Car rental in Lisbon might not be essential if you only intend to explore within the city.
There’s also no point in renting a car to take a daytrip to nearby Sintra and Cascais.
But if you’re here for some time, you may want to explore more of Portugal. If you plan to make a One Week Itinerary from Lisbon to Porto or take a 7 Day Road Trip from Lisbon to the Algarve Visiting the Alentejo, then having your own vehicle may be the way to go.
To get a good deal, spend some time comparing prices and discounts. Websites such as discovercars.com can help you compare daily rental car rates by location, company, vehicle specification, security deposit, and more.
Where can I hire a car at Lisbon Airport?
Car hire is easy to arrange at Lisbon Airport. Avis-Budget, Europcar, Goldcar, Guerin, Hertz, and Sixt, among others, have a presence in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1, daily from 6am to midnight/1am, including weekends and public holidays.
Where can I hire a car in Lisbon city centre?
You don’t have to rent a car at Lisbon Airport; there are companies offering city pick-up, which include Avis-Budget, Europcar, Guerin, Hertz and Sixt. However, you should compare prices between locations, since there may be differences, depending on the company.
Where can I hire a car in Lisbon on weekends and public holidays?
Even on weekends and public holidays, car hire Lisbon is easy to arrange both at Lisbon Airport, during the usual opening hours, and in the city centre with slightly limited opening hours.
Here are the main city pick-up locations open on weekends and public holidays:
Avis
- Av. Praia da Vitória, 12C. 8am – 7pm
- Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 156. 9am – 1pm & 3pm – 7pm
- Praça Martim Moniz, 2b (Hotel Mundial). 9am – 1pm & 3pm – 7pm
Europcar
- Av. António Augusto de Aguiar, 24 C/D. 24 hour open
- Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, 142/150. Saturdays only 8am – 8pm
Guerin
Av. Álvares Cabral, 45 B. 9am – 1pm & 2pm – 6pm
Hertz
Rua Castilho, 72 A/B/C. 9am – 1pm & 3pm – 7pm
Sixt
- Av. Liberdade, 185 (Hotel Tivoli). 9am – 7pm (24 hour return)
- Rua Andrade Corvo, 31. 9am – 7pm (24 hour return)
Things to remember
- Unless you specify otherwise, expect a traditional car rental – manual drive and diesel or gasoline vehicle. Automatic car models are available from most companies, as well as zero emission vehicles if you’re going electric, but you’ll generally pay a bit more.
- You’ll find driving in Lisbon city centre can be slow and sometimes chaotic, particularly at rush hour. There are parking meters and/or public parking in most areas. However, parking spots can be difficult to get in some central areas.
- If you’re in Lisbon over the peak summer months, you should book early to bag a bargain.
- Portugal has recently extended its speed-trap system with several speed cameras placed in urban areas. If you do get caught by a camera, the fine will eventually be sent to you.
- If you’re planning on using motorways, consider renting the Via Verde transponder from you car rental company. There are tolls on all Portuguese motorways (called “auto-estradas”), and a number of these are completely electronic (no toll booths where you can manually pay).
If you travel with a transponder, then you should use the special Via Verde lane on all the motorways that do have toll booths. When you return the car, the toll charges that were recorded on the transponder will be charged on your credit card.
