Toll Roads in Spain and Portugal (1 Viewer)

Happycampers1

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We plan on driving from Santander to the Algarve in October, mostly through Spain as it has fewer tolls apparently. Looking at the information on toll roads I am confused as to the best way to deal with the tolls. Anyone any experience of these and suggestions as to the best way to pay them?
 

Billy23

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Stick your credit card into machine, they take one payment and if you make another journey on a toll road within a month they take payment automatically from the card. Job done.:)
 

jetjem

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It's just like Billy23 says use the bank card method or avoid toll roads.
We missed the card m/c both ways!!!
But they were very helpful and sorted it out for us, apparently we were not the first.
 

JJ

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Billy is your man!

His knowledge is perfect for the electronic toll roads.

There are also some old fashioned toll roads (heading north) which use toll booths as they do in France and Spain.

At night some of these aren't manned and use bank cards (and maybe cash?)

I don't use toll roads in Portugal when driving my van(s)...


JJ
 

peter marshall

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I don't know but I think your replies are concerning Portugal, in Spain it's cash or card at the booths, some manned others automatic Machines to pay. Pete

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Billy23

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I don't know but I think your replies are concerning Portugal, in Spain it's cash or card at the booths, some manned others automatic Machines to pay. Pete

Yes you are right, I did explain about Portugal and not Spain, I travel from Seville area to Santander on a regular basis, from my house it is dual carriage way...all the way, but I don't use toll road as not necessary or required.

So on the way from Santander to Portugal, the first toll road I would hit, would be Portugal.

True, I should have asked which way they are travelling, through France ( long boring journey if you are on a straight drive through) or boat to Santander ( my preferred route, get on boat, eat, sleep.....hello Spain) (y):)
 

makems

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We have gone all the way from Santander down to Portugal and the length of the Algarve and back again without ever using a toll road.
As said above the road through Spain is excellent non-toll motorway.
Once you cross into Portugal, the N125? Is not a great road and can be a bit busy. But hey, you're not normally going far from place to place on the Algarve and it's not like you're in a rush is it?
 

mikebeaches

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Earlier in the year we travelled from Santander to south-east coast on the Med, and then around the coast to Portugal.

As mentioned, it's perfectly feasible to avoid toll roads. However, we found the ones in Spain were a delight to drive on and mostly traffic-free. We were surprised to discover we were apparently only being charged the same price as a car (the van is plated 3,500kg, 5.99m long and 2.76m high), and the costs were very reasonable in our opinion - significantly cheaper than France or Portugal on the whole. The only exception was the tolls west of Malaga, along the Costa del Sol, seemed a bit more expensive.

The tolls were dearer in Portugal, more on a par with France, we thought. And as others have mentioned, there are 2 different systems in place, on different motorways - but all easy to cope with.

We used an Aqua credit card with a net-exchange rate (ie no foreign currency loading) everywhere in Spain and Portugal, and everything worked out fine.

Mike

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MattR

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Get a Halifax Clarity credit card - it gives the best rates.
 

mikebeaches

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Get a Halifax Clarity credit card - it gives the best rates.
Halifax Clarity and Aqua both have the same net exchange rate. You also get 'cashback' with the Aqua, not sure if that is the case with the Clarity card?

Mike
 

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