Frequently Asked Questions


GENERAL

What is included in every rental? Third party insurance is mandatory and always automatically included, 200 km of travel are free per day. There is a kitchen box with all the necessary kitchen utensils such as dishes, cups, glasses, cutlery, chopping knives, pan, pots, sponge and washing-up utensils as well as a gas cooker with a full cartridge. There is also a camping table and chairs, also a fresh bed sheet and pillow. With the Spaceship, the extras are already included in the rental price: pump shower, 12-volt cool box and duvets.

What insurance options are available?A third party insurance is always included. If you want a fully comprehensive cover, there is insurance for €10 per day with an excess of €1.000 (including 2nd driver) or €14 per day to reduce the excess to €500 (including 2nd driver). The insurance also provides 24-hour roadside assistance and covers glass breakage and theft. If you are under 26 years old or have less than 5 years driveing experience, the comprehensive insurance with a €1.000 excess is compulsory. This costs €14 per day, including one driver. For additionally €6 per day a second driver can be added.

Is there a minimum age for renting a van? If you are 18 years old and have a driver's license, you can rent a van from us. For drivers under the age of 26, the young drivers insurance is compulsory. It costs €14 per day, including 1 driver. You can add a second driver for additionally €6 per day.

How many km are included in the contract, what happens if I exceed this? 200km per day are included. So with 7 days rental there are 1400 km free of charge. For traveling in Portugal, this is really a lot and, from our experience, it’s enough in most of the cases. Should you ever go over that limit, we charge €0.25 per kilometer.

Are trips abroad allowed?International trips to Spain are allowed in exceptional cases only after prior written consultation with us. For this, full insurance must be booked for €14/  day and unfortunately we cannot provide a replacement vehicle there in the event of a breakdown.

Which driving license is required to drive a camper van?All our campervans can be driven with a normal car license,  class B (or old class 3).

How many drivers are allowed?You can book up to a maximum of 2 drivers with an aditional excess coverage.

Are there vans with automatic transmission?We only have vans with manual transmission, we hope that’s fine for you.

Can we take the van to a festival? In exceptional cases and expressly only after consultation with us, it is permitted to drive our vans to festivals.

Can we bring our dog?If it is a small dog and all dog hair etc. is 100% removed again before returning the van it is ok..Cleaning fee is charged for aditional cleaing.

Can we pay by credit card?Unfortunately, credit card payments are not possible. However, you can pay by instant bank transfer in advance, Revolut, Paypal (we do not cover for the 5% fees). We always require a 30% pre-payment to reserve the van.

What do I have to consider in case of cancellation?The prepayment of the agreed rentals amount will be refunded until two weeks before the rental period starts. A cancellation in between two weeks until one week before the agreed rental period of the prepaid amount will be withheld. A cancellation in between one week before the agreed rental period the complete rental fee will be withheld. If a booking was confirmed and the prepayment needs to be transferred back to the renter an administrative charge of €50,00 incl. VAT will be withheld. After the rental period has started no remuneration of any kind will be granted.

What happens if I fall ill and cannot travel? In case of illness, the normal cancellation conditions apply: The prepayment of the agreed rental price will be refunded up to two weeks before the start of the rental. In case of cancellation between two weeks to one week before the agreed start of the rental period, the prepaid amount (30% of the total rental) will be retained. In case of cancellation within one week before the agreed rental period, the entire rental price will be retained. If a booking has been confirmed and the advance payment has to be transferred back to the tenant, an administration fee of €50 incl. VAT will be retained. After the start of the rental period, no further payment will be made.

When do we get our deposit back after we have returned the van? We transfer the deposit within 10 working days after returning the van. This is because it sometimes takes a few days before the toll bills for the motorways are available. Since you can't pay at every toll booth directly, you may have incurred costs here.

How do you calculate the rental days for the offer/contract? We always count the rental days in calendar days. Since we cannot schedule the van elsewhere on the day of handover, the whole day is included in the rental period here. The same applies to the return. On the other hand, we do not charge additional fees for late check ins or early check outs, which take place outside our delivery and office hours.

Pick-up/Drop-off 

Where can we pick up and drop off the van?We deliver the van for €35/ one way from Ericeira to Lisbon airport or, if you are already in Lisbon, to our meeting point at the Galp gas station near Campo Grande. This is central and easy to find. In Ericeira we deliver the van free of charge to the bus terminal. For 150€/each way you can also book a delivery to Faro and Porto.

Can we pickup the van in Faro and drop it off in Porto, in 2 different places?Yes, of course. Delivery as well as pickup costs €150 one way, as we are based in Ericeira, which is about 300 km from Faro and Porto.

