Motorways: Electronic tolls explained
Estradas de Portugal placed two new payment terminals in Vilar Formoso, yesterday, July 16. These payment terminals allow foreign drivers to pay any road tolls in a quick and safe manner. Find out how these works, and what other payment options are available to you, here.
Electronic tolls were created on previously free motorways in several regions of the country (Photograph: Brisa. All Rights Reserved)
During the 2012 Easter weekend, the Portuguese government implemented electronic tolls on its previously free motorways in order to generate revenues. Because the motorways had not been built to include toll booths, electronic tolls were created instead, causing much confusion among foreign visitors. The government, motorway operator Estradas de Portugal and rent-a-car companies have now come up with ways to simplify electronic tolls. Estradas de Portugal have launched a new website that will help motorists understand how these electronic tolls work, and how to pay them.
Scenario 1: I’m driving to Portugal with my car
1. How do I know which motorways have an electronic toll?
At the beginning of the motorway there is a sign warning motorists they are entering a highway with an electronic toll. If the motorist fails to notice this and passes through the toll, (s)he can stop at a post office, or at one of the service areas listed on number 9 to pay his/her toll fees without incurring a fine.
2. Which motorways have an electronic toll?
A very helpful map can be found here
- A28/IC1: Viana do Castelo – Porto - A4: Variante Sul de Bragança - A24/IP3: Vila Verde da Raia (border) – Viseu - A4: Matosinhos – Águas Santas
- A41/IC24: Perafita/Freixieiro – Sêroa (Oeste)
- A42/IC25: Sêroa (Oeste) – Lousada - A17/IC1: Estádio de Aveiro – Mira
- A25/IP5: Albergaria-a-velha (A1/IP1) – Vilar Formoso (border)
- A29/IC1: Miramar – Angeja - A23/IP6: Torres Novas – Guarda - A13/IC3: Atalaia - Tomar - A8/IC36: Variante Sul de Leiria
- A19/IC2: Variante da Batalha - A33 – Belverde – Coina - A22: Lagos - Castro Marim
3. How do I pay? What different methods of paying are there?
a) At payment terminals to be implemented in July of this year
b) At a CTT (Portuguese post office) and buying a CTT electronic monitor or choosing a prepaid option
c) Using an automatic CTT machine – locations to be announced soon
d) Using a TollCard
4. Where are payment terminals located?
Mainly at the border. Two payment terminals are found in Vilar Formoso.
5. How do payment terminals work?
The payment terminals link a bank card to a car number plate. By swiping the bank card at an electronic terminal, the machine will take a picture of the car’s number plate and create a connection between the card and the car. Afterwards, toll fees will automatically be charged to the card every time the car passes through an electronic tool.
6. Where are the CTT automatic machines located?
At the border, at the beginning of any electronic toll motorway. Please note that only prepaid options are available.
7. How does the CTT option work? How long does it last and how much does it cost?
There are four different options to choose from:
a) Virtual prepaid payment for 3 days (available at automatic machines)
This option is designed for those who do not plan on spending more than three days in Portugal. The €20 fee allows unlimited trips on all motorways during three consecutive days. There is no need to top-up throughout your stay. It works by memorising your number plate and automatic debit to your prepaid account. This option is only available for class 1, 2, and 5 vehicles.
b) Virtual prepaid payment for 5 days (available at automatic machines)
Similar to the previous option, this one lasts for 5 consecutive days and is available for all vehicles. It requires an initial top-up of €10 for classes 1, 2 and 5 or €20 for classes 3 and 4. Online top-up is available.
c) Prepaid, Predefined routes (available at automatic machines)
This option is available to those who wish to travel only on predefined routes. The three routes available are: Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (via A28/A41), Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (via A41/A42) and Faro Airport (via A22) as a one-way or return trip. Prices vary depending on vehicles, routes and whether the trip is one-way or return. There is no need for top-ups as price includes tolls and admin fees.
d) Temporary electronic device
For stays over 5 days, prepaid electronic devices (see question 8) are available for rent. They come preloaded with toll fees, allowing the user to remain anonymous and doing away with the need to link a bank card to a car number plate.
