Car Rental Portugal
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The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 13:08 on 2020-01-27. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Travel Information
Language
Portuguese
Currency
EUR
Country code
351
Average car rental length
8 days
Economy car rental price
$26.96 / per day
Traffic direction
Right-hand
Speed limit out of town
90 - 100 km/h
56 - 62 mi/h
Speed limit within town
50 km/h
31 mi/h
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Why rent a car in Portugal?
Portugal is a great place to explore by car. From cities like Lisbon and Porto to beaches of Algarve, historic attractions like Sintra, and surfing meccas like Penice and Nazaré, there are countless places to visit and explore, and having your own ride will allow you to go see them all during the same trip.
This article is about the mainland Portugal and the Madeira island. For information about the Autonomous Region of Azores Islands, see the article of Portugal-Azores.
Top ways to enter Portugal
- Lisbon Airport: Portugal’s largest airport serves flights to and from nearly all European countries, as well as destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
- Porto Airport: Large, modern, and well-connected, Porto Airport is popular with low-cost carriers like easyJet and Ryanair.
- Faro Airport: Well-connected to the rest of Europe and especially active during summers, Faro Airport serves the southern region of Algarve.
- Madeira Funchal Airport: Located on Madeira’s western coast, Funchal Airport connects the island not only to the mainland Portugal, but also to many destinations in Europe, and is served by more than 40 different airlines.
- By land: If your rental car provider permits it, it’s possible to rent a car in a neighboring country and then drive to Portugal. Some large international airports near Portugal are Malaga Airport, Seville Airport, and Madrid Airport in Spain.
Top cities and places to visit
- Lisbon: Portugal’s capital is often mentioned as one of the most interesting cities in Europe, and that’s for a good reason - its culture, food, and nightlife won’t let anyone leave disappointed.
- Porto and the North: Different in looks and atmosphere from its large southern rival, Lisbon, Porto is just as fascinating. A metropolis of arts and architecture, it is the capital of Northern Portugal, a region worth exploring in its own right.
- Madeira: Madeira is an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and an Autonomous region of Portugal. It is best reached by plane, but, once you land in its capital Funchal, getting a rental car is the best way to travel around Madeira to explore its fantastic volcanic landscapes and distinct culture.
- Algarve: Portugal’s southernmost region is famous for its beaches, as well as charming little towns like Albufeira, Lagos, and Sagres on the Atlantic Coast. Traveling the roads less traveled that lead inland and higher up into the mountains to towns like Monchique can be just as rewarding.
- Sintra: Just a scenic 30 minutes drive away from Lisbon, the whole town of Sintra and its surrounding nature have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main attractions include Sintra National Palace and the Moorish Castle, as well as other monuments of architecture.
- Aveiro: A city dating back to pre-Roman times, Aveiro is known for its canals (and like Venice, gondalas traveling through them), art noveau archetectirue and its cathedrals. The beaches nearby aren't bad either.
Most popular rental car
The most popular rental car in Portugal is the VW Polo, but travelers also tend to pick the Ford Fiesta and the Fiat 500 a lot.
Crossing Borders
Portugal has a land border with only one other country, Spain. Like Portugal, Spain is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Area, meaning that the entry requirements for Spain are the same as for Portugal.
Some car rental providers allow you to cross national borders and even drop off your car in a different country, while others don’t. If you’d like to cross a national border during your rental period, make sure to check the terms and conditions before booking a car. Learn more about cross-border rentals in our FAQ section.
Most popular types of rental car
The most popular rental car type in Portugal is an Economy, followed by Compact and Mini.
Top driving routes
- Porto - Lisbon (313 km / 194 mi) The distance between these two can be done in about three hours, although you might be tempted to stop in the historic city of Coimbra or make a small detour and visit Nazaré on the Atlantic Coast, one of the top surfing spots in Europe.
- Lisbon - Faro (278 km / 173 mi) It takes less than three hours to go from the capital to the largest city of Algarve. Knowing that you’ll be passing the wine-making region Alentejo on the way, however, might make you want to break up this trip into two or three days.
- Lisbon - Madrid (629 km / 381 mi) The capital of Spain, Madrid, is about six hours drive away from Lisbon, meaning you can have your breakfast in one and dinner in the other. On your way you’ll pass through the interior of Portugal and Extremadura in Spain, two regions that are sparsely populated and not frequently visited by tourists, but have lots of beautiful nature to explore. Note that you’ll have to cross a national border, so check with your car rental provider first to make sure they allow it.
