I-VII 06:00 – 00:00
Guerin is Portugal's largest national car-rental chain and its Faro Airport (FAO) desk is one of the busiest at FAO. Daily rates start at €15 / $16 off-season and rise to €45-55 / $49-60 in peak July-August. Google rating sits at 4.0 / 5 across 1,100+ reviews in May 2026 — fair, but with the same pattern as most big chains: aggressive Plus-cover pitches and post-rental damage disputes. Worth using if you book with standalone insurance, decline upsells firmly and document the car with a walk-around video.
Desk inside the FAO arrivals hall on the right after baggage claim. No shuttle needed — the lot is a 2-minute walk through the underground tunnel. Open 07:00-23:00 daily, out-of-hours by request (€30 / $33 fee).
Branch near Faro train station. Useful if you arrive by train from Lisbon and want a car for Algarve excursions. Smaller fleet than FAO.
| Class | Models | Low season | Peak Jul-Aug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | Fiat 500, Hyundai i10 | €15 / $16 | €42 / $46 |
| Compact | Peugeot 208, Renault Clio | €19 / $21 | €48 / $52 |
| Mid-size | Hyundai i30, VW Golf | €26 / $28 | €55 / $60 |
| SUV | Dacia Duster, Peugeot 2008 | €34 / $37 | €72 / $78 |
| 7-seater | Citroën Berlingo, Ford Tourneo | €48 / $52 | €95 / $103 |
Estimated rental cost by trip length
from €15/day
Illustrative — daily rate × days at the lowest 2026 starting price; real prices vary by season & demand.
Guerin Faro Rental Budget Calculator
Rate is prefilled with Guerin's lowest off-season mini-class day rate – change it for your dates.
FAO Airport — review scores comparison
Trustpilot + Google May 2026
Arrive at FAO, baggage claim, follow signs for “Rent a Car” — Guerin is in the row of desks on the right. Show passport, licence and the credit card used to book. Sign the contract (5-10 minutes), walk to the lot through the tunnel (2 minutes), do the walk-around (5 minutes), drive off. Total: 15-25 minutes outside peak landing slots.
Base CDW has a €1,000-1,800 / $1,090-1,960 excess. “Cobertura Total” (€0 excess) costs €13-17 / $14-18 per day. Standalone third-party (RentalCover, iCarhireinsurance) is €4-6 / $4-7 per day — same protection, half the cost.
The A22 Via do Infante, the Algarve's main east-west motorway, has been toll-free since January 2025, so most local Guerin drives around the Algarve now cost nothing in tolls. You only meet electronic tolls (Via Verde) if you head north on the A2 toward Lisbon or drive into Spain. A transponder add-on (€1.50-2 / $1.65-2.20 per rental day plus the actual toll) is therefore worth it only for those longer routes.
| Route | Distance | Drive time | Approx. toll |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAO → Albufeira | 40 km | 30 min | Free (A22, since 2025) |
| FAO → Vilamoura / Quarteira | 22-26 km | 20-25 min | Free (A22, since 2025) |
| FAO → Lagos | 85 km | 55 min | Free (A22, since 2025) |
| FAO → Tavira | 40 km | 30 min | Free (A22, since 2025) |
| FAO → Seville (Spain) | 200 km | 2h15 | €11 / $12 |
Walk-in is 30-45 % more expensive.
Local Algarve operators often undercut Guerin by 15-25 % for the same car class.
Saves €91-119 / $99-130 on a week.
Refuel at the BP on Av. Aeroporto before drop-off.
Guerin's debit acceptance is one of the best in Portugal — useful if you don't want a credit-card hold.
Refuse dynamic currency conversion.
Top picks: Benagil sea-cave loop via Carvoeiro (1h west), the Spanish border at Ayamonte and on to Seville (2h15 east), the historic inland Silves castle (45 min), Cape St Vincent at Europe's south-western tip (1h30 west), and the eastern Algarve fishing village of Olhão (15 min east).
Yes, reasonably. Portugal's largest national chain with 4.0 / 5 on Google across 1,100+ reviews at FAO. The main complaint pattern is counter Plus-cover pressure, not the cars themselves.
15-25 minutes outside peak hours. The Guerin desk is inside FAO arrivals and the car lot is a 2-minute tunnel walk — one of the fastest pickups at the airport.
Yes on selected plans — among the most flexible big chains in Portugal. Deposit is €1,800 / $1,960 on debit vs €1,000 / $1,090 on credit.
Yes — Spain is included by default. Other EU countries usually need written authorisation and a small cross-border fee.
21 with a young-driver surcharge of €8-12 / $9-13 per day up to age 25. SUV and 7-seater classes require 23+.
Sometimes — Guerin typically sits between local Algarve operators (cheapest) and the international chains. Always compare all-in (including insurance) before deciding.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program at no extra cost to you. Information verified 19 May 2026 against Guerin's official site and current Google Maps reviews.
