Renting a car in the Algarve
The easiest way to get around in the Algarve is by car. This is because public transport between cities can be complicated. Moreover, some of the most beautiful beaches are only accessible by car. If you don’t have access to a car, we recommend that you rent one. But there are many options to consider when renting a car in the Algarve. The world of rental cars is not transparent and full of hidden costs. A bad decision can ruin your holiday even before you get in the car. In this article we will tell you what to look for and which companies to avoid.
Renting a car online and picking it up at Faro Airport
We strongly recommend you to book your car online before your trip. First of all, this gives you peace of mind: you know the car is ready to pick up when you arrive. Moreover, you will probably get a better deal online if you take a couple of minutes to do your research. After you have arrived at Faro Airport, just follow the car hire signs and you will see several car hire companies outside the terminal. Just go to the company where you have made a reservation and they will help you get on the road as fast as possible.
Questions to ask yourself when renting a car
Rental car companies are very good at making the process of renting a car as least transparent as possible. For example, some companies charge cheap daily rates, but then offer very expensive insurance. To make things easier, you can ask yourself the following questions when renting a car in the Algarve:
- Have you heard of this car rental company? If not, beware.
- Where exactly are they located? Some companies claim to service Faro Airport, but are located in the town of Faro.
- What type of car would you like?
- What is the daily rate of the car? Usually, the daily rate drops when the duration of the rental increases.
- How much do you have to pay in case of damage or theft?
- Do you want insurance? If so, how much does the insurance cost?
- Do you see anything odd in the insurance conditions?
- Is there a security deposit? If so, how much?
- What is exactly included in the car rental?
- A second driver?
- A baby seat (if necessary)?
- Can you cross the border and drive to Spain (if you want to)?
- What is the fuel policy? Usually, the best option is a full to full fuel policy.
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Is there a maximum number of kilometres you can drive during your rental period?
- How are their reviews? What do the negative reviews say?
- What is the minimum age requirement of the driver (only applicable if you are under 21)? For most companies the minimum age to rent a car is 18 years old, while some companies require you to be at least 19 or 21 years old. All companies require you to show a driving license and a passport or national ID card.
Do you need insurance?
When you rent a car without insurance, you will have to pay in case of any damages or theft. Rental companies see a small scratch already as damage. A small scratch is easy to get, for example when driving on a dirt road and a little stone hits your car. Beware that for a small scratch they can already charge up to a couple of hundred euros. There are stories of car rental companies charging money for scratches that were already there. They love to charge money for damages. This is where they make a lot of money. When you receive the car, make sure to make photos and/or a close-up video of the car, in case you want to prove afterwards that a scratch was already there.
If you want to avoid all this potential headache, make sure to get insurance for the car. The only downside of this are the extra costs. You have to decide for yourself if you are willing to take a risk by not taking insurance. In general, we recommend getting insurance, because we have seen a lot of car rental companies who are very eager to look for damages when you return the car and they know you don’t have insurance.
Toll roads in the Algarve
When driving on the A22 highway, you will pay toll electronically. Most rental cars in the Algarve have a small device that beeps whenever you pass a certain point on the highway. It registers the amount of toll you have to pay. When you return your car, you will have to pay the due amount of toll. If you don’t have that device (most rental cars do though), you can get it at the post office. Make sure to check how the payment of toll is stated in the conditions of your rental car.
Nearest petrol station
There is a Cepsa petrol station near Faro Airport (1 minute of driving), so you don’t have to worry about where to put gas when returning your car.
Car rental companies
When you rent a car, you will have many options. You can choose between different car rental companies, but also between different cars and insurances. Some car rental companies you will recognize, and others are less known. While all companies claim to offer low prices, great service and comfortable cars, this is not the case. In general, it is best to don’t book with a company you haven’t heard of before. Below you can read what you can expect from each car rental company at Faro Airport.
It is common for car rental companies to also require a security deposit on your credit card. You will get this money back afterwards. Companies also differ by the maximum amount you have to pay in case of theft or damage to the car. You always have the option to get an insurance, in which case you are fine in case of any (small) damages or theft.
We have listed the car rental companies in the Algarve from best to worst.
Sixt
Sixt is one of the most famous car rental companies in Europe. Started in Germany in 1912, they now have a big international presence worldwide. Their required security deposit is one of the lowest in the Algarve. Based on over 2000 reviews, their customer satisfaction rating is excellent (8,2 / 10). Sixt is definitely one of our top choices when renting a car in the Algarve.
