One way drive to the Algarve.
Discussion
We have agreed to take my partner's sister's car down to Portimao in late October. It's a 2013 C class coupe that's only done about 500 miles in the last 3 years so we will get it serviced and checked over before we leave the North West.
We are taking the ferry to Santander and then plan to drive with an overnight stop in Salamanca.
What's the best way to deal with the tolls? Get a tag or just pay them as we go. Time isn't a great problem. Early start on Sunday to get to Plymouth, then Monday afternoon to Salamanca for an overnight. We aim to reach Portimao on the Tuesday evening. Any glaring errors or anything we should be aware of?
SD.
We are taking the ferry to Santander and then plan to drive with an overnight stop in Salamanca.
What's the best way to deal with the tolls? Get a tag or just pay them as we go. Time isn't a great problem. Early start on Sunday to get to Plymouth, then Monday afternoon to Salamanca for an overnight. We aim to reach Portimao on the Tuesday evening. Any glaring errors or anything we should be aware of?
SD.
Not the answer you’re looking for but…one way, so car will remain there ? Is it a UK car with steering wheel on the “wrong” side? If the owner is keeping it they will have re register it (matriculate) have they looked at costs and taxes? Can be steep and still have a wrong side car which won’t have much value here (I live in PT)
I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
languagetimothy said:
Not the answer you’re looking for but…one way, so car will remain there ? Is it a UK car with steering wheel on the “wrong” side? If the owner is keeping it they will have re register it (matriculate) have they looked at costs and taxes? Can be steep and still have a wrong side car which won’t have much value here (I live in PT)
I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
Yes, it's remaining there. The matriculation is all sorted. It does seem a little strange to us, but it's a cheap holiday for us.I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
SD.
shed driver said:
languagetimothy said:
Not the answer you’re looking for but…one way, so car will remain there ? Is it a UK car with steering wheel on the “wrong” side? If the owner is keeping it they will have re register it (matriculate) have they looked at costs and taxes? Can be steep and still have a wrong side car which won’t have much value here (I live in PT)
I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
Yes, it's remaining there. The matriculation is all sorted. It does seem a little strange to us, but it's a cheap holiday for us.I don’t have experience of driving a UK car in EU, others on here will or maybe you do. Other things to consider are insurance, breakdown cover and what you should carry (reflecting triangle, his vis jackets for example)
SD.
shed driver said:
We have agreed to take my partner's sister's car down to Portimao in late October. It's a 2013 C class coupe that's only done about 500 miles in the last 3 years so we will get it serviced and checked over before we leave the North West.
We are taking the ferry to Santander and then plan to drive with an overnight stop in Salamanca.
What's the best way to deal with the tolls? Get a tag or just pay them as we go. Time isn't a great problem. Early start on Sunday to get to Plymouth, then Monday afternoon to Salamanca for an overnight. We aim to reach Portimao on the Tuesday evening. Any glaring errors or anything we should be aware of?
SD.
I use a tag from Emovis, also works for some car parks. Won't save any money but eases the journey.We are taking the ferry to Santander and then plan to drive with an overnight stop in Salamanca.
What's the best way to deal with the tolls? Get a tag or just pay them as we go. Time isn't a great problem. Early start on Sunday to get to Plymouth, then Monday afternoon to Salamanca for an overnight. We aim to reach Portimao on the Tuesday evening. Any glaring errors or anything we should be aware of?
SD.
I’ll be going down to Lagos from Santander at the start of October. I have two Emovis tags for Portugal Spain and France - this thread reminded me I need to send one back for an exchange as the battery is low.
Not sure if Emovis is the best option now but I’ve been using it since 2019 with no problems other than a couple of ‘wave the tag out of the window without dropping it’ moments at barriers that didn’t open.
