Map on EN125 - Faro to CVO

[LICY]

Our car hire charges €20 if we use the tolls.

Perhaps time to find a better car hire company ?

e.g. See top left of this page (AlgarveDriver) no €20.00 charge, cheaper rentals, and you can put all the savings into your pension pot

We have used them but found our one slightly better. So how do you pay for the return journey? When our car hire company did not charge €20 we had to travel home on the N125 anyway. So I still need to advise guests, unkess you know something I don't.

[Lamby]

Cars 4 Fun charged me 20 Euros when I collected a hire car from them at New year. When I said I really only used the motorway to get to CVO and back to the airport, surely NOT incurring tolls of 20 Euros I was told it was company policy. I made a comment about it being a scam and a nice "little earner", particularly as this has to be paid in cash !!
Suffice to say I used the A22 more than I would have during my stay just to get my money's worth.
My car hire company for July is NOT Cars 4 Fun !! Leaving me to incur my own toll fees and to pay at my leisure at the Post Office. Simples !

[Bruce Wallis]

This one off, one solution fits all 20 euro charge, is apparently based on the assumption that the hirer travels to Lagos and back to the airport, and uses the A22 for a couple of golf trips on top of that.
I get the impression that this charge is based on a worse case scenario for the hire companies, but once again, they leave themselves open to the accusation of profiteering.

I dont think there is a satisfactory answer to this one. If the hire companies DONT levy some sort of charge, then last years experience suggests that many hirers just ignored the payment of toll charges all together. Leaving the hire company to pick up the tab.

My personal belief is still that a basic 10 euros tacked quietly onto the hire charge would cover the issue, and stop the client annoyance.

[Lamby]

I think there is still a "fear factor" for a lot of people hiring a car since the toll charges came in. Not knowing how much and where to pay!! So, I believe when some people are offered a "one off" payment of 20 Euros they pay it leaving them to have trouble free driving. However, if they don't use anywhere near the 20 euros surely the hire company gains, but, I suppose there are many instances when a client will be touring a lot and possibly using more than 20 euros. So, do we assume a hire company would only break even on this deal. Personally, I would imagine they make money on this. I agree with Bruce, rather than insisting on a "cash" payment leaving them open to accusations of a dodgy deal, charge an extra 10 euros on the hire charge telling the client don't worry about the toll charges. The client drives off happy and after the hire company has paid the tolls for their hire fleet they would still be in profit with the extra 10 euro charge. I know I would prefer this method, no tolls charges to worry about. Even if it meant paying a slightly higher rental fee.
Am I being too simplistic here? Because I am just a simple kinda guy!!

[joeysoap]

I suspect I use the same company as Licy. They probably have the simpliest system. €20 upfront - any motorway use whatsoever and you lose the €20, stay off the toll roads and you get it back on return to the airport. Think I had to wait 2 minutes last week when the guy checked the petrol, got me to sign the form and handed me the €20.
I am out again in late April and I have no intention of using the motorway, as I find the A22

A) just as quick off peak season -about 1 hour to P4 last Thursday
B) easier on petrol
C) more 'interesting' to drive
D) you can stock up on oranges

I would also welcome those speed control lights at home on non motorway roads, they do with it says on the tin just as effectively as speed cameras. You will always get the lunatic drivers of course and the 125 has more than its fair share of those, just have to keep your wits about you.

from my last booking

*Toll situation: bring 20EUR cash to rent the electronic devise.
If you decide that you will use the motorway, we offer the same amount
to spend on it, non refundable if all amount not spend. If you decide
that you'll not use it just leave it as a deposit and we'll return it on the end.
If you cross that amount we'll charge you the difference in the
end. If you return the car earlier than 7.30 a.m. We'll make a credit
for a next rental or you can send us an email with your full address
and booking number and we post it.*

[pato]

I finde false number plates a godsend.

