Driving in Portugal
Photo: Xuaxo, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Although Portugal has a good railway network and extensive coach bus coverage, some travellers prefer to drive through the country. Drivers will encounter a variety of roads, from modern motorways to ramshackle countryside lanes. Many offer breathtaking mountain vistas, oceanside views, or glimpses of field and forests.
UnderstandPortuguese traffic culture is very different from that of northern Europe. Driving is fast-paced and at high speeds - drivers should be careful.
RegulationsNational speed limits in Portugal may be overridden by signs on certain stretches of road or on city streets. Speed limits are as follows, unless otherwise posted:
TollsMost motorways (autoestradas) and some bridges have tolls. You can pay at a tollbooth on most. Some have electronic tolls only.
ParkingYou can find parking (parque de estacionamento) by looking for white-on-blue "P" signs (🅿️). Some signs indicate Gratuito (free) or Pago (paid).
RoadsDrivers will encounter several classes of roadways in Portugal.
Road signsRoad signs in Portugal adhere to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, largely matching those in most other European countries and much of Asia, but differing from those elsewhere.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Driving in Portugal" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Xuaxo, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons