How And Where To Rent An Electric Scooter In Portugal – Rules, Costs, And Providers!
Do you want to explore the Portuguese streets on an electric scooter? Since 2019 you can roll through Portugal as a tourist. See which providers are active at your destination, download the right app and you are ready for your first ride. It’s that easy.
The electric scooter is called a “trotinete elétrica” in Portuguese. Discover on this page which rules you should take into account and how you can use these two-wheelers yourself.
The rules for using an electric scooter in Portugal
In Portugal, as a driver of an electric scooter, you follow the same traffic rules as cyclists. These are the main rules to keep in mind as a tourist:
- There is no minimum age limit;
- There is no driving license requirement;
- If there is a bike path available, you can use it. If there is no bicycle path, you use the public road;
- You are not allowed to drive on the sidewalk;
- Holding or wearing a telephone, headphones, or earphones on the scooter is not allowed;
- You are not allowed to ride with two people on one electric scooter;
- Drinking and riding an electric scooter is prohibited. The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.5 per mille.
How do you use an e-scooter in Portugal as a tourist?
In several Portuguese cities, you can easily use an electric scooter. These vehicles can be located via the mobile app of the respective provider. You do this in the following way:
1.
Download the app Download the mobile app from one of the active providers (see below which providers are active in Portugal).
2.
Create an account Create an account and link a payment method. Most providers accept payments via credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
3. Find an electric scooter near you
Check in the app where the nearest electric scooter is located. In the app, you can also see the scooter’s battery percentage.
4. Unlock the vehicle
Scan the QR code on the scooter to unlock the vehicle and start your ride.
5. Park the scooter.
Done with the ride? Check in the app where the nearest return location is* and put the scooter back in a place where it will not affect anyone.
6. End the ride
You can end the ride through the app. You will then see an overview of the route taken and the costs of your ride.
*Some cities have specific parking zones for shared scooters. If this is the case, you will see these zones in the app.
Which scooter share providers are active in Portugal?
Every city or municipality has its own agreements with shared scooter providers. The largest providers in Portugal are:
| City | Supplier |
| Braga | Bolt |
| Coimbra | Bolt |
| Lisbon | Bird, Bolt, Frog, Lime |
| Porto | Bird, Bolt |
What are the costs to rent an electric scooter in Portugal?
If you want to use an electric scooter, you usually pay a starting rate and a rate per minute. These costs may differ per provider.
On average you pay €1 entry costs. Then you pay an amount per minute: € 0.15. If you take a 10-minute ride, this will cost you €2.50.
Tip: take advantage of free rides
Many providers allow users to share a ‘referral code’ with someone. This is a personal code that can be found in the app.
Are you going on a shared scooter with two or more people? Share this code with your friends and take advantage of free rides this way:
Example: Bolt app