Car Rental Prices
- Convertibles - from $80 per day
- Station wagons - from $48 per day
- Large cars - from $55 per day
- Medium cars - from $41 per day
- People Carriers/Vans - from $99 per day
- Premium cars - from $113 per day
- Small cars - from $26 per day
- SUVs - from $52 per day
How can I save money on my rental car?
You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in Portugal:
- Compare rates of different rental car providers
- Book your rental car well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Portugal is the cheapest in March when renting a car is about 50% cheaper than the yearly average and a whopping 66% cheaper than renting a car in November.
Top 20 Most Popular Cities in Portugal
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Car Rental in Lisbon from $16.65 per day
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Car Rental in Porto from $18.27 per day
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Car Rental in Faro from $4.29 per day
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Car Rental in Madeira from $27.05 per day
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Car Rental in Porto Santo from $23.54 per day
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Car Rental in Setubal from $14.47 per day
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Car Rental in Cascais from $15.89 per day
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Car Rental in Almada from $14.47 per day
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Car Rental in Braga from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental in Aveiro from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental in Leiria from $17.83 per day
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Car Rental in Albufeira from $11.50 per day
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Car Rental in Coimbra from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental in Portimao from $19.34 per day
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Car Rental in Viseu from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental in Lagos from $11.50 per day
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Car Rental in Estoril from $18.82 per day
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Car Rental in Braganca from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental in Vilamoura from $11.50 per day
Top 20 Most Popular Locations in Portugal
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Car Rental at Lisbon Airport from $16.65 per day
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Car Rental at Porto Airport from $18.27 per day
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Car Rental at Faro Airport from $4.29 per day
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Car Rental at Madeira Funchal Airport from $24.85 per day
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Car Rental at Lisbon, Downtown from $15.89 per day
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Car Rental at Porto, Downtown from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental at Porto Santo Airport (Madeira) from $23.54 per day
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Car Rental at Lisbon, Oriente Railway Station from $15.89 per day
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Car Rental at Setubal, Downtown from $14.47 per day
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Car Rental at Cascais, Downtown from $15.89 per day
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Car Rental at Lisbon Prior Velho from $20.13 per day
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Car Rental at Almada, Downtown from $14.47 per day
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Car Rental at Braga, Downtown from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental at Aveiro, Downtown from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental at Leiria, Downtown from $17.83 per day
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Car Rental at Albufeira, Downtown from $11.50 per day
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Car Rental at Faro, Downtown from $4.29 per day
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Car Rental at Coimbra, Downtown from $18.45 per day
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Car Rental at Portimao, Downtown from $19.34 per day
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Car Rental at Madeira, Downtown from $27.05 per day
Map of Car Rental Locations
Which is the cheapest month to rent a car in Portugal?
The cost of renting a car in Portugal depends on the time of year. This graph compares price changes from month to month in order to find the best offer.
Average Rental Price in Portugal
The cheapest month of the year to rent a car in Portugal is March — prices start from $18.64 for an Economy class vehicle. This is 53% cheaper than the yearly average and 69% cheaper than renting a car in the month of November (when prices start at $60.61 for a Compact class). This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. The exact price for your trip will depend on the length of your rental and the number of days until your rental period begins. Just enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see exact prices and offers.
What’s the average rental length in Portugal?
The average length differs from month to month. The longest rental periods are in January — an average of 16 days. The shortest are in August — an average of 6 days.
Average Rental Length in Portugal
What’s the most popular time for renting a car in Portugal?
Discover Cars users search a lot of locations daily. We gathered this information in order to analyze car rental popularity in Portugal. The most popular month is July, while the least popular is October.
Portugal Car Rental Popularity by Monthly Searches
Most Popular Car Models of Rental Suppliers
| Rental Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centauro | Ford Fiesta | 4 | 3 | Small cars |
| Drive on Holidays | VW Polo | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Turisprime | VW Polo | 4 | 1 | Small cars |
| Centauro | Fiat 500 | 3 | 1 | Small cars |
| Surprice | Peugeot 108 | 5 | 1 | Small cars |
| Ok Rent A Car | Renault Clio | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Ok Rent A Car | FIAT 500 | 2 | 1 | Small cars |
| Surprice | Toyota Yaris | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Drive on Holidays | Volkswagen Up | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Turisprime | Peugeot 208 | 4 | 3 | Small cars |
Our Customers Reviews
DM
Portugal
FIAT 500
December 10, 2019
very cheap to rent a car in lisbon.