Santander to Algarve via Salamanca there’d be no Spanish tolls iirc but then from there you’d most likely cross into Portugal at Vilar Formoso using the A25 and then A23 which like the Algarve A22 are electronic toll only, so you’d need a tag if those are the roads you’re using. The big A2 going south is pay as you go or electronic I think.
Waze is incredibly useful for nav and ‘hazards’ enroute.
Enjoy!
Not sure if Emovis is the best option now but I’ve been using it since 2019 with no problems other than a couple of ‘wave the tag out of the window without dropping it’ moments at barriers that didn’t open.
Santander to Algarve via Salamanca there’d be no Spanish tolls iirc but then from there you’d most likely cross into Portugal at Vilar Formoso using the A25 and then A23 which like the Algarve A22 are electronic toll only, so you’d need a tag if those are the roads you’re using. The big A2 going south is pay as you go or electronic I think.
Waze is incredibly useful for nav and ‘hazards’ enroute.
Enjoy!
Doofus said:
If it's one way, and there's (at least) two of you, then pay the tolls as you go. Any tag will cost you extra.
I don't think it's as simple as that in Portugal. I don't have the definitive information, but I'm fairly sure that there are some tolls that you can only pay by registering online. It's also very easy to accidentally bypass the toll gates in some places. If the car is staying there, then you need to make sure you've got all of this covered - or you avoid that type of road.Spain is toll free, get on the motorway out of Santander and set cruise control!
Overnight stop is a good call, it may well be doable in a day with two drivers but no real gain for yourselves.
At Seville there is an icredibly complicated junction where you switch from the north/south motorway to the east/west one, this junction is always busy and can often be a bit of queuing, take care to get the right lane, Tomtom helps a lot here!
Motorway into Portugal you cross a river via a huge bridge, as you enter the Algarve you are invited to stop and buy a toll pass as most of the motorway to Portimao is toll. The tolls are overhead operated and you hear you new gadget bleep as the toll is paid. I only use the motorway to a little past Faro and have yet to be caught without a toll pass...UK reg camper.... the non toll alternate is the N125, but it is slow going, lots of roundabouts/traffic lights and towns, from the border to my place via N125 is about two hours, via motorway it's less than an hour.
Lots of service areas on the run down through Spain, usually clean and well fitted and cheap compared to UK.
Breakdown insurance is a Very Good Idea, hi vis must be worn on the shoulder of the road, Spanish traffic plod in general are very helpful and at least one of the crew will have decent English, yes I've done this trip several times but use Newhaven/Dieppe and travel through France!
Overnight stop is a good call, it may well be doable in a day with two drivers but no real gain for yourselves.
At Seville there is an icredibly complicated junction where you switch from the north/south motorway to the east/west one, this junction is always busy and can often be a bit of queuing, take care to get the right lane, Tomtom helps a lot here!
Motorway into Portugal you cross a river via a huge bridge, as you enter the Algarve you are invited to stop and buy a toll pass as most of the motorway to Portimao is toll. The tolls are overhead operated and you hear you new gadget bleep as the toll is paid. I only use the motorway to a little past Faro and have yet to be caught without a toll pass...UK reg camper.... the non toll alternate is the N125, but it is slow going, lots of roundabouts/traffic lights and towns, from the border to my place via N125 is about two hours, via motorway it's less than an hour.
Lots of service areas on the run down through Spain, usually clean and well fitted and cheap compared to UK.
Breakdown insurance is a Very Good Idea, hi vis must be worn on the shoulder of the road, Spanish traffic plod in general are very helpful and at least one of the crew will have decent English, yes I've done this trip several times but use Newhaven/Dieppe and travel through France!
hellorent said:
You don't really need a toll tag in Spain, I always go E80 then the E803 and A49 into Portugal and then the N125 along the Algarve, I drive down through France not a ferry so have a toll tag for France.
Agree, the N125 is a bit of a nightmare high season but in late October it will be far clearer and less congested than your average UK “A “ road. Picturesque in places too.I’ll be travelling along it tonight so could report back …
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff