Car Hire Pick Up P4

[Satsuma]

Just after an update of how the car hire pick up/drop off is going at P4 since the new fees have been charged.

Are the car hire companies operating as usual from P4 or has anyone had to be taken off site to collect/return their vehicles?

We are coming out next week & am hoping that things will be as straightforward as possible.

[Mike Banks]

Zitautos are operating normally from their van in P4, but they now provide you with a paid carpark ticket to get out, and you have to pick up a ticket when you return.

[joeysoap]

Travelrent are operating from the booth in P4 as normal , but the car I got was parked in P1 directly behind the booth. That is where I left it back as well. As I use TR most of the time the form is already completed before collection, so its only a matter of signing in about 5 places and handing them back the credit card slip from the previous time and away we go. No paperwork as such.

[Satsuma]

Thanks for the information.
We are with Drive4Fun this time so are hoping for a quick pick up/drop off.

[lincdoc]

Hi Satsuma - we are using drive4fun as well next month. Could you post an update if you have any problems?

[ceh]

We used YOR at Easter and it was fine - they were opearating from the hut inP4 (not the usual van but that was also the position in the New Year). We needed a ticket to get out of the car park ( a woman arrived on a bicycle with it) and to get one when we re-entered P4. On the way back in, you have to press the button that looks damaged

[Aldo]

We collected with Travelrent on sat 25th Very easy just more expensive again!! What on earth is Portugal doing to attract tourists??

[Farol]

We collected from Travelrent Sunday.


Now much easier. Hut in p4 as normal. car is immediately behind hut in p1. entry and exit now uses via verde transponder so no tickets nor running around. just 15 euros cash for ANA.

[TomUK]

We arrive May 10th. Once again booked with YOR through Algarve Driver via this site. They were €18 dearer than ECH for same vehicle, but as usual, a quick e-mail to Steen and he honoured their pledge to match any price. Thanks Steen!
So now it's a bit of an unknown when we arrive. Used to be great just strolling across P4 to their van and sign up. Then off you went. The exit barrier recognised your number plate and up it went. Returning it was the same. Drive up to entry barrier and once more, it raised to let you in.
Now there is talk of a ticket being required to operate the barrier, and pressing a button for a ticket to get in when returning. Then we hear that TravelRent have a system where the barrier recognises the Tolls Transponder and no ticket is needed.
It all sounds a bit chaotic. The beauty of going to the YOR (or ZitAuto) van was that you avoided the queues at the cabin as there would be perhaps nobody waiting at the van, or at the most one person in front of you signing up.
Could Steen, or any recent user, confirm what YOR's strategy is for getting in and out of P4?

[sandman]

I used YOR/Algarve Driver at Easter. You go to P4 cabin and wait at the desk for YOR guy to be free then do usual paperwork and they walk to barrier and you drive to barrier , they put in ticket and you drive out. Return was ok, had to pay 20 Euro for return at 0745 hrs, we arrived at 0745 took ticket and parked, YOR guy was not there to meet us but showed up after 5 mins and we gave him the ticket and keys and left.

[TomUK]

Cheers sandman. So when returning the car, you press a button at the barrier to collect a ticket, the barrier rises and you give that ticket to the YOR rep? Sounds pretty straightforward. Now there's no YOR van, how do you know where to leave the car - do they have their own area?

[sandman]

Yes, you just take a ticket at the barrier. I parked I front of the hut/ cabin in P4, the car park is nearly empty

[joeysoap]

Cheers sandman....... Now there's no YOR van, how do you know where to leave the car - do they have their own area?

Don't wory about this, you will have nearly all of P4 for parking.

P4 was like the Mary Celese two weeks ago, deserted bar a few cars and minibusses and guys with boards with names on them (like you see in the terminal). Might have changed in the 2 weeks but I doubt it. I found P1 with TravelRent was easy to get in and out of. Barrier lifted on leaving but there was a guy there from TR when we returned and I thought he raised the barrier but can't say for sure.

[djprescott]

Could only be Portugal! Build a nice new car park for rental cars and now it is empty!!!

[joeysoap]

Could only be Portugal! Build a nice new car park for rental cars and now it is empty!!!

Build a motorway and they will come.

or maybe not.