To rent a device, a deposit (of €27,50) is required but it is refundable within 30 days of returning the device. Failure to return the device within that time will void the deposit as the device will be considered sold by CTT. There is no refund for unused credit.
Minimum credit:Classes 1, 2 and 5: €10
Classes 3 and 4: €20
Balance valid for 90 days
The device can be topped-up as required afterwards.
8. Can I only buy the CTT electronic devices, prepaid options and top-up at a post office?
No. A virtual prepayment is available online on the CTT website. To make online purchases, you need to create an account. There are also several places where the devices are sold.
3-day and 5-day virtual prepaid payment, predefined routes:
- Service areas: CEPSA A28 Viana do Castelo, CEPSA A22 Olhão, CEPSA A23 Abrantes, GALP A28 Vila do Conde, GALP A25 Celorico da Beira
- IKEA Matosinhos
- Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (Information Office)
Temporary Electronic device:
- Service areas: CEPSA A28 Viana do Castelo, CEPSA A22 Olhão, CEPSA A23 Abrantes, GALP A25 Celorico da Beira
9. What is a TollCard and how does it work?
According to Estradas de Portugal, TollCard is an “‘on the shelf’ product, activated through an SMS, with a fixed amount to be consumed depending on circulation”. You can pay for this service with your bank card or cash. It is valid for one year and the motorist can buy a pre-loaded card with €5, €10, €20 or €40.
To activate the card the motorist has to send a text message with the code printed on the pre-loaded card and the number plate of the vehicle. All of these instructions will be available on the card. Once the card balance runs out, the motorist will receive an alert text message.
TollCards can be obtained in the service areas mentioned in question 8.
10. Is there one website where I can access all this information?
A website that allows motorists to create an account and access information regarding electronic tolls and payment options has just been launched. Estradas de Portugal’s new website also allows motorists to check their balance on both prepaid options and Toll Cards, and top up as required.
The website has two language options, Portuguese and English, but by the end of the day Spanish and French will also be added.
11. What happens if I don’t pay?
A letter will be sent to your home address with the amount due plus a fine.
Useful websites:
CTT: Find out which solution is best for you at the Portuguese post office’s website
Scenario 2: I’m going to rent a car
Case Study 1: Avis
1. How are they dealing with the electronic toll?
They implemented a system called e-toll.
2. How does e-toll work?
Avis e-tolls make an electronic payment for all Avis cars. It works as a transponder so that the electronic toll device can recognise the vehicle.
3. How much does it cost?
-It costs €1.50 per day, plus the face value of the toll during the rental.
-Maximum costs are €15 for 10 days or more.
4. When do you pay?
-The total amount due will be processed up to 15 days after the rental and does not carry extra admin costs.
5. Is it already available?
- Yes.
6. What happens if you don’t ask for the transponder, go through a motorway with an electronic toll and don’t pay?
- Avis has to contact CTT and you will receive a letter at home with your fine.
Case Study 2: Europcar
1. How are they dealing with the electronic toll?
-They are installing the Via Verde system in all their cars (most cars will be equipped by July).
2. How does via verde work?
- Like the Avis e-toll, Via Verde is a transponder. It works on both the former free motorways and other highways and has been in use for years.
3. How much does it cost?
-It costs €1.50 a day plus VAT.
4. When do you pay?
-At the end of the rental.
5. What happens if you don’t have a car equipped with a Via Verde (because you didn’t want one) and go through an electronic toll?
-Europcar will inform CTT and you will receive the fine at home.
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Derrick Watts
This is a joke! is it not. Do these educated politicians not understand economics?
Whatever they try to do to fix this shambles, charging for once FREE motorways will not work.