We are arriving very late / We are leaving very early. Is there a way to pick up/drop off the van outside office hours?Yes, there is. If you arrive or depart outside our office hours (09:00-16:00), we will be happy to prepare an online check-in or online check-out. For this we need your flight arrival/departure time and flight number and will then send you further info.

How come the cost of €35 per delivery/collection to/from Lisbon?Our storage is located about 50 km from Lisbon, near Ericeira. Therefore we have to bring the van to Lisbon or pick it up from there. Alternatively, we offer free pick ups and drop offs in Ericeira, if you prefer to take public buses.

Can we pick up and drop off the van at the airport?Yes. For €35 one way we will take the van to Lisbon airport and pick it up there as well. Drop off and pick up service to Porto or Faro airports cost €150 each way as we are based in Ericeira, which is 300km.

Do we have to clean the van before returning it?Yes, please. The van should be returned clean, that means without rubbish, sand, mud and kitchen box and gas cooker washed off.  Otherwise we will charge a cleaning fee of €50 - €500. The car must also be refueled and the exterior washed before return.

During which times can we pick up and drop off the van/surfboard? Do we need to plan this beforehand?Our delivery and pickup times are from 09:00-16:00. It is important to plan this early enough so that we can organize it as best as possible for you, so that nobody needs to wait long for each other.We need to know your preferred times for delivery and return or your flight times & flight number latest 14 days before arrival, as well as bus or train times.

Where can we pick up and drop off the surfboards? Starting from a one week rental we deliver the boards for free to your desired location in Ericeira or Lisbon. From €100 we can also provide surfboards in Faro or Porto. A pickup is only possible on weekdays (from 09.00-18.00 o'clock; not on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays) and please note that we always need enough time in advance to plan.

How can we get from Lisbon to Ericeira to get the van?From Lisbon to Ericeira there are comfortable public buses almost every hour for 6,50.- per person. The buses from Lisbon (Campo Grande) to Ericeira you can find here:  https://www.carrismetropolitana.pt/horarios/

Is it possible to receive boards in Faro and return them in Porto?Yes, that’s possible. We send the boards to Faro or Porto and they can be picked up and dropped off at the bus terminal there on working days. (from 09.00-18.00.) Please note, for board bookings with different pick-up and drop-off locations, for example pick-up in Faro and drop-off in Porto, or the other way round, we always charge an extra 30€ per board for the one-way service.

What happens if our flight is delayed?For this reason, we always need to know your flight numbers in advance. This way we can keep an eye on delays and make last-minute changes.

What happens if we are late for the agreed meeting?The appointment must be kept. If you do arrive late, there is a charge of €30 per hour of delay.

EXTRAS

What kind of equipment is included in the vans? Dishes, pots, pans, cutlery and also a gas cooker with cartridge, camping table and chairs are included, as well as pillows and sheets. Camping shower, 12-volt cooler and a warm blanket are included in the Spaceship, for the Economist they can be booked additionally for €20/ Booking each.

Which extras can I add to my booking? For the Economist there is a cool box, a pump shower and a blanket. For the Spaceship these 3 things are already included. If needed, we can also organize WIFI, camping toilet (suitable for the Spaceship), towels, radiant heater or tent and camping mats. We offer all kinds of surfboards and 4/3 wetsuits in the right size. There are bodyboards with flippers and we have carver skateboards, roof racks and are happy to sell you Sexwax for €4 or rent you bicycles. 

How many seats do the vans have? We have the “Economist” model with 2 seats and some with 3 seats. “Spaceships” have 3 or 5 seats. In any case, let us know in advance how many people you will be so that we can reserve a suitable van for you.

3 of us are traveling in the Economist. Is there enough room for everyone?We have Economists with 3 seats in the front. So driving with three people is no problem. The bed is 140x190 cm, which could be a challenge with 3 adult people. Alternatively, we also offer a tent for rent.

Is there room for my surfboard/luggage in the van or does it have to go on the roof? Does a longboard fit in the van? There is a large storage space under the bed. Lots of stuff, clothes and even surfboards up to 8ft fit into it. If you want to transport a longer longboard, we offer softracks to strap the board onto the roof.

We have small children with us. Are there child seats? We are happy to provide you with child seats, free of charge. Please let us know the age and height of your kids.

Can we also book a camping toilet? Yes. It is a portable camping toilet with a small tank that can be emptied at the stations set up for this purpose, often at campsites. For space reasons, these are only available when booking the bigger “Spaceship” vans and go for €20/ Booking.

