MikeJ

You cannot post-pay for foreign registered vehicles - only pre-pay is available. Either buy a ticket (which come in various prices) or register with EasyToll.
Going to the Post Office after 48hours but before 7 days is only available for Portuguese registered cars.
have a look at:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766286

LordMayor

You can pay at the petrol station on the motorway (even with Spanish or UK registered plates), it is the easiest way. But if your car is not Portuguese, do not bother!

MikeJ

Not to say that this statement is incorrect but nowhere is this option (for foriegn registered vehicles) given on any of the official Portuguese web sites that I have found.

Quite apart from the potential (costly) consequences of ignoring the tolls, do you think it is right to cheat the country in which you are a guest? If the answer is yes then you have a very different moral compass to the one I have.

Kath Las Colinas

When can you pay at the petrol station on the motorway? Do you still have to wait 48 hours like at the post office? I always pay for the trip from the airport at the post office in VRSA but don't know any way to pay for the trip back to the airport (Portuguese reg car obviously).
Kath

MikeJ

Since the 48hours is the time it takes to update the database I would think it highly unlikely that the charge would have appeared on the system. {Although I expect the time is actually much shorter, and 48 hours provides the computer system with plenty of contingency, it will be hours and not minutes}

I think you are correct about the impossibility of paying in person on the way to the airport. Alternatives previously suggested have been: a friend paying at the PO after you've gone; some of the car rental companies say that they will pay the tolls on your behalf - but you need to very very clear before giving your CC details that they are not just going to pay the penalty notice when the Portagem authorities ask them.
The only fully legal foolproof way is to use the N135
I did spot another wheeze - bring some magnetic UK plates with you and register them with EasyToll - that way you will have a clear conscience that you have paid the tolls but no worries about late payments catching up with you (tongue firmly in cheek)

Kath Las Colinas

Thanks. I didn't think anything had changed. I even registered on the CTT.pt website thinking I might be able to pay online but i couldn't (unless someone knows better). I don't like using N125 on way to airport; we usually catch a relatively early plane and i would be frightened of missing it.
Kath

LordMayor

The computers in the post office do not recognize foreign plates. When you stop at the petrol station (for both ways at the same time), you pay on the moment and they give you a receipt with your car registration. I have done it many times, either with UK or Spanish plates. Now if you do noth bother paying theywill not haveaccess to your datas, either in UK or Spain, but may be one day if you are driving in Portugal... I agree with MikeJ with not cheating a country which receive us, but the fact is that many Portuguese associations have claimed at the European Court because these tolls are apparently totally illegal.

angiescarr

So, here's what happened for my OHs trip on wednesday. He paid by our electron card on a machine at the bus shelter (the far right lane in the layby) for the trip to the Airport. But chose to find out how it worked from the other end. At the other end he purchased a scratch card esp for foreign registered cards at the post office in the Airport but we believe it did not work because his phone was an English one and he didn't receive an SMS back on it.
Next time he'll buy both ways on the way into Portugal.

Thanks everyone for your input.

EsuriJohn

Yes the bus shelters looks old fashioned against the No plate recognition cameras but it seems a doddle to me for the occasional pick up at the airport or a trip to the UK. You enter your own dates and I have tried a four week spread and that works, it may be possible to go for longer.

MikeJ

The gantry cameras must recognise foriegn registration numbers - I have registered my UK plated car with Easy Toll and all the correct charges appeared on my CC statement. I suspect that the pre-pay EasyToll database is not connected to the post-pay system used for Portuguese registered cars and transponders - it doesn't need to be as post-pay is not available for foreign VRNs.

As to the exchange of information about vehicles and drivers between Member States - all the directives are in place and a good number of MS already participate (including the UK). There is also provision for information about civil offences - eg parking fines, congestion charging etc - to be exchanged (under different directives).

I wouldn't think that Spain would be obstructive in assisting a neighbouring MS in enforcing its toll charging. After all Spain has a lot of toll roads too and such an action might encourage Portuguese drivers to ignore their tolls in retaliation. Anarchy is not good for anyone.

As to whether the tolls are legal, I believe that the EU response (so far) to the various challenges have been critical about the implementation but not about the legality (mainly about the discrimination in allowing concessions to locals!). As a soveriegn nation Portugal was entitled to pass the enabling laws.

angiescarr

We did the drop off on monday. Because my OH already knew how to find the 'bus shelter' thingy at the border it was easy. However, for some reason there were cones on the lane to the car park!!!!!! and so we had to back off and park just before it and walk to the shelter. According to OH the 'easy toll' booths weren't working properly either, though I'm not sure how he knew that!
BUT
My "definitive answer" would be. If you want to ensure that you've paid your toll and you're on your way in to, rather than out of Portugal. The bus shelter thingy is the best way to pay. It's really easy to use.