- Security deposit: € 300
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 960
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Avis
Avis is a well known American car rental company. Prices are higher than average, but this is because you know that you will not get scammed. Based on over 2000 reviews, they score a 7,6 out of 10, which is quite good.
- Security deposit: € 300
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1599
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Guerin
Guerin is a Portuguese car hire company, started in 1989. It only operates in Portugal. Prices are reasonable, and reviews are favourable (8,4 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 1180,80
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1180,80
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Enterprise
Enterprise is a big car rental company from the United States, operating since 1957. Prices are relatively expensive, but their customer satisfaction rating is very good (8,1 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 600
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1180,80
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Europcar
Europcar is a well known French car rental company, with a presence all over Europe. Prices are quite decent. Based on over 1000 reviews on Rentalcars.com, they score a 7,7 / 10 which is good.
- Security deposit: € 300
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 950
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Alamo
Alamo is a US based car rental company, founded in 1974. Their prices are relatively high, but their customer reviews on Rentalcars.com are good (8,1 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 600
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1180,80
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Hertz
Hertz is a well known car hire company from the United States. They are professional and the staff is friendly. Once you have booked your car already online, the paperwork on-site is relatively easy. Dropping the car off is also easy. You pay a bit extra for everything, but we find the service is worth it. Their customer satisfaction score is 7,9 out of 10.
- Security deposit: € 3075
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 3075
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Dollar
Dollar is another company where you can rent a car. Their security deposit is very high, and you can only drive 60 kilometres per rental. If you drive more than 60 kilometres per rental, you pay € 0,37 per kilometre. Based on over 500 reviews on Rentalcars.com, they score a 7,8 / 10 which is good.
- Security deposit: € 1537,50
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1537,50
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: 60 kilometres per rental
Firefly
Firefly is a low cost car hire company that is owned by Hertz. The good thing that it is indeed low cost. The downside of this is the high security deposit, as well as the maximum of 60 kilometres per rental. If you go over 60 kilometres, you will pay € 0,37 for each additional kilometre. Their customer ratings are quite good though (7,9 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 1537,50
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1537,50
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: 60 kilometres per rental
Drive on Holidays
Drive on Holidays is a Portuguese car rental company that is relatively new (founded in 2011). While their prices are quite low, their review score is also lower than most competitors (6,8 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 880
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 880
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Interrent
Interrent is a low cost car rental brand that belongs to the Europcar group. They are operating in at least 40 countries worldwide. Even though they advertise as being low cost, their prices are not very cheap. And their review score is average (6,6 / 10).
- Security deposit: € 1200
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1200
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Goldcar
Goldcar is a Spanish car rental company, and is one of the biggest rental companies in Spain. Based on over 10.000 reviews on Rentalcars.com, they score a 7,2 / 10. However, if you read the reviews, there are several people that complain about having to pay damage costs for small scratches, while they claim they didn’t cause these scratches. These people did not have insurance. If you go with this company, make sure to get insurance for damages. However, our advice is to avoid this company.
- Security deposit: € 1200
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1200
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Centauro
Centauro is a Spanish car hire company that exists since 1973. Prices are higher than average, but that is because their cars are also not the cheapest. For example, their cheapest model is a Fiat 500. Based on over 2000 reviews on Rentalcars.com, they score a 7,0 / 10 which is ok. However, a lot of the reviews speak about hidden costs, which are not shown when you book the car. Avoid this company.
- Security deposit: € 1050
- Maximum charge in case of damage: € 1050
- Fuel policy: full to full
- Maximum # of kilometres: unlimited
Booking your rental car
We recommend to use Rentalcars.com, since they have the biggest assortment of car rental brands and have a good price. You can find all of the above mentioned brands there. Use the search box to book your rental car now.
Conclusion
Renting a car in the Algarve is an absolute necessity, but the world of car rental does not make it easy. Personally, we would go for a well respected brand with good reviews, like Sixt, Avis or Enterprise. Avoid Goldcar and Centauro. However, there are many other choices and considerations as well. The most important one is the question if you want insurance or not (we recommend you do take insurance, but the downside is the cost of it). We hope the information in this article helped you to make a choice. Have fun exploring the Algarve!
