohnnyMo]

When I hired a car in Portugal a couple of years ago, the car had a transponder. They were billed by the car hire company to my credit card (twice but that is another story)

Toll point

[ChrisH]

Confusingly, Portugal has two motorway toll systems. The original system is like a French setup with large toll plazas outside cities where you pay in person. Post-2008 they put a second system in place, including across the Algarve. It is a transponder system.

The simplest way to deal with it is through your car hire provider who will rent you a transponder for €20 or so, and which will then pay the tolls automatically. If you don't do this then you need to go to a post office (!) not less than 2 days but not more than 5 days (!) after your trip and pay in person.

[Mark Hewitt]

Confusingly, Portugal has two motorway toll systems. The original system is like a French setup with large toll plazas outside cities where you pay in person. Post-2008 they put a second system in place, including across the Algarve. It is a transponder system.

The simplest way to deal with it is through your car hire provider who will rent you a transponder for €20 or so, and which will then pay the tolls automatically. If you don't do this then you need to go to a post office (!) not less than 2 days but not more than 5 days (!) after your trip and pay in person.

Thanks. Unhelpfully some car hire companies have mention of the transponder on their website and some not. I would assume all car hire in Faro would include this?!

[danfw194]

If I was staying in Albufeira (or anywhere east of it), I'd be tempted to just avoid the motorway altogether and stick to the local roads. Anywhere further west then it probably does become worth using the motorway. Haven't been to the Algarve for many years, but in high season the local roads get jammed up, especially around Portimao and Lagos.

[Mark Hewitt]

If I was staying in Albufeira (or anywhere east of it), I'd be tempted to just avoid the motorway altogether and stick to the local roads. Anywhere further west then it probably does become worth using the motorway. Haven't been to the Algarve for many years, but in high season the local roads get jammed up, especially around Portimao and Lagos.

We are going to Portimao, so a good hour even using the motorway. It's over Easter so not high high season I guess.