Is there WIFI in the van? Yes, there is the possibility to book WiFi in the van. You then get a mobile router with unlimited data volume.

Do you offer electric heating? Yes, we offer electric heaters for 20€/ booking. These can be used on campsites with a 230 volt connection.

Do the vans come with sheets? Yes, fresh sheets are always included. If you do not bring sleeping bags, we recommend booking the cozy blanket (for 2 people) or sleeping bags.

Do the campervans have bicycle racks or surfracks? Bicycles can be transported inside the Spaceship. Soft surf racks for all vehicles are available for hire as extras. Most boards also fit easily under the bed.

Do you rent mountain bikes? Yes, we have mountain bikes in different sizes.

How does the shower/ cooler work? The shower holds 10 liters and can also be used as a water reservoir. When placed in the sun, the water heats up. For showering, a pump device will build up pressure beforehand so you can take the shower normally. The cooler runs over the cigarette lighter while driving. We recommend putting ice in the box so that the cold is retained even when the vehicle is stationary for longer periods.

How does the cooler work? The cooler is not a refrigerator. It cools a maximum of 20 C° to surrounding temperature. That means, you can not cool things like beer bottles. You can only keep cool things cool. If you want to cool down warm bottles, for example, it is recommended to take a pack of ice cubes from the supermarket and put it in the cooler. This usually lasts for a couple of days. Please remember to only connect the cooler to the power while driving, otherwise it will drain the battery. We have optional powerstations incl. Solarpanel with inverter for save charging your divices and coolers for €6/day.

SURFBOARDS- What kind of surfboards can I rent for my trip? We have almost all types of surfboards for your perfect surf trip. Standard boards include soft tops between 8'0 and 7'5 ft. We have longboards, also Noserider 9'1 or 9'0 ft, Minimalibus and mid sizes from 7'2 - 8'6 ft. There are Egg shapes, Fishs and Retro Fishs. Branded boards include shortboards in various shapes and sizes from 5'11 - 6'2 ft from Al Merrick, Aloha, Semente, Mika and Cabianca.You can find our surfboards here:  https://www.flynsurf.com/surfboards/ If you are unsure about your board choice, please let us know! We will find the ideal board for you.

Are the surfboards rented with leash and fins?All boards come with leash and fins. The shortboards also come with traction pads.

Can we also rent the surfboards from you only when we arrive It is advisable to book the boards as early as possible so that we still have your board of  choice available for you. We also need enough time in advance to organise everything.

Is there a possibility to change the boards, for example if the conditions change or we want to try a different board?You always have the possibility to exchange a board. You can do this at our storage in Lagoa near Ericeira or we can arange to meet in Lisboa. Please make an appointment in advance. 

Surfing with kids-Children should only go surfing if an experienced adult surfer is present, or if the child has already completed a surf course and has previous surfing experience.

ON THE ROAD-Where can I park the van/ is wild camping allowed?Overnight stays are again allowed in Portugal, with exceptions. Overnight camping in campervans is legal for a maximum period of 48 hours in one place. Wild camping is still prohibited in areas that are part of the Natura 2000 network, protected areas and areas covered by coastal development plans.

How does the toll system work on the motorways?We advise you to drive on the country roads in Portugal, as the routes are much more beautiful and the motorway tolls are relatively expensive. Should you ever pass the toll barrier, it is important that you always stop and pay directly at the barrier. Do not use in any case the Via Verde passages at the toll station, these are the ones without barriers. Otherwise it will be expensive at the end of the trip. In Portugal there are different systems depending on the region, with and without barriers and the Via Verde. You will receive the invoice for toll stations without barriers from us no later than 10 business days after departure. In case there are tolls, we will charge a service fee of 20€. For more information: https://www.portugaltolls.com/enI

Is there a key box or where do I put the car key while I am surfing?Our keys are all without electronics, so they can be taken into the water with you in your wetsuit bag. Please make sure the key is tied tightly to the wetsuit strap and the bag is well closed, for double security.

Where do I fill up my water?We recommend keeping the 5 liter drinking water bottles that are available in every supermarket and using them as a reservoir. There are often small fountains in the villages or showers with taps on the beaches. Special water stations can actually always be found at campsites. You can find information on this in the Park4Night app, for example.

How can I charge my devices /are there power sockets?Mobile phones and tablets can easily be charged via the 12 volt cigarette lighter at the front of the car while driving. We have eoptional powerstations incl. Solarpanel with inverter for save charging your divices for €6/day. Please remember to only charge your electronic devices while driving. If you let them charge overnight, the car battery will be empty in the morning and you will not be able to start the car.