Lisbon’s surroundings are far too gorgeous not to explore, and a car is a good way to do it. The interior is splendid, full of treats to discover, and because you’re just a 45 minute drive from the coast to the west, the region’s legendary beaches are also within easy reach. Here are some tips to help you make the most of Lisbon car hire.
Pick a reputable car hire firm
The bigger the car hire company, the more choice of vehicles, pickup and drop-off locations. It’s probably a good idea to do your research at home, maybe looking up well-known hire companies you’re familiar with in the UK and seeing if there’s a Lisbon branch. Or, if you know someone who’s hired a car in Lisbon before, ask them who they used. There are also websites for comparing rental car rates by all sorts of factors including the hire time period, location, company, vehicle and security deposit.
Book before you travel and you should be able to pick up a decent discount as well as making life easy for yourself. It’s usually cheaper to pre-book than hire a car when you arrive. You should also be able to get a cheaper collision damage waiver from the rental company by paying up front.
Check for hidden costs, restrictions and fees
Check the cancellation fees before making your decision. Make the effort to actually read the T&C. Check the fuel policy provided by the deal, and if there are any mileage restrictions. Check how much the deposit is. Be prepared to leave your bank card details with the hire firm as a deposit.
Most of the car rental companies in Lisbon operate full-to-full, where you get a full tank when you set off and fill it back up before you hand it over. It’s a good choice since a full-to-empty policy could see you giving the car back with loads left in the tank. Mileage-wise, find a deal that doesn’t come with a mileage limit. It’s the norm, so it shouldn’t be hard.
According to Which? Consumer magazine, you should never buy car hire insurance from the car rental provider simply because the cover is rarely very good (‘mediocre’ in Which’s words) and the cost is sky high. Buying specialist cover online yourself is often ten times cheaper than the policies offered by firms like Avis, Budget and Europcar, and the protection you get is a lot better.
A special tip for petrol-heads
You might love the idea of hiring a massive SUV, the latest luxury saloon model or something expensive, sleek and sporty but the smaller the car you hire, the less it’ll cost and the more you’ll have to spend on other things!
The cost will depend on how long you want to rent the car, the car type, the company you hire from, how long you want it for and how far in advance you book.
Check everything before driving away
Inspect the car carefully before driving away, looking for any damage and taking note of the smallest scratches, noting them on your car rental agreement. Take ‘before’ photos for a belt-and-braces approach if you like. When you return the car, take ‘after’ photos to prove the condition you returned it in. Don’t forget to note down your mileage from the milometer.
Avoid driving in Lisbon itself
City driving is always tricky but in Lisbon it can be a nightmare, especially on working days and at rush hour. The traffic can be totally crazy and the parking meters are expensive. Lisbon is best explored on foot and by public transport, keeping your hire car for venturing outside the city. If you do drive in Lisbon centre, it’s also wise to expect very steep hills – this is extremely hilly city.
Figure out your routes beforehand
Petrol, diesel and electricity are expensive everywhere in Europe, and in Portugal there are also toll roads you have to pay for. It isn’t a lot of money on top of the fuel costs for short journeys, a few Euros a time, but the fees soon stack up for longer road trips.
Some toll motorways are completely digital, without manned tool booths, others are manned, so it’s safest to hire a car with a transponder. The toll charges are automatically recorded on the device, and the system charges your bank card when you give the car back. To be on the safe side, take cash for the manned toll booths and cover every eventuality.
There’s another reason to plan ahead. Because you’re driving on the other side of the road from home, you’ll maybe want to steer clear of the big, fast roads and instead wander around the back roads and lesser-travelled routes to your destination. You can go slower without causing a hazard and take your time instead of feeling rushed and stressed. And you’ll see much more of the real Portugal than you could hope to do while whizzing along a motorway.
If you find it tough going driving in very hilly country, you might think about hiring an automatic car so you can forget the gears and let the car do that side of things. Last but not least, once you know what route you’re taking you can relax and enjoy the ride.
Want to hire a car at Lisbon airport?
You might just want to get off the plane and head straight for the airport’s car hire providers. Car hire companies operating inside the terminal include Goldcar, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Guerin and Sixt. If you already booked follow the ‘car hire’ signs to find the official pick-up counter for your car hire firm. You’ll need to do some form-filling before you can drive away from the parking garage, which is also where you’ll hand your hire car back.
Walk past the luggage area, out of the arrivals hall, then turn right and walk for less than half a minute to find the meeting point for car rental companies operating outside the airport itself. They can be a bit cheaper than the car hire firms inside the terminal.
If you prefer to get into the city, find your accommodation, drop your luggage in your room and settle in before hiring a car, you can always visit the Avis, Guerin, Hertz, Sixt and Europcar offices in the city itself.
What’s it like driving in Portugal?
Portuguese driving is a whole different animal compared to home. Some people are perfectly happy to trundle along at 25 miles an hour in the fast lane, others will undertake you at 80mph. On the bright side, you don’t have to feel self-conscious about driving slowly while you get the feel for driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road!
One local person gave us some interesting advice: “Don’t be scared on busy roads even though there often aren’t any road markings or lines and everyone looks like they’re doing their own thing. Just embrace it and go with the flow”. Hm, that says it all!
Handing your hire car back
Leave enough fat for the drive to the airport, or to your city car hire firm’s garage, so you don’t run into problems with time or miss your flight.
If you need to refuel the car before you hand it in there’s a fuel station before the exit to the airport for those driving in from the west. When you’re approaching from the north, look out for the petrol station 10 km before the airport exit.
Now you’re ready to drive in Portugal. Drive safe, and we hope you have some epic adventures on four wheels.