[LICY]

Yes Iwe collect our car at P4, so guessing you use TR. We have used them since 2002. They do not charge for collection after 9pm, which we were told incurred a 20E fee from the other firm, although that was waivered when I said we will be there at 9.20pm. I found the check in process for TR better as they are in the kiosk as the other is in the car park and we could not always find someone. As JS said, if you say you did not use the tolls they know straight away and do indeed return the 20E. I can understand many will not be too perturbed to pay the 20E, but to try and sort out paying tolls is OK if you are around for 48 hours after your journey is made, but useless otherwise. We came out one trip and tried to pay a one way toll that we took only to Guia, but coud not. (We went wrong on the N125 and gave up). Hubby tried after 24 hours and then just before 48 hours but he could not pay. However TR would have had to charge us as apparently the device automatically is paid from their business account/charaged to them. No idea if it would have shown up so we could have paid. Glad I found that out that it is pointless paying the inward toll as we still would have paid the 20E. Now I have my keyboard and computer back I will again try on google and hope i likes the word Carveiro this time. (by the way you cannot grumble on 25E car hire last weekend, Fri eve to Sun eve).

[LICY]

Hi LICY,

Easiest way is to go onto GOOGLE maps and select "No Tolls" option when asking for directions - options as per picture below:

N25.jpg

You can then print out the the details (print icon, top left next to "My Places" tab) or zoom in, or use the satellite option (top left) to see actual details.

HR

I managed the same as before, which was printing it off with small maps, but not actual photographs. The one I have of the A22 route has photos of road signs etc. That really helps when you have never been somewhere. We have family coming out that have never been to the villa for example. Is there a way to get photographs of road signs on the route? I was not sure when you said print icon, top left next to my places. I am dumb, but the thing next to my places was directions.

[roy4eyes]

Why not bring your SatNav with you and set it up for 'no toll roads' ?

[LICY]

Why not bring your SatNav with you and set it up for 'no toll roads' ?

Remember this is not us, but others that need to undertake the trip. We know what way and not every one else has a Satnav.

[roy4eyes]

Steady on !! I was simply suggesting an answer to your question which would make life easy for the majority of drivers who do have satnavs.

They are now so cheap (from 50 euros covering Iberia) that it might be a good idea to buy one for your use when over here.

[HampshireRich]

Hi LICY,

Easiest way is to go onto GOOGLE maps and select "No Tolls" option when asking for directions - options as per picture below:

N25.jpg

You can then print out the the details (print icon, top left next to "My Places" tab) or zoom in, or use the satellite option (top left) to see actual details.

HR

I managed the same as before, which was printing it off with small maps, but not actual photographs. The one I have of the A22 route has photos of road signs etc. That really helps when you have never been somewhere. We have family coming out that have never been to the villa for example. Is there a way to get photographs of road signs on the route? I was not sure when you said print icon, top left next to my places. I am dumb, but the thing next to my places was directions.

No you are right LICY - I misunderstood what you were asking for - not dumb at all - I have not seen what you are asking for on the N125 - my mistake

[LICY]

Think for now will use the map version. The start of the journey is obviously the same. I can't presuppose everyone has a satnav covering Europe, our one certainly does not. Thought it would be helpful to people staying at ours to give them the option. Next month I will recheck the trip for accuracy. Thank you for the help HR.

[loonytoon]

what a thread! i remember not long ago when the tolls were introduced there was comment about the car hire companies not doing enough to help the hirer with the tolls. now they have come up with a solution, it is too expensive. in defense of the companies (to which i have no connection other than as a customer) they have to buy the transponders and monitor the payments which for an individual is the work of a couple of minutes - for them it is probably a full time job considering the number of cars they hire out. so there and back to Carvoeiro on the A22 would cost about E11 - this would mean the car renters are making E9 to pay for the transponder and check the tolls used plus any work involved in charging you via your credit card if you use more than the E20/E30 deposit (as no doubt someone will). like i say, if you did it yourself, that is a good little earner but to do it on a fairly large scale makes it probably cost neutral or at best a small profit. shouldn't everyone make a profit for their work? if not then do as Licy does and use the N125 and avoid the A22 - no charge, no problem

jeff

[joeysoap]

holidayed in Fuerteventura a few years ago and used this guide to get to corralejo (a lot easier than faro airport to cvo, but still found it very helpful)

http://www.fuerteventura.com/CarHire/ai ... oute.shtml