I-V 09:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 19:00, VI 09:00 – 13:00
Coimbra is one of the cheapest places in Portugal to rent a car – economy models start around €12–18/day ($13–$20) in low season – and a car is the only practical way to reach the Roman ruins, schist villages and Atlantic beaches that ring the city. Hertz runs a full-service desk in the city centre near the train station, but it is one of a dozen companies competing here, and the gap between a smart booking and a tourist trap is wide. This guide covers Hertz in Coimbra specifically, the real local prices, the companies worth trusting, and the Portugal-wide traps to avoid.
Hertz operates a full-service rental desk in central Coimbra, a short walk from the main train station.
Coimbra is an inland university city, not a beach-resort airport, so the market is smaller and a little cheaper than Faro or Lisbon. Most visitors pick up at the train station or a city-centre desk like Hertz. Here is what to expect in 2026:
Average Daily Rates in Coimbra by Season
Booked 3–5 weeks in advance, prices in EUR
| Season | Manual Economy | Manual Compact | Automatic Compact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low (Nov–Mar) | €12–18 | €15–24 | €28–42 |
| Shoulder (Apr–Jun, Oct) | €18–28 | €24–36 | €38–55 |
| Peak (Jul–Sep) | €28–42 | €34–52 | €55–80 |
Automatics cost €10–30 more per day than manuals and sell out first – book early for summer.
The cheapest deals on aggregators dip to around €7–12/day for a tiny manual booked far ahead in winter, but those are usually bare bones with a large deposit and zero extras. A realistic, all-in compact for a week of touring the region runs €120–220 depending on season.
Hertz is one of the longest-established international brands in Coimbra and a sensible default if you value a staffed desk and a newer fleet over rock-bottom price.
The main Hertz office sits on Rua Padre Estevão Cabral in the city centre, roughly a 5–10 minute walk from Coimbra-B and the central station – convenient if you arrive by train from Lisbon or Porto. A second location operates on the Estrada das Eiras on the city outskirts. Opening hours are generous (broadly daily, with shorter Sunday cover), but the desk can be unstaffed at lunch, so confirm your pickup slot in advance.
Hertz Coimbra scores around 7.5–7.8/10 on aggregator review panels – solid for service, desk experience and car cleanliness, slightly weaker on value for money. The most common complaint, as with Hertz across Portugal, is disputed damage charges at return. Film a full walk-around video at pickup and drop-off and you remove most of that risk.
The cluster of desks near Coimbra-B and the central station – Hertz, Europcar, Sixt and others – is the most convenient option for train arrivals. You step off the train, walk a few minutes, sign, and drive. There is no airport surcharge.
If you are flying into Portugal, Porto Airport has the widest fleet and the most competitive prices, and the A1 motorway brings you to Coimbra in about 75 minutes. Picking up at OPO and dropping in Coimbra (or vice versa) is possible but usually carries a one-way fee – compare it against a same-location rental before committing.
A dozen companies operate in Coimbra. Here is how the main ones stack up – based on Trustpilot, Google Maps and traveler-forum feedback.
The subject of this guide and a dependable choice in Coimbra. Staffed city-centre desk near the train station, a newer-than-average fleet, and the reassurance of a global brand for one-way drops and breakdowns. Prices sit above the budget players, and you should document the car carefully at pickup, but service and reliability are consistently rated well.
Europcar is the other big international name in Coimbra with a well-located station desk. Pricing is mid-range, terms are transparent, and the fleet is broad enough to almost always have an automatic available. A safe all-rounder if Hertz is sold out.
Sixt typically fields the newest cars of the international brands and a standard, predictable rental experience. Slightly pricier, and watch the upsell at the counter, but a good pick if a newer or larger vehicle matters for the mountain roads around Lousã and the Serra da Estrela.
Guerin is a respected Portuguese brand that often undercuts the global names while keeping service standards high. Worth a direct quote – locals rate it well and it tends to be more flexible on deposits and documentation than the international chains.
Goldcar's Portugal-wide reputation follows it everywhere: aggressive upsells, fuel and damage disputes, and one of the lowest Trustpilot scores in the industry. The cheap rate you see online rarely survives the counter.
Firefly markets low headline prices but draws repeated complaints over large deposit holds, fuel policy and add-on pressure. If you book it, read the terms line by line.
Cheap online but notorious for strict fuel rules, toll handling fees and excess disputes at return. Several travelers report charges that wiped out the booking savings.
Insurance is where rental companies make their margin, and the counter is the worst place to buy it.
Every rental includes basic CDW with an excess (deductible) of €1,000–€1,800 for economy/compact cars, blocked on your credit card at pickup. Tyres, glass and the underbody are usually excluded.
Staff will push Super CDW to zero out the excess for €15–25/day – that is €105–175 on a week, often more than the car itself.
Standalone excess insurance from RentalCover or iCarhireinsurance costs €4–7/day, covers the items the counter policy excludes (tyres, glass, underbody), and refunds any excess the company charges. Buy it before you travel and decline the counter upsell.
