Sorry if this covered in reams of other posts, but can this be done online if you are already signed up to Viaverde?

If so, where is it on the site?

Thanks  

Yes go to your account you'll see on top line SCUT Disc. Positiva click on that and follow instructions, it's quicker and easier to go to a ViaVerde shop with your car documents.  

how long is a free journeys or is it 10 gantries worth ?  

I took a friend to the Via Verde office in Portimão yesterday to get his transponder (no Class 2 units available at any post offices).

Whilst there I asked the girls about applying for exemption from tolls (i.e. the ten free journeys per month and 15% thereafter). They said that there is no need to apply as it is done automatically from your postcode (which you have to supply). This seems to indicate that non-residents (i.e. people with a Portuguese-registered vehicle but who do not have Residençia) will be eligible for the exemption which is contrary to what AFPOP are stating.

I also asked about the definition of "ten free journeys" and was assured that it is not just ten passes through the gantries; as examples, if I travel from Mexilhoeira Grande to Luz (passing one gantry) it is one journey, if I travel from Mexilhoeira Grande to Faro (passing six gantries) it is also one journey. What they could not answer was whether a return trip to Faro (e.g. visiting my dentist or going to my Land Rover dealer) in the same day counted as one or two journeys. After telephone calls to their superiors they still could not give a definitive answer.

So, there might still be teething problems. For myself, a return trip to Faro appears to cost €20 in tolls and €30 for fuel. I have been on the A22 this morning (between Odiáxere and Lagos where there is no gantry) and it was totally devoid of traffic. I returned via the EN125 which was also quiet, but then it is a public holiday.


Colin  

A journey is classed as passing 2 or more gantries, and includes all that you could pass under at the road speed limit ( so you can't stop off somewhere and rejoin)

A22 for example you could travel from one end to the other equals 1 journey, the return trip would equal 1 journey.

If you started at Tavira stopped at Faro for 1hr, then rejoined and continued to Lagos that would be 2 journeys, the equipment is sophisticated enough to monitor and charge.

Just a note free and discounted journeys can only be registered for if you have one of the electronic type payment boxes.  

- Canoeman

A journey is classed as passing 2 or more gantries, and includes all that you could pass under at the road speed limit ( so you can't stop off somewhere and rejoin)

I was told that passing a single gantry would count as a journey.

Colin  

So if I make a short journey often [1 or 2 gantries], but a long journey rarely, I might want to avoid using the highway during the end of the month to save my last couple of free trips.

If friends want to come visit, I should ask them to come early in the month, so I can use 2 of my freebies on the long journey picking them up.

Of course, if they were to stay for a week or two, I'll likely be out of freebies to take them back to the airport with unless the new month had started.

I'm going to assume each direction is counted as one freebie; just as each would be counted as a separate toll charge.

The fun is only beginning!