Car rental – now also electric car rental!

Reliable (electric)car rental with us or through us

We make it possible – electric car rental or one with fuel engine! There are numerous companies operating in renting cars for your vacation in Portugal, but finding an electric rental car is still very difficult.

In addition, car rentals many tims provide bad experiences. Long queues at the counters, being pressured for extra insurance, expensive repairs for minor damage, high deposit, expensive child seats, paying extra for extra driver, high cost for toll service, credit card problems…..and cheap often becomes expensive!

To prepare relaxed your vacation, below we explain the options and provide tips to avoid these bad experiences mentioned before.

We conclude with an additional explanation of “how it works with renting a car”. Useful for when you have little experience with this.

Rent an electric car from us

Rent a car through us in Alcobaça

Due to quite a few unpleasant experiences with car rental at the airports, we have teamed up with local car rental companies in Alcobaça to organize a different concept for our guests. Our local car rental company will pick you up at the airport and you will get your rental car in Alcobaça, close to or at our holiday accommodations. You will return the car, in Alcobaça and (s)he will take you back to the airport on the day of departure. So relax, no long queues and frustration at the counter.
Also important: We have arranged that you don’t need a credit card!

Our local car rentals are not always the cheapest, but in terms of service and convenience, they cannot be beat. In addition, really no nasty surprises at the counter. We are committed to that. Request a price without obligation using the form below.

Of course you have unlimited km´s and “all risk” also means “all risk”. Redemption of excess is not possible and damage settlement is neatly done in consultation without exaggeration from the rental company side. The cost of pick-up and drop-off is included in the quote. So after your price request, you will get the final price for the combo car + pick-up/drop-off.

Using the form below, you can make a price request in English (or Portuguese ?) Further communication is made directly via email or phone.

Rental car through local car rental company in Alcobaça

Rent a car from Sunny cars through us at the airport

If you still prefer to rent your car at the airport, we only recommend SUNNY CARS. This is based on their conditions, quality service desk and experiences of our guests.

Rent a car from Sunny Cars at the airport

Further notes on renting a car

On the Internet there are many car rental companies that rent at the airport. There are companies with “own cars” where you can rent directly (e.g. Sixt, Avis) and companies that purchase “cars” from these other companies (e.g. Sunny cars, etc.). In the latter case, you always pick up your car at the “Sixt, Avis, etc. companies anyway).

Pick up rental car at the airport or outside the airport area

It is important to know that you can rent a car that you “stand at the airport or somewhere outside.” At the airport is usually with the big international companies like Herz, Avis, etc. and also often 1 or 2 local big rental companies. Beyond that, there are many local rentals around the air port. You then take a free shuttle bus back and forth between airport and terrain rental.
Be careful with early or late flights, this is often not 24 hours a day. Drop offs are often still possible outside these times but you will need to arrange your own cab for transportation to the airport.

Car rental insurance

If you book directly with the rental company with “own cars” (Sixt, etc.) then you take out your insurance policies there. If you rent from “the other” companies you can often get cheaper “all risk insurance” there versus Sixt, etc. We recommend doing so.
This is possible with most car rental companies but based on experience we recommend SUNNY CARS. They also have a Dutch-speaking help desk which is nice.
Here, by the way, you can also take out a premium service to get your turn faster. You can then use the express or premium service desk of Guerin and/or Hertz depending on who your reservation ends up with in Lisbon or Porto.

A common complaint is that, especially upon arrival, you are pressured to take out additional insurance. If you have already done so, continue to politely but consistently refuse.

Tips for long rental car queues at the airport

When you arrive at the counter at the airport to pick up the car, there are quite often long lines.
Tip #1: So have one go ahead and pick up the car while the other waits for the suitcases.
Tip #2: “pregnant women or with small children” are often given priority, so try to get in at the front.
Tip 3: Take out a premium service, then you get priority with most car rental companies
Tip 4: Don’t stand in line but enjoy being picked up by our local car rental agents

Toll roads

In Portugal, most highways have electronic tolls, in addition to roads with toll booths. At the counter at the car rental, you need to decide whether or not to take the “electronic toll service.” Costs are different at different companies.
If you purchase the electronic toll service from the rental company, you can just drive through everywhere (at the gates choose the “via verde/green lane”), payments will be charged to your credit card through the rental company.

You are NOT required to purchase this service. On highways with toll gates, you can also pull a ticket and you pay at the gate when you leave the highway. For electronic toll roads, you can pay afterwards at various payment points (post office etc.) or online. This can be done after 48 hours and up to 5 business days. You pay max 3€ for administrative handling each time you pay (which can be for multiple toll sections at once). This is generally cheaper but some hassle of course. If you don’t pay, the rental company will still write off the tolls including an administrative fine.

If you depart from Lisbon, then the last toll roads are payable via “ticket pulling.” Around Porto airport, you only have electronic tolls, making it difficult to pay the last toll at the post office.

Credit Card and driver’s license required for car rental

Avoid problems pay attention when renting!!!

• Renting a car at the airports ALWAYS requires a credit card and driver’s license in the NAME of the DRIVER.
• With many rental companies, the name of the renter/contractor must be the same as the name on the credit card of the lead driver.
• An additional driver should always be booked in addition, do not automatically assume this.

Deposit on credit card / Limit

Regardless of who you rent through, there is always a relatively high amount blocked as a deposit on your credit card with the local party. That’s normal. Before leaving, make sure your limit is sufficiently high/not used up, or you won’t get the car.

Don’t forget your credit card PIN CODE

Also, don’t forget your pin code (especially if you don’t use your credit card very often)!

Cause damage or get damaged your rental car

Check before departure if the car has damage and it is registered, take pictures if necessary. Should you drive damage, you always bill at the local lot. If you also rented there, how much you have to pay depends on your insurance. If you have not rented directly from this party, your total deductible will be deducted from your credit card/deposit at the local party. You must then request a refund through the party you rented from with the relevant (all inclusive) insurance (e.g. Sunny cars). They will then later reimburse you up to the deductible agreed to in their insurance policy.

If you do not have a credit card, use our local car rental agency in Alcobaça.

Bring or rent child seats

If you are traveling with small children, child seats are often expensive additional costs with the car rental. You can also sometimes take child seats on the plane for free or have them checked in for a small fee, just check!
At YourHoliday.PT / Quinta das Cantigas, we also have free child seats, from 3 years, while supplies last, please mention this when booking or car rental of our electric car!