Cars offer speed, freedom, access to the countryside, and an escape from the town-to-town mentality of trains. Although a solo traveler won’t save by renting a car, four usually will. For a primer on European road signs and conventions, check out www.travlang.com/signs. The Association for Safe International Road Travel ( ASIRT; www.asirt.org) can provide information on road conditions.
You can rent a car from a US-based firm (Alamo, Avis, Budget, or Hertz) with European offices, from a European-based company with local representatives (Europcar), or from a tour operator (Auto Europe, Europe By Car, and Kemwel Holiday Autos) that will arrange a rental for you from a European company. Multinationals offer greater flexibility, but tour operators often strike better deals. Ask airlines about special fly-and-drive packages; you may get up to a week of free or discounted rental. Expect to pay US$80-400 per week, plus tax (5-25%), for a tiny car. Always check if prices quoted include tax and collision insurance. At most agencies, all that’s needed to rent a car is a license from home and proof that you’ve had it for a year.
You can generally make reservations before you leave by calling major international offices in your home country. However, sometimes the price and availability information they give doesn’t jive with what the local offices in Spain or Portugal will tell you, so try calling both numbers to make sure you get the best price. Local desk numbers are included in town listings; for home-country numbers, call your toll-free directory.
To rent a car from most establishments in Spain and Portugal, you need to be at least 21 years old. Some agencies require renters to be 25, and most charge those aged 21-24 an additional insurance fee. Policies and prices vary from agency to agency. Small local operations occasionally rent to people under 21, but be sure to ask about the insurance coverage and deductible, and always check the fine print. Rental agencies in Spain and Portugal include:
Renting a car in Spain is cheaper than in many other European countries. Prices start at around €50 per day from national companies, €25 from local agencies. In Portugal, prices start at around €50 per day from national companies, or €35 per day from local agencies. Expect to pay more for larger cars and for 4WD. Cars with automatic transmission can cost up to €30 per day more than standard manuals (stick shift), and in some places, automatic transmission is hard to find. It is virtually impossible, no matter where you are, to find an automatic with 4WD. Rental agencies are listed in the Practical Information at the start of each city.
Many rental packages offer unlimited kilometers, while others offer a limited number of kilometers per day with a surcharge per kilometer after that. Return the car with a full tank of gasoline (petrol) to avoid high fuel charges at the end. Insurance plans from rental companies almost always come with an excess charge for younger drivers and for 4WD. This means that the insurance bought from the rental company only applies to damages over the excess; damages up to that amount must be covered by your existing insurance plan. Many rental companies in Spain and Portugal encourage you to buy a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which will waive the excess in the case of a collision. Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs) do the same in the case of theft or vandalism.
National chains often allow one-way rentals (picking up in one city and dropping off in another). There is usually a minimum hire period and sometimes an extra drop-off charge of several hundred dollars.
If you plan to drive a car while in Spain or Portugal, you must be over 18 and have an International Driving Permit (IDP). However, in Spain, a US licence is valid for six months in a calendar year, after which a driving school can help you apply for a Spanish license. A driver’s license from any EU state is valid in Spain. In Portugal, only a valid license from one’s home country is required.
It may be a good idea to get an IDP, in case you’re in a situation (e.g., an accident or stranded in a small town) where the police do not know English; information on the IDP is printed in 11 languages, including Spanish and Portuguese. The Jefatura Provincial de Tráfico (www.dgt.es/portal) in Madrid is a source for help with such matters.
Your IDP, valid for one year, must be issued in your own country before you depart. An application for an IDP usually requires one or two photos, a current local license, an additional form of identification, and a fee. To apply, contact your home country’s automobile association. Be vigilant when purchasing an IDP online or anywhere other than your home automobile association. Many vendors sell permits of questionable legitimacy for higher prices.
Most credit cards cover standard insurance. If you rent, lease, or borrow a car, you will need a green card, or International Insurance Certificate, to certify that you have liability insurance and that it applies abroad. Green cards can be obtained at car rental agencies, car dealers (for those leasing cars), some travel agents, and some border crossings. Rental agencies may require you to purchase theft insurance in countries that they consider to have a high risk of auto theft.
Spain’s highway system connects major cities by four-lane autopistas (highways) with plenty of service stations. Traffic moves quickly and drivers can get annoyed if you don’t; study your map before you leave. The speed limit in Spain is 31mph/50kph in cities, 55mph/90kph on open roads, and 74mph/120kph on highways. Speeders beware: police can “photograph” the speed and license plate of your car and issue a ticket without pulling you over. Purchase gas in both Spain and Portugal in super (97-octane), normal (92-octane), diesel, and unleaded. The average price for unleaded gas in Spain is approximately double the US price, and slightly higher in Portugal.Seatbelts are required in Spain, and drunk driving incurs hefty fines; be aware that allowed blood levels of alcohol are lower than in other countries in Europe.Portugal has the highest rate of car accidents per capita in Western Europe. The narrow, twisting roads are difficult to negotiate. Speed limits are ignored, recklessness is common, and lighting and road surfaces are often inadequate.
The Spanish automobile association is Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE, ☎902 40 45 45; www.race.es). It functions much like AAA, offering roadside assistance and general advice on driving in Spain. Portugal’s automobile association, the Automóvel Clube de Portugal, or ACP (☎213 71 47 20; www.acp.pt) provides breakdown, towing, and first-aid services.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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