Driving the Algarve in 2026: The A22 Is Now Toll-Free (and What Else Changed)

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Portugal abolished tolls on the A22 (the Algarve's main east-west motorway) on 1 January 2025. Most online driving guides haven't updated — here's the current truth on tolls, car hire, Via Verde, the routes that are still tolled, and how to drive the Algarve in 2026 without overthinking it.

If you're searching for "how to pay Algarve tolls" you'll find a lot of articles still telling you to register an Easytoll account, get a transponder, or stop at a roadside terminal. Most of that advice is now wrong.

On 1 January 2025, the Portuguese government abolished tolls on the A22 Via do Infante — the Algarve's main east-west motorway, running from Castro Marim near the Spanish border all the way to Lagos in the west. The same legislation also removed tolls on the A23 (interior Beira), A24 (Vila Real–Chaves) and A25 (Aveiro–Vilar Formoso). The change is permanent.

This article is what you actually need to know in 2026.

What changed (and what didn't)

Toll-free now:

• A22 Via do Infante (Algarve) — the entire Algarve east-west motorway. No tolls anywhere on it.
• A23, A24, A25 — three interior motorways, useful only if you're heading inland or to the north.

Still tolled:

• A2 Lisbon–Algarve — the main motorway connecting Lisbon to the Algarve. Tolls still apply on this route.
• A6 (Marateca–Caia) — connecting the A2 to the Spanish border via Évora.
• The Lisbon ring road network and a handful of other northern routes — irrelevant for almost all Algarve-only trips.

The practical headline: if your trip is "Faro Airport → anywhere in the Algarve", you will pay zero tolls. If your trip includes a Lisbon leg, you'll still need to deal with tolls on the A2.

Why your search results are misleading

Search "Algarve tolls" today and you'll find ranking articles from major car-hire and travel publishers still describing the pre-2025 system in detail. They talk about Easytoll terminals at the border, registering your card to read overhead gantries, the cost per gantry by vehicle class, and complicated reconciliation through the SCUT system.

That entire framework is now obsolete for the Algarve. Those articles haven't been updated.

The reason this matters: a lot of first-time visitors register Easytoll out of caution, then worry for the rest of the trip about whether it's working. None of that is necessary on the A22 anymore.

What about car hire?

Most major rental companies in Portugal still bundle some form of "electronic toll device" or "Via Verde activation" into their booking flow. In 2026, the value of that add-on for an Algarve-only trip is essentially zero — but the fees still get added.

What to do:

• For trips that stay on the A22 / Algarve only: decline the toll device. Politely insist. You will not need it.
• For trips that include a Lisbon or A2 leg (e.g. flying into Lisbon, returning the car in Faro): accept the toll device. The A2 still has tolls and Via Verde or the car-hire device is by far the easiest way to pay them.
• If the rental desk insists you need a device for the Algarve, ask them in writing why. They should not be able to give you a coherent answer.

The big international brands (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt) and the major Portugal-based operators (Drive on Holidays, Goldcar, Centauro) have all updated their systems in 2025 — but their front-line agents and their websites' fine print are slow to catch up.

What about Via Verde?

Via Verde is Portugal's electronic toll-payment system. The transponder you sometimes see clipped to a windscreen near the rear-view mirror. It still exists, and it's still useful — but for the Algarve only, you don't need it.

If you're doing a long Portugal road trip (Algarve → Lisbon → Porto), Via Verde remains the path of least resistance. Your rental company can fit one or you can rent a unit at the airport.

For Algarve-only itineraries, skip it.

Practical driving notes for 2026

A few things that haven't changed and are still worth knowing:

• Roundabouts are everywhere and Portuguese drivers treat them with relaxed enthusiasm. Indicate. Yield to traffic already on the roundabout.
• Speed limits on the A22 are 120 km/h on most stretches, 100 km/h on a few approach sections. Police enforce them; fines are paid on the spot if you're caught.
• The N125 (the older parallel road, free since forever) is slower but more scenic and links most of the coastal towns. Take it for short hops between Lagos, Portimão and Albufeira if you're not in a hurry.
• Parking in old-town centres (Tavira, Lagos, Faro Cidade Velha, Olhão) is harder than the highways. Park on the edges and walk in.
• Petrol is cheaper in Spain. If you're heading to the eastern Algarve and have an empty tank, the short cross-border run to Ayamonte saves money.
• Mobile speed cameras appear most often on the A22 between Albufeira and Faro, and on the N125 between Lagos and Portimão. Watch your speed.

What if I have an old Easytoll account?

You don't need to do anything with it for the Algarve. It will simply sit unused. If you used it on a previous trip and have credit on it, that credit is still valid for the routes that remain tolled (A2, A6, etc.).

TL;DR

In 2026 you can drive the entire Algarve from Castro Marim to Sagres without paying a single toll. Decline the rental car's toll add-on if you're staying on the A22, accept it only if you're driving to Lisbon. Ignore the 2024-and-earlier articles still telling you to register at the border.

For more practical Algarve planning, see our Where to Stay in the Algarve 2026 Guide and Algarve Weather Guide.

Last updated: 12 May 2026.