Dilip Kuner
BRITISH holidaymakers and Spanish day-trippers heading to Portugal this summer are being wrongly told to pay to use a motorway that is now completely free of charge.
Authorities in the Algarve have had to issue a public alert after outdated road signs on the Guadiana International Bridge, which links Ayamonte (Spain) with Castro Marim (Portugal), continue to urge drivers to register for a toll payment system – even though it’s no longer needed for the A22 motorway.
The A22 – also known as the Via do Infante – runs the full length of the Algarve from east to west and has been toll-free since early 2025. But signs at the border still advise motorists to sign up to Portugal’s Easytoll system, designed to charge foreign vehicles on toll roads.
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Tourism chiefs warn this confusing signage has already tricked many into paying unnecessarily – particularly for the stretch of road through Castro Marim, Vila Real de Santo António and Lagos, which no longer requires payment.
Last year, the Algarve welcomed 845,000 overnight visitors from Spain, not counting the hundreds of thousands who crossed the border for the day to enjoy beaches, food and shopping.
Officials at Turismo do Algarve stress: “If you’re driving into the Algarve via Ayamonte and sticking to the A22, you do not need to register for Easytoll or pay a penny.”
Only drivers using other Portuguese motorways – like the A2 to Lisbon – must still register at www.portugaltolls.com.
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