Lisbon Car Rental Guide
On this page, you can find information about the car rental possibilities in Lisbon: in the airport, in the railway station and downtown. You will also find some useful facts concerning driving and car rental in Portugal in general.
Car Rental Restrictions
Driving Restrictions
Driving is on the right. The minimum driving age in Portugal is 17 years. Children must be at least 12 to sit in the front. The maximum blood alcohol limit is 0.5‰. Drunk driving is subject to very severe fines.
Do not flash your headlights – it is illegal.
Roads are often three lanes wide – use the middle lane for passing in both directions. At the junction of two roads of equal importance, traffic coming from the right has priority.
You may only use the horn in case of extreme and immediate danger.
The police are authorised to collect money on the spot.
You must park in the direction of traffic, except where parking is allowed on one side of the road only. Illegally parked vehicles will be confiscated. In Lisbon, it is useful to have a Blue Zone Parking Disc, available free from local police. Central Lisbon offers very little on-street parking.
Speed limits:| Area | Speed |
| City | 50KM/H |
| Main roads | 90KM/H |
| Motorways | 120KM/H |
Emergency Numbers
Police/fire/ambulance: 112
Road Tolls
In Portugal, many motorways and several bridges and tunnels are tolled. You can pay for the ticket with a card, but it is advisable you carry cash. Tolls are rather expensive.
Some useful expressions for tourists visiting Portugal
Car rental agency – agencia de aluguer de carros
Parking – estacionamento
About Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital and largest city and also the leading seaport of Portugal. It has an easy-going pace and little of the violence of most cities and ports of its size. The city also boasts a vibrant, cosmopolitan identity with large communities of different nations. In the last decade, Lisbon has heavily invested in the rejuvenation of the city. It is also the stage for popular festivities, the place for enjoying shopping and a busy nightlife and museums.
The charming city with a mediaeval air has become one of Europe’s most popular capital cities as much for its light atmosphere and unique Portuguese architecture.
Area: 1000 sq km
Population: 700,000
Country: Republic of Portugal
Time Zone: GMT/UTC 0 (+1 in summer)
Telephone Area Code: 21
Monetary Unit: Euro
