I-VII 07:00 – 23:00
Centauro at Porto Airport (OPO) is an off-airport operator with a free 3-minute shuttle, open 07:00–23:00 daily. Headline rates start around €55–90/week (~$60–98) for an economy manual in low season, but the all-in cost typically ends up €180–200 once Smart Cover, a €40 admin fee, and the Via Verde toll transponder (€2.21/day, capped at €22.14/month) are added. Reviews are polarised – Trustpilot 2.8/5 globally (~16,600 reviews), DiscoverCars 8.0/10, with consistent complaints about counter upselling and slow deposit refunds. Drive on Holidays (Trustpilot 4.5/5, DiscoverCars 9.0/10) is the cleanly better-rated OPO alternative, typically €30–60 (~$33–65) more per week.
Centauro is one of the cheapest headline rates at OPO – but the gap between sticker price and final invoice is large. Verified figures from a fresh May 2026 search on DiscoverCars and centauro.net, plus complaint patterns across Trustpilot and TripAdvisor.
| Item | Smart booking | Tourist booking |
|---|---|---|
| Base economy manual week (low season) | €55 (~$60) | €120 (~$131) summer compact |
| Smart Cover insurance | Decline (3rd-party covers it) | €60–100 (~$65–109) at counter |
| Admin fee at OPO | €40 (~$44) – unavoidable | €40 (~$44) |
| Via Verde tolls (4 days) | €8.84 (~$9.64) | €8.84 (~$9.64) |
| Toll usage (A1 day trip Lisbon) | €45 (~$49) | €45 (~$49) |
| Deposit hold | €950 (refund 15–30 days) | €950 |
| Total spend (week) | €149–170 | €275–330 |
After collecting baggage, exit arrivals and walk to the first zebra crossing in front of the terminal. The Centauro shuttle bus stops there – there is no signage inside the terminal pointing to it. Transfer time to the office is about 3 minutes; shuttles run every 10–15 minutes during opening hours.
Centauro Porto operates 07:00–23:00 daily. If your flight lands or departs outside this window, do not pick Centauro – reviews repeatedly mention people stranded by the closed counter. Address: Rua Vasconcelos Costa 331, 4470-640 Maia. Phone: +351 223 160 385.
Required: passport/ID, driving licence held minimum 2 years, credit card in main driver's name OR debit card with either Smart Cover purchased or a larger deposit (~€1,050–3,000). Not accepted: prepaid cards, Visa Electron, Maestro, Amex, Diners, cash.
Centauro is best for the budget-conscious traveller who arrives with their own excess insurance and is comfortable photographing the car at pickup and return. For everyone else, the better-rated alternatives below usually deliver a cleaner experience for an extra €30–60/week.
Consensus best-rated OPO operator. Fast shuttle, transparent contracts, friendly staff and very few post-rental disputes. Typical compact week €130–180 (~$141–196) – the small premium over Centauro buys peace of mind.
Newer fleet, in-terminal desk and transparent contracts. Strict 2-card rule introduced April 2026. Typical compact week €180–260 (~$196–283).
Local brand owned by Europcar, matches Centauro on price (~€65–120/week, ~$71–131) with similar local feel. Smaller fleet, older cars, limited English support. Worth checking if Drive on Holidays is sold out.
The subject of this article. Modern fleet, lowest sticker, but counter upselling and deposit-refund delays are well documented. Workable if you arrive informed and photograph the car thoroughly.
Cheapest alongside Centauro, but the worst-rated major operator in Portugal. €2,000 deposit holds and frequent “damage discovered after departure” charges. Avoid unless you are fully insured and comfortable with conflict.
In-terminal convenience, big brand familiarity, broad fleet. But damage disputes and deposit issues are common. Pricier than Centauro (€170–240/week) without the polish of Sixt.