RA
United Kingdom
Fiat Punto
October 12, 2019
We stayed in the area of Sao Bras De Alportel. Plenty of good restaurants reasonably priced no matter what your budget. Also try the chefs experience at Mar shopping where you will find the wonderful G's where we have eaten and enjoyed everything on his menu.
MW
United Kingdom
Renault Clio
October 9, 2019
We didn't stay in Porto but drove a couple of hundred kilometres to the mountains. Beautiful countryside.
DG
Bulgaria
VW Golf STW
October 7, 2019
In the last year I have used car rental by DiscoverCarHire.com for my trips and would like to recommend them as a reliable partner offering good value for the price.
MS
United States of America (USA)
Nissan Micra
September 29, 2019
We did not rent a car to drive in Lisbon. We rented the car for exploring the rest of Portugal and a trip to Spain. We walked and used mass transit in Lisbon and that worked well. Lisbon also has very good taxi service at very fair rates. This use of the car was perfect for our needs.
AJ
United Kingdom
Peugeot 308 SW
September 25, 2019
roads are good and it's safe to drive but don't use Turisprime at any cost!
SC
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
September 24, 2019
Portugal and the Algarve is a fantastic place to visit have a holiday relax see history. From beach to fine art it has it all.
MM
Israel
Mercedes Benz A Class
September 23, 2019
We drived from porto to lisbon throw many small places and it was great
Definatly not recommend to drive in lisbon- no parking
RU
Canada
Mini Cooper
September 23, 2019
Porto once in the city, the area is very walkable. We rented a car so we could also do trips to further destinations such as Sintra and Lisbon. A little of a hassle to find overnight parking spots in area we were staying in Porto but otherwise, great value to rent a car to explore more.
CN
Canada
VW Polo
September 18, 2019
WOW WHAT A PLACE!! Portugal by far is my favorite place to visit! Food, wine, beaches and people were all wonderful and AMAZING!!!
CO
Ireland
Opel Corsa
September 12, 2019
Driving on the motorway in Portugal was very straight forward. I drove from Faro to Praia da Luz and also visited Lagos. Both very beautiful areas.
SF
United Kingdom
VW Polo
September 10, 2019
Close to airport easy access to motorway
NM
United Kingdom
Renault Captur
September 9, 2019
Great to go to sintra and the coast nears cascade. Porto and the Duoro also fab.
FA
Canada
Ford Focus
August 23, 2019
Great place to visit
AB
United Kingdom
Fiat Punto
August 20, 2019
Do ensure you get a transponder included if using A22 toll road. Fines will ensue if you fail to pay for toll use.
MM
United Kingdom
Ford C Max
August 18, 2019
Interesting city with very nice areas around it.
MW
Poland
VW Polo
August 14, 2019
the best place in EU! We have als visited Porto and the South but Lisbon seems more attractive than others + its super easy do drive
PD
Norway
Renault Twingo
August 5, 2019
Very satisfied as usual....has been 3 years now
PO
United Kingdom
Seat Ibiza 5d
August 5, 2019
Rent a car being in the UK.
Keep all papers with you.
Apply for good credit card.
Go small: small compact car is enough. Save money and eat lovely local food.
Use even old satellite navigation: Roaming, battery charge, etc can be a challenge abroad.
AM
United Kingdom
Seat Ibiza
July 29, 2019
It was much cheaper to hire a car for the 5 days than get a shuttle to our hotel. And it gave us alot more freedom, so seen more of the stunning country.
Top 20 Suppliers for Portugal in 2020
Movyng Rent A Car
Rodavante
Specific Rent
Alamo
EPI Rent a Car
Best Deal
Resolvcar
Europcar
SADORENT
Autorent
AUSOCAR RENT-A-CAR
Drive4Fun
Yes Car Hire
SIXT
Guerin
AV Rent
Firefly
PAA RENT
Golfauto
Airauto
Highly recommended by our customers
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