jacobus
Free Member
No we have not given up touring, just do not do as much as we did and spend more time in Portugal nowadays which brings me to the warning.
As from the end of August/start of September, the english language Portugal News 09/07/2011, informs us that all Motorways in Portugal will be Toll roads and to quote " foreign registered vehicles will be allowed to hire transponders, paying a deposit of €27 and a minimum payment of €50 (€77 total) that will be debited to the account associated with the transponder.Upon returning the transponder the owner of the foreign owned vehicle will be debited or credited in accordance with the number of occasions toll roads have been used."
Now an earlier report suggested that the transponder would have to be returned to wherever you hired it so if you came into the Country via Braganca in the north and planned to leave via the A22 on the south coast for Spain, think again.
Via Verde have launched a visitor scheme so tourists can rent a Transponder for 3 months from a Via Verde store (try finding one away from a major City)for up to 90 days so long as they have a valid debt or credit card.You will have to leave a deposit and pay €6 for the first week over and above Toll charges.
As Portugal has a bureaucracy culture which is frightening, just try and get your money back if you had some left on the unit.
Considering the hundreds of Motorhome and Caravan users that go to Portugal I think this is a case of shooting one's self in the foot. I appreciate most of us avoid Motorways like the plague, especially when you have to pay, but as this is also going to affect car rentals a further drop in tourists must be on the cards.
Portugal's loss will be Spain's gain. Jacobus
As from the end of August/start of September, the english language Portugal News 09/07/2011, informs us that all Motorways in Portugal will be Toll roads and to quote " foreign registered vehicles will be allowed to hire transponders, paying a deposit of €27 and a minimum payment of €50 (€77 total) that will be debited to the account associated with the transponder.Upon returning the transponder the owner of the foreign owned vehicle will be debited or credited in accordance with the number of occasions toll roads have been used."
Now an earlier report suggested that the transponder would have to be returned to wherever you hired it so if you came into the Country via Braganca in the north and planned to leave via the A22 on the south coast for Spain, think again.
Via Verde have launched a visitor scheme so tourists can rent a Transponder for 3 months from a Via Verde store (try finding one away from a major City)for up to 90 days so long as they have a valid debt or credit card.You will have to leave a deposit and pay €6 for the first week over and above Toll charges.
As Portugal has a bureaucracy culture which is frightening, just try and get your money back if you had some left on the unit.
Considering the hundreds of Motorhome and Caravan users that go to Portugal I think this is a case of shooting one's self in the foot. I appreciate most of us avoid Motorways like the plague, especially when you have to pay, but as this is also going to affect car rentals a further drop in tourists must be on the cards.
Portugal's loss will be Spain's gain. Jacobus