Trustpilot scores at OPO – major operators
May 2026 verified
Centauro's Smart Cover removes the €950 deposit and excess for damage, theft, glass, tyres and undercarriage. It costs €60–100 per week. The alternative is a third-party excess policy (RentalCover, iCarHireInsurance, Cover4Rentals) at €4–6/day, which covers the same items but does NOT remove the deposit hold – Centauro still freezes €950 on your card and you reclaim damage charges from your insurer.
| Option | Daily cost | 7-day total | Removes €950 hold | Covers tyres/glass/clutch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic CDW (included) | €0 | €0 | No | No |
| Centauro Smart Cover | €9–15 | €60–100 | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party (RentalCover) | €4–6 | €28–42 | No | Yes |
| Annual policy (iCarHireInsurance) | €0.30 prorated | €2 prorated | No | Yes |
Centauro fits every car with a Via Verde transponder. The transponder itself is €2.21/day (capped at €22.14/month), with tolls billed on top at face value plus a small admin charge. A1 Porto–Lisbon one way runs around €23–25 (Class 1), A3 to Braga €3–4, A28 to Viana €3–5. Since 1 January 2025 parts of A28 are toll-free.
Active since 2024. Covers Ribeira, Santa Catarina, Cedofeita, Flores and other historic streets. Cameras enforce; fine for unregistered entry is €68. Centauro's fleet is new enough to meet ZER emission requirements, but you still need plate registration to enter.
Petrol 95 averages €2.009/L (~$2.19/L), diesel €1.954/L (~$2.13/L) per DGEG and GlobalPetrolPrices. Hypermarkets in Porto (Continente, Auchan, Intermarche) undercut highway stations by €0.03–0.05/L. Centauro's pre-paid full-tank option is rarely a good deal.
Always start with a comparator to see whether Centauro is genuinely cheapest for your dates, or whether Drive on Holidays or Guerin are close enough that the €30–60 extra buys peace of mind.
An annual iCarHireInsurance policy is ~€40/year and covers worldwide. Worth it from your second rental of the year.
Show your third-party policy. Counter staff are paid commissions; expect 2–3 attempts. Stay polite, stay firm.
Front, sides, rear, all four wheels, undercarriage edges, roof, windscreen, interior. Same again at return. Email the videos to yourself.
Never let Centauro refuel for you. Their refill fee is €2.50–3.50/litre + admin. A hypermarket near OPO is €1.92–1.98/L.
Centauro is closed 23:00–07:00. After-hours returns mean keys in a drop box with no inspection – high risk of disputed damage charges.
Off-site. After baggage, exit arrivals, cross the first zebra crossing in front of the terminal and board the free Centauro shuttle. About 3 minutes to the office at Rua Vasconcelos Costa 331. Shuttles run every 10–15 minutes from 07:00 to 23:00.
Yes, but only if you (a) purchase Centauro's Smart Cover insurance, or (b) place a larger deposit of €1,050–3,000 (~$1,145–3,270). Prepaid cards, Visa Electron, Maestro and Amex are never accepted.
If you already have iCarHireInsurance / RentalCover, Centauro still places a ~€950 hold on your credit card and you reclaim any damage charges from your insurer later. Smart Cover at €60–100/week removes the deposit and excess entirely – useful if you have only a debit card or want zero-stress pickup.
Centauro charges €2.21/day for the in-car Via Verde transponder (capped €22.14/month) plus the tolls themselves. A Porto–Lisbon return on A1 is about €45–50 in tolls (Class 1). A28 northbound is mostly toll-free since January 2025.
November to February. Economy manuals at Centauro or Guerin from €55–90/week (~$60–98). July–August prices triple; economy automatics can hit €250–260 (~$272–283).
Centauro is a real, large operator with a 2.8/5 Trustpilot score and a modern fleet. It works if you (1) photograph the car thoroughly, (2) understand Smart Cover upfront, (3) refuse upsell pressure, (4) keep all email receipts. For fewer hassles, Drive on Holidays (4.5/5 Trustpilot, 9/10 DiscoverCars) is the consensus best OPO option for €30–60 more per week.
Centauro is closed 23:00–07:00. Pick an in-terminal operator (Sixt, Europcar, Hertz, Avis) or book a hotel near OPO and collect the next morning.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate programme. Reviews are based on Trustpilot scores, Google Maps, traveller forums and direct experience.
Sources verified May 2026: centauro.net, Trustpilot, DiscoverCars partner pages, TripAdvisor, GlobalPetrolPrices, DGEG Portugal, urbanaccessregulations.eu.
