- Portuguese motorways have tolls for motorcyclists, motorists and truck drivers
- The toll collection system is quite complicated due to the two separate highway systems
- In the old system, payment can be made in cash or by credit card, while in the new system it is exclusively electronic
Portuguese motorway toll rates
The amount of tolls in Portugal depends on the distance traveled and the category of the vehicle. As an indication, tolls range from €6.00 to €9.00 per 100 km. In Portugal there are several operators; a consolidated overview of motorway tolls is available on the Brisa website . On the Viaverde.pt website . A toll calculator is also available.
For more information on paying tolls in Portugal, visit Portugaltolls.com .
Vehicle categories in Portugal
Vehicles in Portugal are commonly divided into four classes. The classification depends on the height of the car over the front axle and the total number of axles of the vehicle. Motorcycles equipped with the Via Verde electronic system are class 5, with a 30% discount on tolls. The ViaVerde.pt site allows you to check the category based on the make and model of the vehicle.
- Class 1: Motorcycles and vehicles up to 1.1 m high
- Class 2: Two-axle vehicles with a height exceeding 1.1 m
- Class 3: three axles and height greater than 1.1 m
- Class 4: Four or more planks with a height greater than 1.1 m
Toll prices for selected routes in Portugal 2023
| Highway section | Motorcycles | Cars | Truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisabon – Port | €22.40 | €22.40 | €39 |
| Lisabon – Faro (Algarve) | €22.35 | €22.35 | €39 |
| Porto – Valença | €9.15 | €9.15 | €15.80 |
| Port – Coimbra | €7.40 | €7.40 | €12.90 |
| Lisabon – Cascais | €1.40 | €1.40 | €2.80 |
| Lisabon – Leiria | €9.70 | €9.70 | €17.20 |
Toll payment in Portugal
In Portugal there are two distinct systems for paying tolls. The older system allows payment by cash or credit card. For motorways with electronic tolls, payment takes place exclusively through an automated system or with prepaid cards. The distribution of Portuguese motorways by payment method is shown in this map on the Infraestruturas website .
Payment by cash or card
Motorway tolls can be paid by cash or card only on some motorways. These are marked as Portagem Manual or also Manual Toll, in this case the classic open system applies. You buy the ticket at the entrance to the motorway and pay the toll booth at the exit.
EasyToll
EasyToll is an automatic electronic toll payment system for vehicles registered abroad. Only Visa, Mastercard and Maestro cards are accepted. The driver inserts the card into the payment terminal and the system links it to the vehicle’s license plate. The toll is then automatically deducted from your bank account.
A fee of €0.74 is charged for access, and each trip is subject to an administration fee of €0.32. Registration is valid for 30 days. The payment card can only be registered at 4 points at the main border crossings.
TollCard
TollCards work on the prepaid credit principle and are available in denominations of 5, 10, 20 or 40 euros. TollCards are available at all CTT post offices or CCT petrol stations , and online at Portugaltolls.com .
TollCards are activated via SMS with the card number and car license plate number. When activating your TollCard, you must take into account an activation fee of €0.74 and an administrative fee of €0.32 for each trip.
Virtual card
For €20.74 you can travel on motorways with electronic tolls for 3 days without any restrictions. The TollService service is available at Portuguese post offices or petrol stations, or can be subscribed to online on the CTT.pt website .
The card can also be purchased for multiple trips for predefined routes starting or ending at Porto and Faro airports for a registration fee of €0.74 and the cost of the trip.
Visitors Via Verde
Via Verde is a classic electronic toll payment system. A device is attached to the windshield of the car to record the passage through the toll booth. The charges are then deducted directly from your bank account.
A special Via Verde Visitors rate is available for cars registered abroad. The rental of the device lasts for 90 days, the first fee is €6.00, subsequent weeks are charged at €1.50, plus a refundable security deposit of €28. The advantage of Via Verde Visitors is that it can be used on all Portuguese motorways.
Additional payment of motorway tolls
It is possible to pay an additional toll at some toll highway operators. Some sources say that only vehicles registered in Portugal can pay additionally, but the official toll payment site also allows payment for vehicles registered abroad.
We recommend this method only as a last resort, as additional payments only apply to certain highways and deadlines must be strictly adhered to.
