Car hire and paying tolls

[loonytoon]

My reason for removing the rental car transponder and "hiding" it is not to avoid tolls, but to have the charges applied to MY OWN anonymous PAYG transponder. Anybody got any bright ideas ?

Surely I am not alone. There must be many similar regular visitors who have their own transponder.

we have our own PAYG transponder but are lucky in that we don't use the A22 either on the way to or back to the airport (we have a house near Alte) so our use of the A22 is during the time we are there. we just slide the car's transponder out and fix in our own with double sided tape

[md 600 driver]

I must admit that using the motorway now is a lot quicker, our journey on the 125 was like before the motorway opened extremely busy and slow

So I have to weigh up the options

Stop using the car hire that I have used for 10 years

Keep using the existing car hire company and pay the excessive charges 20 euros for 7 euros of tolls
And get ripped off

Use a different car hire company that does not have a transponder fitted

Catch bus

E Richard where did you get your transponder from I may even try the silver paper bit

[e-richard]

E Richard where did you get your transponder from I may even try the silver paper bit

The post office. I paid €27.50 for the transponder plus €10 min topup. They needed my phone number (?) and the registration of my then current rental car just to get the system up and running. Thereafter all I have to do is top up at Post Office/Payshop or Multi-Banco or via Internet banking at my BPI online account.
I also have an account at ctt.pt where I can track usage and see the balances remaining.

I have to thank RichardHenshall ( a lot) for all the original research ... and for his help with some of the details when my Portuguese failed me on occasions.

We attach our transponder to the passenger sun visor with elastic bands, and turn the visor down while on the motorway. A very bright red bit of card on the inside of the visor helps us to remember to remove the transponder when returning the car

[HampshireRich]

How much is a single trip on the A22 from Faro - say I get on at the N125 junction north of Faro and exit at the N124-1 junction north of Lagoa? - if I do 6 of these trips will I need a top up?

[e-richard]

HR, that journey is exactly €3.50 each way, so yes you will need top up

Here's how it will work:

6 times €3.50 = €21.00

In your first purchase of €20, you will use:
€5.00 to the rental company for the transponder
€15.00 towards the tolls
Then you will have to purchase a further €10 (minimum) topup.

Total expenditure €30.00
Total tolls usage €21.00

Contribution to rental company Xmas party €9.00

[RichardHenshall]

... We attach our transponder to the passenger sun visor with elastic bands, and turn the visor down while on the motorway. A very bright red bit of card on the inside of the visor helps us to remember to remove the transponder when returning the car

Guess who had to run back from the check-in desk to P4 in March to ask for his transponder back, from the car that had already been driven off-site?

[LICY]

How long does the credit last? On our Internet for example it lasts 3 months before the credit returns to 0. Is it the same? not sure if you could use that with TR as the transponder is already in the car.

[e-richard]

Yup, credit runs out after 90 days inactivity - so I'm told

[RichardHenshall]

But if you top up with another 10€ minimum within 90 days (I think it's actually 3 months but I would need to check) of the last top-up the increased balance will be carried forward and so on indefinitely. It's 90 days/3 months from last balance recharge, not from last toll charge.

Obviously you need to use an average of at least 40€ per year of toll charges for it to be worthwhile constantly topping up and you have to cover the peak consumption in a timely fashion in addition to that.

Alternatively if all your usage is within a relatively short period and you can predict how much you intend to spend, you can charge up the account enough to cover only that usage in that period and then let the account go dormant until the same time next year when simply re-charging it will re-activate the transponder (though with any previous credit lost), without any of the hassle you'd get with a mobile phone, for example.

[joeysoap]

I thought it was €2.95 to Alcantarilha and €4.10 to Lagoa. (excluding the po fee) Is there a different rate for transponders than payg?

[sam]

Just returned and used LagoRent through Economy Car Hire. They have a fair fuel policy and give plenty of info on the tolls including a sheet with toll costs for the sections. They charge 5euros plus any toll charges, but only if you use the A22. This info also on their website.

[logicbob]

Just returned and used LagoRent through Economy Car Hire. They have a fair fuel policy and give plenty of info on the tolls including a sheet with toll costs for the sections. They charge 5euros plus any toll charges, but only if you use the A22. This info also on their website.

Now that is the way it should be run. 5 euro's plus tolls. Well done to them.

[e-richard]

Just returned and used LagoRent through Economy Car Hire. They have a fair fuel policy and give plenty of info on the tolls including a sheet with toll costs for the sections. They charge 5euros plus any toll charges, but only if you use the A22. This info also on their website.

Now that is the way it should be run. 5 euro's plus tolls. Well done to them.

Hear hear!

[e-richard]

Update: While I still applaud the transparency, fairness and simplicity of LagoRent approach to the A22 tolls, I just did an online quote for the 21 day booking I already have in July, and LagoRent came out almost double the price of AlgarveDriver (it was actually €350 more )

[LICY]

E-Richard - makes the admin charge seem less reasonable. Another reason I don't come out peak season I can't afford fhe flights and car hire.