Motorway tolls in Portugal

[Rololux]

We’re spending winter in Spain again, literally just across the border from the Algarve. We often do trips to Portugal - we have a Bip ‘n’ Go tag for the motorway tolls. Did a trip in December and all worked fine, then did another last week, but no beeps from the tag at all. I got a bit worried that the battery had gone flat and was braced for a fine, but just did a bit of research and discovered that tolls have now been removed from 7 motorways in Portugal, including the A22 Algarve motorway. So don’t panic if you’re tag stops beeping! There no signs telling you this, and all the infrastructure is still in place, so very misleading.

Portugal abolishes tolls on several motorways

Portugal abolishes tolls on several motorways

trans.info

 

[BerndRos]

Yes, after much lobbying.

The fight goes on though, to have all the infrastructure removed. Just in case there is a change of mind !

 

[TrevorH]

In Portugal at the moment and frankly confused. Some tolls remain and we have paid manually at booths rather than using Via Verde channels . But additionally on some roads there are signs which refer to ‘Tax ‘ imposed via electronic monitoring . Seemingly very small amounts according to vehicle class but absolutely no details
are given as to how /whether to pay. Can anyone who has been to Portugal recently (2025 since I think system changed in January ) cast any light on this ?

 

[Rololux]

In Portugal at the moment and frankly confused. Some tolls remain and we have paid manually at booths rather than using Via Verde channels . But additionally on some roads there are signs which refer to ‘Tax ‘ imposed via electronic monitoring . Seemingly very small amounts according to vehicle class but absolutely no details
are given as to how /whether to pay. Can anyone who has been to Portugal recently (2025 since I think system changed in January ) cast any light on this ?

Have a look at the article linked in the 1st post. It lists the motorways where the tolls have been lifted, and those that remain. Confusingly, all the toll infrastructure is still in place, just in case they change their minds! But on the toll boards before the detection zones, no prices are listed any more, if tolls have been lifted on that motorway.

On a lot of the motorways in Portugal, there is no way to pay manually - you have to have an electronic tag in the car - Bip&Go, or similar. You can get a temporary tag from certain places on the motorway network, and I think from Post offices, but don’t quote me on that. If you do not have one of these, they will eventually catch up with you, but I don’t think they fine you, although there is probably an admin charge to pay.

Hope this helps.

 

[TrevorH]

Thank you . I was actually referring to boards which refer to ‘tax’ rather than toll if anyone has seen these??

 

[Rololux]

Tax means Toll in Portuguese!