Insurance Cost Comparison: 7-Day Coimbra Rental
2026 pricing
| Option | Daily Cost | 7-Day Total | Covers Tyres/Glass? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic CDW (included) | €0 | €0 | No |
| Counter Super CDW | €15–25 | €105–175 | Sometimes |
| Third-party excess cover | €4–7 | €28–49 | Yes |
Third-party excess insurance is typically a third of the counter price and covers more.
Coimbra sits on the A1, Portugal's main north-south motorway linking Lisbon and Porto. The A1 is a classic toll road with manned/card booths. Several former-SCUT motorways in the region – including the A25 toward Viseu and Guarda – became toll-free in 2025.
On electronic-only roads a camera reads your plate and the toll is charged automatically – but only if the car is registered to a payment system. Ask your rental company how they handle tolls: most fit a Via Verde-style transponder and bill you the tolls plus a daily service fee (€1–3/day) at the end.
| Route from Coimbra | Approx. Toll | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Coimbra → Lisbon (A1) | ~€14–16 | Classic booth |
| Coimbra → Porto (A1) | ~€11–13 | Classic booth |
| Coimbra → Aveiro (A1) | ~€3–4 | Classic booth |
| Coimbra → Viseu/Guarda (A25) | €0 | Toll-free since 2025 |
Coimbra's in-town fleet is small. Prices climb and automatics vanish as the date nears, especially in summer.
Start on a comparison site to see the whole market, then check Hertz, Europcar and Guerin directly – local desks sometimes beat the aggregator rate or include insurance.
Manuals are €10–30/day cheaper and far more available. Reserve an automatic only if you genuinely need it.
Buy third-party excess cover before you travel and decline the desk's Super CDW.
If you are already in Coimbra, a station/city pickup avoids airport surcharges entirely.
Refuel near the drop-off point. Companies charge well above pump price to refill for you.
What a 7-Day Coimbra Rental Actually Costs
Compact car, shoulder season, booked 4 weeks early
| Cost Item | Smart Booking | Typical Tourist |
|---|---|---|
| Base rental (7 days) | €168 (€24/day, manual) | €266 (€38/day, auto) |
| Insurance | €35 (third-party excess) | €140 (counter Super CDW) |
| Tolls + transponder fee | €20 | €35 |
| Fuel | €55 | €70 (rental refuel fee) |
| Pickup surcharge | €0 (city pickup) | €25 (Porto Airport) |
| Total | €278 (~$305) | €536 (~$588) |
The smart approach saves around €250 on a single week.
Coimbra is a perfect base – within an hour you can reach Roman ruins, schist villages, Atlantic beaches and a fairytale forest.
The best-preserved Roman city in Portugal, with stunning mosaics and a small museum, just south of Coimbra near Condeixa-a-Nova. An easy half-day and free parking at the site.
A walled forest of exotic trees surrounding a neo-Manueline palace hotel, near Luso. Cool, green and otherworldly – combine it with the spa town of Luso and its free-flowing spring water.
Drive into the Serra da Lousã to find the Aldeias do Xisto – tiny villages built entirely of schist stone, with river beaches (praias fluviais) for a summer swim. The mountain roads are narrow and winding but paved.
The region's big Atlantic beach resort at the mouth of the Mondego, with one of the widest urban beaches in Europe and good seafood. An easy day trip west on the A14/IC.
The “Portuguese Venice,” with canals, colourful moliceiro boats and Art Nouveau architecture, plus the striped beach houses of Costa Nova nearby. Quick hop north on the A1.
Low-season manual economy cars start around €12–18/day ($13–$20). Shoulder season runs €18–28/day and peak summer €28–42/day, with automatics €10–30/day more. A realistic all-in week for a compact is €120–220.
The main Hertz desk is on Rua Padre Estevão Cabral in the city centre, about a 5–10 minute walk from the train station, with a second location on the Estrada das Eiras on the city outskirts. Hours are broadly daily with shorter Sunday cover – confirm your pickup slot ahead of time.
No commercial airport. The nearest is Porto (OPO), about 1 hour 15 minutes north on the A1, which has the widest car-rental fleet. Most visitors arrive in Coimbra by train and pick up the car in town.
For a staffed desk and newer fleet, Hertz and Europcar are the reliable international choices, with Sixt for premium cars and Guerin as a well-rated Portuguese-brand value option. Avoid Goldcar (1.6★), Firefly (2.0★) and Klass Wagen (2.3★) unless you read the terms very carefully.
Only on the A1. The A1 to Lisbon and Porto is a classic toll road where you pay at cash/card booths. The A25 toward Viseu/Guarda became toll-free in 2025, so most regional driving around Coimbra is now free.
Manuals are €10–30/day cheaper and far more available. Choose an automatic only if you are not comfortable with a stick shift, and book it early – the small local fleet runs out of automatics first in summer.
Disclosure: Auto Jardim participates in the DiscoverCars affiliate program. Our company reviews are based on Trustpilot scores, Google Maps reviews, traveler-forum feedback and direct experience. We only recommend companies we would use ourselves.
Last updated: June 2026. Prices and policies change – always verify directly with the rental company.
