Tolls!

[laserblazer]

...At Boliqueime they were held up for 90 minutes in roadworks and missed their flight...

We were stuck in the same roadworks after leaving cvo at 8.10am, we made our 10.55 flight but only just.

Can you pinpoint exactly where the roadworks are/were and do they look like they'll still be there on Thursday?

It's around 5Km before the turn off to the airport. My satnav told me to come off at the first Amancil junction, the queue started just past it.

[Polli62]

Is that anywhere near Quatro Estradas on the 125 or further on towards the airport?

[shanagarry]

they will need to get their act together before the holidaymakers arrive

You ain't seen nothin yet - as the song says

[RichardHenshall]

It's around 5Km before the turn off to the airport. My satnav told me to come off at the first Amancil junction, the queue started just past it.

So, does going through Almancil avoid the queue/roadworks?

[laserblazer]

Depends how far the tailback is. It was around 4Kms when we hit it and it took us around 45 minutes to get through. To be honest, we will take the A22 next time.

[RichardHenshall]

Depends how far the tailback is. It was around 4Kms when we hit it and it took us around 45 minutes to get through. To be honest, we will take the A22 next time.

So, does coming from the A22 on the IC4 through Patacão definitely avoid the problem?

[joeysoap]

arrived 11.30 today. hire company stated that as I had not yet been billed for Dec it was highly unlikely I would be billed now, stated that they were responsible, and that their office staff -when they receive details of the tolls- look up the renter for the period in question and charge the credit card accordingly. also said that after approx 30 days they tear up the credit card impress as it was unlikely to be charged!!

even allowing for the above I decided to give the 125 a lash today, left the airport car park at 11.55 and was outside intermarche approx 12.55 most drivers on the road stuck to the rules, only 1 mad overtake (family in car to make it better) and one white van driver who thought his van was wide enough for both lanes on a roundabout but bar that everybody was pretty civilised.

plenty of people around and the beach was lovely at 3pm

[pointersister]

Enjoy that beach Joey boy

[Bruce Wallis]

Optimism, misplaced macho, or what???

We were on the N125 yesterday, queue of traffic in both directions, when this Portuguese plated Smartcar zoomed past us....(well not literally ), and overtook us, a lorry, an X3 BMW and a van. The oncoming traffic was pulling over, flashing lights and blowing horns....and he just kept on going.

Amazing!!!! How the hell can you be a testosterone powered macho in a SMARTCAR!!!

[Michael Crane]

Slightly off topic:

...Amazing!!!! How the hell can you be a testosterone powered macho in a SMARTCAR!!!

The world's sexist man carries it off well . . .



The world's cheesiest man doesn't . . .

[joeysoap]

Enjoy that beach Joey boy

centianes today - over the cliffs . gorgeous. though last night and tonight it was/is bloody cold!!!

the 'rock on Friday.

ah well, it is still a great place,and only 2 miles from home. (though you will argue the 'point is nicer )


http://bit.ly/wU0TvJ

apologies to those who though this thread was only about tolls

[joeysoap]

back to the tolls etc.

left Cvo this morning approx 9.25 for 12.05 flight. stopped for petrol before Alcantarilha, and judged traffic as not bad, so decided to stick to 125. Only delays were traffic signals with the slowest one being the turnoff for Vilamoura. GNR on the last major roundabout on the 125, out on the road with their shades and car parked on the actual roundabout. Only seen one mad bit of overtaking, far side of Vilamoura junction when two cars overtook the whole line and with oncoming traffic clearly in view, 2nd car very close to causing an accident trying to sqeeze in. I don't know how there aren't more accidents on this road.
Arrived at P4 at approx 10.30 so no delays, most journey was at 70-80 kms per hour with a few slower and a few faster kms here and there.

Have to say I enjoyed the experience, and the road is certainly much more interesting than the motorway. the roadsign near Barclays in Lagoa says 54 kms to Faro and add 2 for the airport and another 5 to cvo and you have a round trip of approx 120kms. I put in €10 in petrol and the clock went way above where I expected, think that even €5 might have sufficed (Newish Clio) The motorway definitely takes more petrol.

[Bruce Wallis]

Slightly off topic:

...Amazing!!!! How the hell can you be a testosterone powered macho in a SMARTCAR!!!

The world's sexist man carries it off well . . .



The world's cheesiest man doesn't . . .

Actually, these 2 dont make the smart-car macho........it makes them look gay

[S_Monty]

Very interesting what Joe has to say about fuel consumption on the A22. Anyone else found the same? So take the 125 and save tolls, hassleof paying, and fuel! I suppose thats all ok for now but will it be as simple as that come the busier periods?

On my last visit (returned home 31st January), Isigned an additional form agreeing for relevant toll charges to be charged to my credit card. That'll be 4 weeks tomorrow and no sign of a charge, but theres a kind of unknown mystery about it all which is still a bit unsettling.

[EMM]

Our view is A22 every time, the point of being here is to get to the villa as quickly , safely and hassle free as possiibe.
The same going back to the UK, with the A22 we have the return down to a fine art, travel with hand luggage only 45 minutes from villa to p4 allowing another 30mins until the EJ deadline time. Once on the A22 you do not have to change gear, brake, suffer palputaions as some idiot want to use your car roof as a parking space, plus less fuel is used than stop start on the 125