I-VII 08:00 – 20:00
Rent-a-Star is a budget Porto Airport supplier rated about 9/10 on DiscoverCars, but its Trustpilot reviews flag recurring extras – cleaning charges of €15–25, toll-device billing and shuttle waits. The headline prices are low, so it can work well if you photograph the car, pre-book excess cover and check the cleaning and toll terms before you sign.
Good platform price scores but Trustpilot complaints about cleaning fees (€15–25), toll double-charges and ~40-minute shuttle waits. Document the car at pickup and return.
Rent-a-Star – how it scores
Verified ratings
Rates include basic CDW with a large excess blocked on your card. The local Porto brands typically push an expensive full-cover waiver at the counter (Cael, for example, offers a ~€200 full cover against a ~€2,000 excess). Buying stand-alone excess insurance before you travel is usually far cheaper and refunds your excess directly – bring the policy and decline the counter upsell.
Northern Portugal has electronic-only tolls on motorways such as the A28, A41, A42 and A4 – there are no cash booths, so the car needs an electronic toll transponder (Via Verde). Rental cars usually include one for a daily fee plus the toll cost; confirm the daily cap and how unpaid tolls are billed, because the toll-device charge is the single most common surprise on Porto rentals. The A1 to Lisbon and A3/A28 are the main routes; Porto itself has no low-emission zone, only the camera-controlled ZAAC in the old town.
Real 7-day cost guide (economy, peak)
| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Economy car, 7 days | from ~€140–250 ($155–275) |
| Cleaning fee (reported) | €15–25 |
| Toll transponder | daily fee + tolls used |
It scores around 9/10 on booking platforms for price, but Trustpilot reviewers report cleaning fees of €15–25, toll-device billing and shuttle waits. Photograph the car and read the terms.
Watch for a cleaning fee (€15–25), the electronic toll-device charge, and any high counter insurance. Pre-book excess cover instead.
At an off-airport office reached by the company shuttle from Porto Airport arrivals; allow time as waits can be long.
Economy cars often start around €140–250 ($155–275) for a peak week. Compare live prices first.
Northern Portugal has electronic-only tolls, so a transponder is needed (daily fee plus tolls). Confirm how it is billed to avoid double charges.
Photograph the car inside and out at pickup and return, refuel as required, and keep the contract and receipts.
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.
