snowie Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Hi; catching ferry to Santander in a week, any experience or advice on road tolls in Portugal appreciated. Any electronic or automatic payment systems? Also if you are down there what's the weather like??!! cheers alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarianneDeux Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Hi Alan. We were in Portugal in 2016. We found that it was mostly motorways in the north which had plaza free electronic toll systems and as we travelled further south we came across more with payment machines and manned booths. However electronic payment tolls are likely to increase as Portugal has the electronic/data infrastructure to support them and ultimately are cheaper and can be used to convert existing roads to motorways without the expense of manned toll plazas. This site is very useful: http://www.portugaldailyview.com/whats-new/motorways-how-can-you-as-a-tourist-pay-the-electronic-tolls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Thanks Marianne, will read the link; looks helpful regards alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted February 8, 2017 Author Share Posted February 8, 2017 Further research suggests that Via verde system looks best bet for us as it avoids need to lean out of van window to stick a card into a machine, and can be used on non-electronic tolls, Regards Alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted February 24, 2017 Author Share Posted February 24, 2017 Having failed to buy a transponder as we had hoped, "Easytoll" system is what we have. Number plate recognition system linked to bank card. Just hoping NatWest won't be benefitting from multiple transaction charges as roads are split into very short sections and are pretty expensive, we think! So far we have had several manned booths, and only one machine that was hard to get at and left 30 cents change as a result. It's Friday and sat in hot sun outside van on the municipal site in Coimbra. A bit tired site and not many of us on it. Regards Alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted March 4, 2017 Author Share Posted March 4, 2017 Having a conversation with myself, but if anyone reads this I hope it proves useful. Firstly toll charges seem high to me in comparison with other countries, and they are levied over quite short distances. Second, we have found that easytoll works over the first few stretches and then there's the option of a manned lane rather than a machine. We also expect more electronic tolls in the Algarve area. Thirdly, Nat West charged us £1 each time they processed a toll charge, even one for 87cents! Five in one day was a bit rich. Lastly, not many winter campers seem to use toll roads, we do because they are generally smooth, quiet fast and we are in a hurry, we meander in better weather, though it's not very predictable. Regards Alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 we Where thinking of going to Portugal this year. Has it got expensive? Are all the major roads now toll? Have not been for some years, is it worth coming? Be interested in your thoughts Alan PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 That's a question and a half Pauline! I'm now sat on a pitch on a "yellow! Village" campsite outside Lagos wondering if I should enrol for Pilates tomorrow! But seriously; we are enjoying the trip, maybe not the dark nights as Portugal , same time as uk so we needed to bring loads of dvds and hobbies, cos it's cold and dark in the evenings from 6:30 7'ish. Difficult to BBQ. Eat at lunchtime and there are plenty of food choices. Wouldn't say it's cheap but maybe a bit cheaper than Spain? I'd recommend almost anywhere, plenty of life to see and some beautiful beaches, Regards Alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Are the toll roads signposted "pedagio" We're going next month but we don't use toll roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 Charles - 2017-03-05 5:12 PM Are the toll roads signposted "pedagio" We're going next month but we don't use toll roads. Sorry Charles don't know, we use satnav and plan ahead , if it asks if we want to avoid tolls we say yes or more often no. Regards Alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 snowie - 2017-03-05 5:00 PM That's a question and a half Pauline! I'm now sat on a pitch on a "yellow! Village" campsite outside Lagos wondering if I should enrol for Pilates tomorrow! But seriously; we are enjoying the trip, maybe not the dark nights as Portugal , same time as uk so we needed to bring loads of dvds and hobbies, cos it's cold and dark in the evenings from 6:30 7'ish. Difficult to BBQ. Eat at lunchtime and there are plenty of food choices. Wouldn't say it's cheap but maybe a bit cheaper than Spain? I'd recommend almost anywhere, plenty of life to see and some beautiful beaches, Regards Alan b Thanks . We will not be coming over until April, so the weather should improve, and the days will be longer. getting much longer already over here! I am surprised you think Portugal cheaper than Spain. Last time we where there it was not, but some years ago now. Mind you every thing is getting more expensive now in UK. Inflation is every where! Carry on enjoying your hols P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dora_ex Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Tolls roads are signposted "Portagem" with a picture of a man paying coins :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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