Typical models of the minivan/minibus class in Vilamoura are: Ford Galaxy 7 seater, Mercedes Viano 8 Seater, Mercedes Vito, Opel Zafira, Peugeot 807 7 seater, VW Touran and others.
Standard capacity of a minivan in Portugal is up to 9 people (8+1 formula), traditionally providing seven or eight passenger seats. The capacity of a minibus may vary from 9 to 15 people.
Please note, that in order to rent in Portugal a vehicle with capacity which exceeds 8 passengers, you would need a driving license of the corresponding category.
Minivan dimensions are quite unusual for an ordinary driver, which sometimes leads to appearance of scratches and dents during unsuccessful manoeuvring or parking. Therefore, we encourage you to order full coverage of insurance franchise during your booking, or directly at the rental office in Vilamoura.
Before leaving the parking garage in Vilamoura, inspect the minivan for exteriour defects and other signs of damage together with the office representative and mark the found defects found in your rental documents.
OrangeSmile.com wishes you a great driving experience on the roads of Portugal!
Popular questions on rental process
Foreign guests should drive confidently and calmly, and so not follow the example of local drivers who exceed speed and make other traffic violations. The behavior of local drivers should not be interpreted as aggression. If they honk persistently and ask you to increase speed, you simply need to give way to the drivers and continue driving in accordance with the speed limit.
It is worth noting that Portuguese drivers are somewhat stubborn. Even if they do not have the right to make a certain maneuver (for example, to overtake), they will still not give way to other cars until they make it. If a driver is moving at low speed, other cars can pursue him for more than one kilometer, honking constantly, until the driver doesn’t move to the right lane, so other cars can overtake him.
For Portugal residents, car is the main means of transportation. They use cars not only to go to work and on business, but also to make a family holiday or to visit relatives.
