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Hiring a
car is a one of the best ways to fully experience
Portugal if you are on holiday or if
you are looking to purchase a property. By hiring a car
you can run to your own timetable and not the bus or
train schedule and you can check out some out of the way
locations at your leisure.
If
you're nervous about driving on the right side of the
road, don't be,
Portugal has significantly less
traffic than in most other European countries, outside
of the major cities that it. Even on the toll and motor
ways the lanes are usual relatively quiet and traffic
jams something of a novelty when they occur.
There
are plenty of companies which hire out vehicles and
these are mainly based at the three major airports -
Lisbon, Porto and Faro. However most towns of some size
will have one or two car hire firms operating, though
it's best to double check availability prior to you
holiday to ensure you won't be disappointed.
Although
Portugal is a relatively small country it is quite easy
to get disorientated or lost. However most car hire
companies will provide you with a rudimentary map of the
country or specific area in which you have hired the
vehicle. However more recently some companies also
offer, at a price, the use of GPS systems.
These
global positioning systems are great, when used with
care, but remember to keep an eye on your map as well as
sometimes routes suggested by the handy gadget aren't
always the best to drive, or the quickest.
Don't
forget if you are going to hire a car in
Portugal you will need your driver's
license, both the photo identity car and the older,
paper version. Without both of these some car hire
companies will refuse to release the vehicles.
There
are many international car hire companies operating in
Portugal providing a big choice for hiring a car, but
read the small print on voluntary excess before you
drive out of the terminal. If you have a minor bump in
Portugal you will be liable for damage unless you sign
up to a higher insurance policy.
Although
car insurance in Portugal covers the car for all
drivers, it does not for hire or leased vehicles
therefore you will be expected to pay for more named
drivers. |
