I-VII 09:00 – 19:00
Cael Rent a Car is a popular Porto Airport supplier rated about 9/10 on DiscoverCars, and unusually it is walkable – about 150 m across the road from the terminal rather than a shuttle ride. Reviewers like the easy pickup, choice of cars and professional staff; the main caution is pricing, as the counter offers roughly €200 full cover versus a €2,000 excess. Pre-book your excess insurance and it is a strong, convenient choice.
From arrivals turn right, walk ~150 m to the avenue and cross at the crosswalk – the office is across the road. Easy pickup, choice of cars, professional staff; watch the counter insurance upsell.
Cael – how it scores
Verified ratings
Rates include basic CDW with a large excess blocked on your card. Local Porto brands push expensive full cover at the counter (Cael offers ~€200 full cover against a ~€2,000 excess). Buy stand-alone excess insurance before travelling – it is usually far cheaper and refunds your excess directly. Bring the policy and decline the upsell.
Northern Portugal has electronic-only tolls on motorways such as the A28, A41, A42 and A4 – no cash booths, so the car needs a Via Verde transponder. Rentals usually include one for a daily fee plus the toll cost; confirm the daily cap and billing, as the toll-device charge is the most common Porto rental surprise. Porto has no LEZ, only the camera-controlled ZAAC in the old town.
Real 7-day cost guide (economy, peak)
| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Economy car, 7 days | from ~€150–270 ($165–300) |
| Counter full cover | ~€200 (vs ~€2,000 excess) |
| Excess (pre-booked cover) | ~€4–7/day – cheaper |
Almost – it is about 150 m across the road from arrivals, so you walk rather than wait for a shuttle. Turn right out of arrivals, walk to the avenue and cross at the crosswalk.
It scores around 9/10 on DiscoverCars with praise for easy pickup, car choice and staff. The main concern reviewers raise is pricing of the counter insurance.
The counter offers roughly €200 full cover against a ~€2,000 excess. Pre-booking stand-alone excess insurance is cheaper and refunds your excess.
Economy cars often start around €150–270 ($165–300) for a peak week. Compare live prices first.
Via an electronic transponder – northern Portugal has electronic-only tolls. Expect a daily device fee plus tolls used.
Yes – always photograph the car inside and out at pickup and return and keep the contract, whatever the supplier.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program. Reviews are based on Trustpilot, Google Maps, traveller forums and direct experience. We only recommend companies we would use ourselves.
Last updated: May 2026. Prices and policies change – always verify directly with the rental company.