The motorways are used less now. Accidents on now over used local roads have increased, putting more demand on the emergency services. The cost of repairing these local roads will go up or they will be left to go into disrepair making them even more dangerous. Local and national business have increased cost with either longer times to carry out deliveries etc or paying the tolls.
Whoever thought of this idea must have some financial interest in the company administering the toll charges. The evidence the guarantee of funding to operate a chaotic system.
Put average speed cameras on the motorway toll gantry’s! The speed some of the cars passing me on the A22 must exceed 160km +, lovely for them, using a almost unused road to speed along.
mattus
Agreed,
I’ll also add another factor, the effect on tourist mobility which will affect the number of locations tourists are willing to travel outside their realm of convenience due to these toll charges.
Once again, Politicians run the country to the ground, and still more politicians kick it around for good measure.
Nate Woodgate
Because the motorways had not been built to include toll booths, electronic tolls were created instead,
er, no. The policy was followed because it was cheaper, easier to fleece the poor sod who now has his bank account linked direct to the governments official “rape the citizen’s finances” machinery and last but nor least because someone close to the government stood to gain substantially from it thus proving that the powers that be at any level in this benighted land will always revert to the lowest common denominator: fill your own pockets at the expense of anyone and everyone else.
Only a total cretin would buy into the notion that the government will save any money from this shambolic exercise in stupidity – here in the algarve traffic has dropped by 50 – 75% depending on who’s figures you believe, but despite the loss in commerce and thereby tax revenues the charging company will make up any shortfall through the largesse of the public purse or to put it another way the government has agreed to augment the profits of a supposedly independent private company with taxpayer money – that’s yours and my money readers. No hint of nepotism/fraud/special interest prevailing there.
Nate Woodgate
Find out which solution is best for you at the Portuguese post office’s website
Don’t use the motorway is the best solution for most or as some visitors will no doubt conclude don’t visit Portugal.
paul rees
The above explanation, although accurate in every detail I am sure, illustrates the problem. A byzantine methodology devised to try and solve a non-existent problem.
Add to this complexity the cost so far of this system, an extra €705 million euros, paid from general taxes and not just road users under the ‘user pays’ mantra, and anyone outside looking in will realise he has come across a southern European asylum where the inmates are in charge.
The toll system is costing more than it is raising in the Algarve where tourism is crumbling and the death arte on the ‘alternative’ road is increasing.
The Court of Auditors are investigating the ‘possibility’ of corruption and (breath-taking) incompetence at government level.
This tolls system is a showcase for all that is wrong with the country’s political class. Greedy, deeply incompetent, and supremely arrogant in not admitting their mistakes and reversing the many facile decisions that are still harming the very people whose votes they rely on.
mattus
Portuguese rulers have a long history of ignoring the rights and voices of its citizenry, we can blame Salazar or the other guy, but at the end of the day, If the Portuguese don’t stand up and yell back, they are the only ones to blame for this corruption.
Paul Rice
Not designing motorways without possible modifications such as tolls is pure incompetence . The addition of electronic tolls must have cost a fortune , and we have never heard from the government how much has been provisioned for maintenance and upgrading in the future.
All over Europe motorways use toll booths , and it works well , cash , bank card , automatic payments are all possible, so why did Portugal not use a proved system or at least forsee tolls , this is pure government incompetence , and adds to the proof of Portugals government incompetence at all levels .
As has been noted an investigation should be started into who has gained form this operation , unfortunately everyone in and out of Portugal thinks corruption or collusion .
In addition these motorways are far from the standard of France or Germany, rest areas are very limited and petrol stations even more so , and this has been seen in many countries to have an effect of security and accidents .
Another problem noted , is the idea of using the post offices to pay the tolls , has any governmet official
ever tried to pay in a post office , limited opening hours , long queues , the Post Office in Portugal does not have a good customer service , and like a lot of government run organisations needs a complete overhaul in its management and staff service.
I for one have been telling people in Europe not to go to Portugal , especially in a vehicule , until this mess is sorted out .
