A22, Toll road April 2011

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tavi
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Post by tavi »

I just read the paper today, raving about how they've all found a solution.

But what precisely is the solution....that Avis are renting transponders to their clients at €1.50 a day?

We already knew that...see my post of 9 April. The only new detail is that the contract will be with CTT rather than the hire company. Good for the hire co. I suppose.

It solves nothing. As Sherlock Holmes used to say.

( Also staggered to see that VAT at 23% will be charged on the hire)
KateK
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Post by KateK »

Been reading all these comments with interest, in the hope I can work out what to tell our clients who hire cars. It's good to hear that the car hire companies are doing something at last. Though when we picked up our hire car from 15 to 22 April (from Guerin at Faro airport) nothing was said to us about tolls or payment of them - even the sign they had on the desk about them had been turned round!!

But paying a daily rental for the transponder wouldn't please us. I think the last time we used the motorway was 5 years ago.

Kate
If it's true that if you look like your passport photo you are too sick to travel I should have given up long ago!
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

On one forum, a question by a new member.
How much are the charges? As I will need to save my small change for the tolls
Err; no you will not as there are no toll booths. I sometimes wonder :roll:
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

Just to add my two pennorth to this. We recently hired a car from Masterkings at Faro airport, to drive along the N22 into Spain. We were told that, in order to pay the tolls on our journey into Spain we would need to wait 48 hours, then go back into Portugal, to Villa Real de Santo Antonio, to pay at the post office. This we did. We had to drive to the ferry and pay to park. This was about 3 euros (plus petrol though not much as it's not far for us; however, if you were driving further into Spain it could be considerable.) We then had to pay the ferry - two of us so just over 6 euros. The toll came to 5.60 euros. We don't object to the toll per se, but the hassle in paying it is ridiculous. I've heard stories of people standing in long, long queues to pay, though we didn't have to. For the return journey the car hire company told us they would pay it, and charged us the 5.60 euros for the toll plus 5 euros admin charge. There was no talk of transponders, although there are signs up about them in the car-hire booth.
There is allegedly an alternative to traipsing back to Portugal, as there is a kiosk on the N22 so that you can pay there, but every person I've spoken to who's tried to use it say it rarely works.
There is of course another alternative, which is to use the National road. I suspect most people are doing this, as on the road between Faro and Monte Gordo, where the tolls are in operation, we only saw another two cars. Yet this is pushing people on to what was recently deemed one of the most dangerous roads in Southern Europe, and with the increase in traffic on it must surely get worse.

TC
Montana
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Post by Montana »

Apologies for being lazy but can anyone please advise if this effects the road from Faro airport to Loule :? We are going in July and have only done the trip once before so the road numbers aren't ringing bells - thanks :D
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tavi
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Post by tavi »

No Montana, the road from Faro to Loule (EN125 plus bypasses) is not affected.

But just make sure you leave the airport road at the correct exit. The signs are a little ambiguous and Loule is not mentioned until later in your journey. (It's Portimao you want to be heading for but avoiding the A22).
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Topcat, I assume you mean the A22.
You can pay for the tolls in advance too.
The first kiosk you find when entering Portugal, from Spain, was working over Easter. So much so there was seemly a queue which meant a long wait. But you can always pay at a Post office if one is open and you know where they are.
There have been a lot of rumours flying around as to what is the plan for the future. Nothing is firmed up just yet, but the tolls are not going away.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
RichardHenshall
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Post by RichardHenshall »

casasantoestevo wrote:... You can pay for the tolls in advance too. ...
But only if you're in a non-Portuguese car.
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Topcat
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Post by Topcat »

But only if you're in a non-Portuguese car.
Quite.

And I know you can pay at a post office. That's what we just did. But see my comments about the hassle and additional costs in doing so.

TC
RichardHenshall
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Post by RichardHenshall »

Of course, one 'option' for you might be to hire a Spanish plated car in Faro, though you'd really need to be given the registration number before you leave home so you can pre-pay online. However you would then be forced to pre-pay. I suspect that you'd only be likely to get a Spanish plated car if renting from the major hire companies (my Australian cousin was given a Spanish plated car by Avis in the Dordogne last summer :?).
tavi
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Post by tavi »

http://amovate.com.109-109-131-235.pred ... -Map-2.jpg

As per the above map. One option for going to and from Spain is to join or leave the motorway at junction 17 or 18... the bit from there to (and including) the bridge is toll-free. You then just use the En125 :D or any other alternative you fancy.

You can also now supposedly buy a motorway "ticket" at Faro airport information desk (haven't tried it) and also at the two service stations on the motorway (Olhao and Loule/Boliqueme) (know someone who's done this successfully).

Third alternative if in a foreign registered car...is not to pay it all. Foreign plates are not recognised and the collection of the tolls is not within the jurisdiction of the traffic police. :roll: :lol: You use the motorway with a foreign plated car, then go to the Payshop/Ctt and try to pay....they shrug their shoulders and give you a helpline number to call. But the helpline can't help, how can it?...they have no record on which to charge you.

If it wasn't so sad it would be quite funny.
KateK
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Post by KateK »

Topcat wrote:There is of course another alternative, which is to use the National road. I suspect most people are doing this, as on the road between Faro and Monte Gordo, where the tolls are in operation, we only saw another two cars. Yet this is pushing people on to what was recently deemed one of the most dangerous roads in Southern Europe, and with the increase in traffic on it must surely get worse.

TC
I can confirm that there was a definite increase in the traffic on the N125 between Faro and Albuferia this April compared with last year. Lot more trucks and vans as well as cars. Not quite as bad as the "bad old days" but bad enough, with the usual problems of impatient drivers passing at totally inappropriate places......

Kate
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Tom Hart
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Post by Tom Hart »

i have just started to get going for this season. Last week a couple through Porto, this week two couples through Lisbon. All had hired cars, NONE of them were given any information on tolls! If all these people end having the tolls + fines + admin costs deducted by the hire companies, we can kiss all the tourists good-bye!
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

for the latest news read Slow Travel, where I have posted the latest developments.
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RichardHenshall
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Post by RichardHenshall »

Thanks to casasantoestevo for providing in his Slow Travel posting the clues to find this link and this link which give some early information about new payment processes for drivers of non-Portuguese cars that might become available in June or July or ...

To help those driving Portuguese cars CTT (post office) are now offering a system where in response to a text message (costing 0,30€) a payment reference will be issued that can be used at MultiBanco machines or online banking. Details here.

Its usefulness to tourists driving hire cars is extremely limited since the text message cannot be sent until 48 hours after the passage through the toll gate to a Portuguese short SMS number and the tourist would need a Portuguese bank account. :roll: :roll: :roll:

However to demonstrate the progress that CTT are making, the page is now available in English. :D
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