Toll sections in Portugal
Toll motorway sections in Portugal
- A1 Lisbon – Santarém – Leiria – Coimbra – Porto
- A2 Lisbon – Albufeira
- A3 Porto – Braga – Valença
- A4 Metosinhos – Porto – Amarante – Bragança
- A5 Lisbon – Cascais
- A6 Marateca – Caia
- A7 Povoa de Varzim – Vila Pouca de Aguiar
- A8 Lisbon – Leiria
- A9 Lisbon – Alverca
- A10 Bucelas – Benavente
- A11 Apúlia – Amarante
- A12 Lisbon – Setúbal
- A13 Marateca – Almeirim, Entrance – Coimbra
- A14 Figueira da Foz – Coimbra
- A15 Óbidos – Santarém
- A16 Alcabideche – Lisbon
- A17 Marinha Grande – Mira – Aveiro
- A19 Porto de Mós – Leiria
- A20 Porto internal ring road
- A21 Malveira – Ericeira
- A22 Lagos – Vila Real de Santo António
- A23 Torres Novas – Castelo Branco – Look
- A24 Viseu – Vila Real – Vila Verde da Raia
- A25 Praia da Barra – Aveiro – Guarda
- A26 Sines – Santiago do Cacém
- A27 Viana do Castelo – Ponte de Lima
- A28 Porto – Viana do Castelo – Caminha
- A29 Angeja – Vila Nova de Gaia
- A30 Sacavém – Santa Iria de Azóia
- A32 Oliveira de Azeméis – Vila Nova de Gaia
- A33 Funchalinho – Montijo
- A36 Lisbon internal ring road
- A37 Lisbon – Sintra
- A38 Almada – Costa de Caparica
- A40 Olival Basto – Montemor
- A41 Port Outer Ring Road
- A42 Ermida – Lousada
- A43 Porto – Aguiar de Sousa
- A44 Gulpilhares – Vila Nova de Gaia – Oliveira do Douro
- A47 Santa Maria da Feira – Mansores
Map of highways and toll roads in Portugal
A clear and simple map of toll highways in Portugal is available on the Infraestruturas website .
For the most demanding users, a web application is available that allows you to easily know the current state of the roads or the position of the cameras.
Sections subject to special tolls
In addition to tolls on motorways, Portugal also charges for crossing some bridges. On the Vasco da Gama and 25 de Abril bridges in Lisbon, tolls can be paid in cash or by credit card.
Price for crossing some bridges in Portugal
| Bridge | Motorcycle | Car | Truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25th April long weekend | €2.00 | €2.00 | €4.40 |
| Vasco da Gama Bridge | €3.05 | €3.05 | €6.90 |
Highways in Portugal: speed limits, fines
Speed limits in Portugal
- 50 km/h in a municipality.
- Outside the village: 90 km/h
- On the road for motor vehicles: 100 km/h
- On the motorway: 120 km/hPokuty za dálniční poplatky
Fines for unpaid tolls are up to ten times the cost of the toll. On motorways with electronic tolls, there are thorough checks using CCTV cameras and it is not worth driving without paying the toll correctly.
Non-tolled motorway sections in Portugal
In Portugal, some ring roads of large cities and shorter sections of motorways are free. In Madeira and the other Portuguese islands there are no tolls.
Speeding fines in Portugal
Portuguese drivers are hotheaded and don’t care much about the rules. However, if you drive or rent a car in this country, you will attract more police attention. You will also be subject to more frequent road checks to detect the slightest infringement. But, as is customary in these countries, most police officers are lenient and helpful.
In particular, do not be distracted by the constant honking of the horn, the flashing lights or even by suddenly stopping in the street because the driver in front of you wants to greet a passer-by. The fine system is simple, but the rates are not the lowest.
Speeding in town
- 5-20 km/h: from €60 to €300
- 21-40 km/h: from €120 to €600
- 41-60 km/h: from €300 to €1,500 and license withdrawal from 1 month to 1 year
- over 60 km/h: from €500 to €2,500 and license withdrawal from 2 months to 2 years
Speed out of town and on the highway
- 5-30 km/h: from €60 to €300
- 31-60 km/h: from €120 to €600
- 61-80 km/h: from €300 to €1,500 and license revocation from 1 month to 1 year
- over 80 km/h: from €500 to €2,500 and license withdrawal from 2 months to 2 years
Driving fines in Portugal
The police can fine drivers on the spot. Most police cars are equipped with instant payment terminals. A point penalty system has been in place in Portugal since 2016.
All drivers are awarded 12 points as standard, with a deduction of two to six points each time an offense is recorded. If the driver still has four points on his account, he must undergo further road safety training.
- Driving without mandatory equipment – €60 – €300
- Going through a red light/crossing a continuous line – €120 – €600
- Drink driving – from €250 – €2,500
- Drive without wearing a seatbelt – from €120 to €600
- Cell phone use while driving – €120 to €600
Driving in Portugal
Mandatory car equipment in Portugal
- Reflective vest
- Warning triangle
Drivers and passengers of motorcycles, mopeds and ATVs must wear a protective helmet.
Seat belts
Tires must have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm. Winter tires are not mandatory. Snow chains are mandatory when road signs indicate so.
Children in the car
The use of seat belts is mandatory for all occupants of the vehicle.
Say it yourself
Children under 12 years of age and less than 135 cm tall must use an approved restraint system suitable for their height and weight and must sit in the rear seat of the vehicle.
An exception is made for children under the age of 3 who can sit in a child seat on the front passenger seat facing the direction of travel, provided that the airbag in that seat is deactivated.
Alcohol behind the wheel
The maximum blood alcohol limit in Portugal is 0.5 per thousand. For new drivers with up to 3 years of experience and for professional drivers, the limit is reduced to 0.2 per thousand. The following sanctions apply for driving while intoxicated:
- 0.5 – 0.8‰ up to €250 to €1,250
- 0.8 – 1.2‰ up to €500 to €2,500
- over 1.2‰ is a criminal offense and carries the risk of imprisonment and revocation of the driving license from 3 months to 3 years
Daylights
Daytime running lights are generally not mandatory. However, in some sections, for example on the road from Alveiro to Vilar Formoso, on the border with Spain, it is necessary to have low beam headlights.