Sorry to say I consider the Portuguese government to be on a par with that of Singapore , arrogant , unaccountable , incompetent and with a need to change the political system and politicians . Politicians are there to serve the country and its citizens , many seem to have forgotten this , and it will be the downfall of many governments worldwide in the near future .
Mattus
your comment is baffling. Although I’m against tolls in general, this type of tolling system is becoming more common each year. It is hardly a third world system as you seem to be implying, on the contrary forward thinking. Highway 407 in Toronto Canada, for example, has had this system in place for about 10 years and it is highly desirable for commuters as they don’t have to be bothered with stopping at an annoying toll booth, which to me is an antiquated and arcane toll collection system. This type of tolling system can also be found in the U.S and I believe Spain too. Whether you like it or not, automatic tolling systems are the future of toll roads in all so called advanced countries, yes that means Germany too, yawn. As a tourist in any country, it is your job to become familiar with the existing toll systems. I think that many tourists are turning into lazy tourists and don’t seem to appreciate that it is their duty to inform themselves. That means learning everything that might affect you, from insurance to diet, the job is yours not theirs.
Caver
Tolls are OK if there is they are setup like France , pay automatically , cash , or card at every toll station .
Also there have to be standards , in France rest areas every 20 kms , major petrol stations etc every 40 kms , this also reduces accident rates as people can relax , eat etc .
Sorry to say the EU has introduced many standards , but has failed on basics .
You have to remember in the EU travel is very easy across borders .
Also living in Portugal now for a short while , it is easy to see the lack of efficiency , and competence in all levels of society , starting with government . And at th government level the total lack of accountability outside elections is obvious .
snowbirds
Having just travelled through France, Spain paying my tolls I exit Portugal with out finding a pay booth then to read on line I should have stopped at a post office or garage to pay I won’t be returning in the near future and tell friends to travel in other parts of Europe.
Auto Ocasião
Tolls will harm the development of the Algarve. The Algarve is just a highway (A22 – Via do Infante) connecting the region from one end to the other (VRSA and Lagos)! The A22 is so important to the region as the water that our body needs daily. With the economic crisis installed until who knows when, this would be the best way that the government had to create jobs, develop the local economy, regional and country? The Portuguese government it feels not connect to the bases of the economy, any citizen with a modest profession can see that the path to the development of the country is not being done, no need to get a master’s degree in economics. What will be the economic future of the Portuguese regions and Portugal?
vicky
I will be travelling to Portugal in a week and will be driving my own UK registered car. After reading all about the electronic toll roads I really do nit want to drive on them, it justs seems akl too hard. Can I get from the top of Portugal to the bottom of Portugal without going on an electronic toll road. I am happy to use a manned toll road or non toll road, is this possible please. Also, I have read that some roads have recentlly been changed to electronic toll roads so if by chance my GPS has not picked up on it now being an electronic toll road, will I have enough time to exit the start of the road before being committed to going on it.
mike vrobinson
I rented a van in UK & entered Portugal & swiped my card at border. I returned van & saw the charges on my bank statement. But now this van rented by someone else has entered Portugal & I have been charged! There is no mechanism to uncouple my card to the number plate. Thyere is no option to specify a time limit. This breaches Human Right Laws and should be stopped.
Mario Aveiro
I live in Canada and also have a home in Portugal. We traveled the toll-road Mira to Porto. The next day we went to the post office to pay, but the charge was not yet there, payment was not accepted. We went the next day and again payment was not accepted as the post office could not find the charge. We left for Canada the same day and thought nothing of it. Months later we got mail and a bill from the Ascendi the road charge was 28 Euros and the penalty was 136 Euros. The people responsible for the Toll-road and the government need to get out of office and stop ripping off the visitors as well as permanent residents. This problem only shows how incompetent the present government is how do they ever expect that the economy will improve if the government itself is ripping off its own people! Lower the rip-off and more people will start using the roads.
Ken
I HAVE A POLICY OF NOT TAKING MY BUSINESS WHERE IT IS NOT APPRECIATED!
