Car rental with Automatic Transmission in Lisbon
#16
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 960
In fact no, it was the reason I wrote "may have"
Anyway, I did a little google, and I only found that Lisbon restricts old cars (without catalyzer) in downtown (in Portuguese, sorry).
I pretty sure OP won't rent an 1996 or older car, than he must be OK
I didn't find any other information about it. ^
Anyway, I did a little google, and I only found that Lisbon restricts old cars (without catalyzer) in downtown (in Portuguese, sorry).
I pretty sure OP won't rent an 1996 or older car, than he must be OK
I didn't find any other information about it. ^
#18
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just go to autoeurope.com, and check the automatic trans box to get a feeling of the price of cars. compare it to the std transmission offerings. autoeurope is a broker. they may not be the least expensive, but from that, one can get an idea of cost.
#19
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
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I came back from Portugal this week and had a great time. Thanks again to everyone for their advice!
I rented for 5 days from Europcar (by way of National), picking up in downtown Lisbon, driving to various places between Lisbon and Porto, and returning at the Lisbon airport.
A couple of observations:
Overall, I found driving in Portugal to be pretty easy with a GPS.
I rented for 5 days from Europcar (by way of National), picking up in downtown Lisbon, driving to various places between Lisbon and Porto, and returning at the Lisbon airport.
A couple of observations:
- GPS is essential, especially in cities and towns as there are few (if any) street signs
- Google Maps on my iPhone worked very well, even in small towns and on country roads
- The electronic toll device is also essential and simplified driving on toll roads significantly
- There are very many round-abouts, but they are not too hard to navigate
- The positioning of the stop lights does require some getting used to
Overall, I found driving in Portugal to be pretty easy with a GPS.
#20
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#21
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Also, my sense is that the cost would have been around half of what I paid if I went with a manual transmission rather than automatic. Finally, booking through National was much cheaper (hundreds of dollars) than booking directly through Europcar.
#22
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Including all taxes and fees, I paid US$ 377 for a 5-day rental for a compact. I believe the cost would have been the same if it were 6 or 7 days. This includes EUR 1.50/day for the electronic toll device (which is much less than Hertz charges for PlatePass in the US!).
Also, my sense is that the cost would have been around half of what I paid if I went with a manual transmission rather than automatic. Finally, booking through National was much cheaper (hundreds of dollars) than booking directly through Europcar.
Also, my sense is that the cost would have been around half of what I paid if I went with a manual transmission rather than automatic. Finally, booking through National was much cheaper (hundreds of dollars) than booking directly through Europcar.
#24
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,417
Sorry to bump up this old thread but hopefully the information is still pertinent. We'll be 4 renting & driving and only 1 has current experience driving a manual (she lives in the UK) 1 doesn't have a license at all (she lives in Mozambique) and the other 2 of us learned to drive a stick back in the day but aren't comfortable doing it currently. In a foreign country^
My big question is what identification is required to rent a car in Portugal (we'll likely be renting at the Lisbon airport and immediately driving out - we're not sure yet where we're staying but not in Lisbon) Can we use current US & UK drivers licenses? Thanks!
My big question is what identification is required to rent a car in Portugal (we'll likely be renting at the Lisbon airport and immediately driving out - we're not sure yet where we're staying but not in Lisbon) Can we use current US & UK drivers licenses? Thanks!
#25
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
UK driving licenses should be ok (say thanks to EU regulations).
For US driving licenses, you'll probably need an international driving license (the same way, europeans need one for renting a car here in the US). For specific information, you should check the website of the rental agency.
For US driving licenses, you'll probably need an international driving license (the same way, europeans need one for renting a car here in the US). For specific information, you should check the website of the rental agency.
#26
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,417
UK driving licenses should be ok (say thanks to EU regulations).
For US driving licenses, you'll probably need an international driving license (the same way, europeans need one for renting a car here in the US). For specific information, you should check the website of the rental agency.
For US driving licenses, you'll probably need an international driving license (the same way, europeans need one for renting a car here in the US). For specific information, you should check the website of the rental agency.
#27
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,405
Sixt Portugal requires for instance that renters don't have a visa inside their passport or in case, that they have a visa haven't been in Europa for more than 6 months (Once you've stayed in Europa for a period of 6 months or more, you'll need a european driving license)
Personally, I carry the IDL with me at all time (while abroad obviously), as it potentially expedites traffic stops.
Last edited by WorldLux; Apr 20, 2016 at 11:53 am
#28
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I'd get the international license. Some local car rental agencies in Europe, including Hertz in major airports, "require" it, although you might win a long argument. It just makes renting the car easier and avoids problems if you're stopped by the police for any reason, including registration and insurance or drunk driving checkpoints.
#29
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 321
Sorry to bump up this old thread but hopefully the information is still pertinent. We'll be 4 renting & driving and only 1 has current experience driving a manual (she lives in the UK) 1 doesn't have a license at all (she lives in Mozambique) and the other 2 of us learned to drive a stick back in the day but aren't comfortable doing it currently. In a foreign country^
My big question is what identification is required to rent a car in Portugal (we'll likely be renting at the Lisbon airport and immediately driving out - we're not sure yet where we're staying but not in Lisbon) Can we use current US & UK drivers licenses? Thanks!
My big question is what identification is required to rent a car in Portugal (we'll likely be renting at the Lisbon airport and immediately driving out - we're not sure yet where we're staying but not in Lisbon) Can we use current US & UK drivers licenses? Thanks!
#30
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 960
Police officers, in other hands, might be a problem if they don't understand what was written at the document...