Getting There By Road
Traffic drives on the right in Portugal and international traffic signs are used. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Speed limits are 120kph (74mph) on motorways, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (30mph) in towns. Tolls are charged on most motorways. Motorways are indicated by the prefix ‘A’; minor roads by the prefix ‘N’ and European routes by the letter ‘E’. Both International Driving Permits and national driving licences are accepted. A Green Card and third-party insurance are compulsory, as is a warning triangle. Seatbelts must be worn and children should travel in the rear seat. The legal maximum alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%.
The Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) is the national motoring association, Rua Rosa Araujo 24 (tel: (21) 318 0100; website: www.acp.pt), and will assist motorists whose automobile club has a reciprocal agreement.
Emergency breakdown service:
ACP (21) 942 9103
Routes to the city: The A1 Auto-estrada do Norte extends from Porto to Lisbon and the A8 arrives from destinations to the north and west of the city. The A9 bypasses Lisbon, connecting the A1, A8 and the A5, which links Lisbon with Cascais and the beaches. The A2 Auto-estrada do Sul arrives from Faro and the Algarve via Almada and the Ponte 25 de Abril. The A2 also links to the A6, which continues on for connections to Madrid. The A12 crosses the Ponte Vasco da Gama, offering a less congested route into the city.
Driving times to Lisbon: From Porto – 3 hours 15 minutes; Faro and the Algarve – 4 hours 20 minutes (longer on summer weekends); and Madrid – 8 hours 55 minutes.
Coach services: The main bus terminal (especially for international destinations) is near Saldanha metro station, Avenida Casal Ribeiro. Inter-Centro (tel: (21) 357 1745), operates international services from destinations in France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Rede Nacional de Expressos (tel: (21) 354 5439 or 310 3111; website: www.rede-expressos.pt) provides coach services from hundreds of Portuguese destinations. The main Rede ticket office and terminal is Terminal do Arco do Cego, Avenida Duque D’Ávila 12 (tel: (21) 354 5439). Travellers can call the National Express Coach Service (tel: (707) 223 344) for further information.
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