Unfortunately I booked a Villa in the Algarve for 2 months and pre-paid all flights from Canada. I booked a car rental for 58 days and plan to drive the wheels off it! (1st time to Portugal)
Now I am learning about this toll-road mess. I am starting to calculate what it would cost to just cut my losses and go to Spain again instead. Just the cost alone… 10C a Km?? I would expect to drive about 5,000 Km! THAT’S 500 EUROS!! That will cover my cost of flying London to Spain instead!
And then there’s the car insurance – I’ve never had an accident (even in Spain!) but 10 Euros a day or 1,000 euros excess?? I guess I can’t afford to drive the side-roads?
So much for a relaxed 2 months touring and helping out the Portugese economy!! I’m obviously going to spend much more time by the pool!
P.S. To the jerk that said rental customers just need to do their home-work, I have now spent a full day trying to figure out how to deal with this and I still don’t have a solution. Might help if I could read Portugese but I am NEVER going back so there’s not point in learning that, is there?
mike
We are in the algrave now. We first went to sintra and obidos and had no problems. Paid at the booth, etc. Arrived in algrave and see these electric rolls. Having no idea, we asked the hilton desk, they had no clue. Luckily we googled it. We planned on driving to sagres tomorrow, but cant now because we fly on tuesday and wont be able to pay since the tollls would not post. No we have to spend tomorrow finding a post office to pay the tolls so dar. Definitilty this system sucks and affect tourism.
Meh
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John Webb
I am trying to understand what I need to do to visit Portugal with my motorhome. There are many sites with links to others. Problem most of the links dont work. I think one option is to give this bunch of idiots a credit card number, I think not! If they can come of with such a convoluted way of finding information I am sure they are not to be trusted. Answer, not come to Portugal.
Caver
Once again I think we can put a lot of blame on the EU . They want to standardise many things , but forget the essential . Tolls payment should be standardised throughout Europe and we can travel easily . Its the same with minimum wages , look at Portugal , 498 Euros a month , yet food and other prices are the same as in countries where it is 1200 Euros , the same things happens with pensions and health .
The EU and its unelected commissioners , have privileged the standardisation of totally unnecessary things,
and ignored the essential , especially as far as citizens rights goes .
The EU has been badly set up by a set of unaccountable people and this has to change . Also why should we find people in top positions in the EU who have been in responsible positions in badly run countries.
John
We have booked flights to Lisbon and rented a car for a much looked-forward-to driving vacation in Portugal and Spain. I was aware that there are toll roads in both countries but assumed (very wrongly, it seems) that it would be like here in Canada, that toll roads would be higher speed corridors roughly paralleling existing highways, not cash grabs that make it nearly impossible to drive between major cities without using toll roads. I will work hard to avoid all the toll roads and, when I leave, I won’t ever come back and I will certainly make sure that everyone I know is aware of this situation so they can make better informed decisions than I did to vacation in Portugal.
Caver38
I think the message is getting through , I see more and more tourists complaining about the system , and
that they wont return .
I think the EU should look again at lending money to Portugal seeing the total lack of government competence .
The troika are a bunch of paper pushers , and have never looked at the inefficiency in the country , the mistakes made .
Theer are too many MP’s per capita , a very low efficiency of all essential services and government organisations , and a total lack of accountability .
The question should not be will Portugal stay in Europe , but should Portugal be allowed to stay in Europe .
Jules Tamondong
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ray
I came to Portugal for a 4day break with my kids and accidently took a wrong turn and ended up on the motorway. I came straight off at the next junction but not before I had to pass through a toll booth. Now I find out it will cost me €28 for a wrong turn. I was fleeced by ryanair on the way into this country with my baggage, fleeced by gold car rental on the insurance and fuel (I had to pay up front for a full tank of fuel which wasnt needed) now I’m being fleeced by the government too. Safe to say it will be a cold day in hell before I return or recommend this destination to anyone!
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