Azores Car Rental

The reservation portal might not come out until a few months before June. When it does, make sure you use the correct departure town from Sao Jorge (preferably Velas) and arrival town in Pico (preferably Madalena). There probably will be 2-3 ferries operating that route each day in June, maybe more.

My advice is to make the car rental pickup in Madalena for the morning AFTER you arrive, whether it be on the morning or evening ferry. If you choose the morning ferry, you have enough to see and do in Madalena for the day, including great lunch and dinner choices. There is no need for car on that day, anyway. Then plan on staying the night in Madalena. I suggest Hotel Caravelas, across the street from the ferry terminal. Many companies use the Ilha Verde car rental agency next door, to the left of the hotel. There will be lots of different car companies posted on the building, but Ilha Verde will complete the paperwork.

Carl,
Thank you so much for your quick reply! We intend to stay at Lava Houses in Pico, which is closer to Sao Roque, but not in any town. So it won’t work well to spend the first night in Madalena. Some questions :
1. If we reserve a car now for the morning of our arrival, do you know if will we be able to change the pickup time by a bit once we get the ferry schedule?

2. If we arrange to pick up the car first thing in the morning on our arrival, but don’t arrive until midday or later, will they keep the car for us?
3. If we arrange an afternoon pickup and take the morning ferry, is there anyplace in Madalena to leave luggage if we want to explore during the time between our arrival and picking up a car?
4. It looks like some days the ferry arrives in Madalena and some days in Sao Roque, so there’s no way to know ahead in which town to pick up the car. Do we just choose Madalena as our pickup spot and take a taxi there from Sao Roque if that’s where the ferry is going that day?

I’m a planner, and this is driving me crazy. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help!

My replies will correspond to your numbered questions.

1. Email whichever company you plan on using BEFORE making the reservation. Nothing is guaranteed with any agency. Also ask (regarding question #4) that if you need to change the pickup location, can this be accommodated? What will the difference in price be? Let them know you will know a couple of months before arrival. Keep a copy of all your correspondences!

2. I doubt it. It will probably be treated as a no show and you will pay the entire rental, and they have a right to cancel it and rent it to another customer. Rental agencies can be tough in the Azores, mainly on Sao Miguel, but on any island they tend to be sticklers for even minor issues.

3. I would email the ferry company and ask if they would hold the luggage at the facility, and if there will be a charge: [email protected].

In the ferry terminal I have used or visited, I do not remember seeing any locker facilities. As a back up, email Hotel Caravelas (https://hotelcaravelasmadalena.com-hotel.com/) and ask the same questions. In the email, also enquire that if they do not, can they suggest a business that does.

Lastly, there are different color coded ferry lines/schedules. They can be a bit confusing. Make a dummy booking from Velas for a destination of Sao Roque, and another for Velas to Madalena, to see your options. Some ferries will depart Velas to Sao Roque, and then 30 minutes later continue on to Madalena.

A taxi between Sao Roque and Madalena is probably around 50 euros...not cheap. There might, or might not be, a taxi waiting for the ferry passengers arriving in Sao Roque.

The lava houses you are referring to are situated next to Magma restaurant (make a reservation at least a week, and 2 weeks is better, before arrival!), correct? They are truly gorgeous, but in a location quite far from touristy or generally busy towns. Granted, a rental car is mandatory to explore Pico due to the size of the island. However, you will not be able to just walk out of your lodging and explore one of the larger towns without one.

To save a lot of time, anxiety, and worry, if you go with my previous suggestion (knock off one night for the lava houses and use it for Madalena), those issues all go away. Here is an appropriate anecdote to ponder and maybe change your mind...

On my last visit to Pico in 2022, and arriving by SATA airlines, no one was at the Avis car rental counter at the airport. No one was at any car rental counter to receive customers! I called the number at the counter and spoke to the agent, who was actually Ilha Verde, so I was thoroughly confused by now as to where my car was and why wasn't Avis renting the car to me at the airport. She told me to take a taxi to Madalena (25 euros), and she would reimburse me for the taxi. Once we arrived at the "Ilha Verde" office/aka Avis and Europcar, now I find that my car would not be available until the next day due to a staffing shortage. As I was waiting, I distinctly remember her conversation on the phone (I speak Portuguese) included staff having to try to accommodate a drop off in Sao Roque for a customer who was already irate, because they had to wait a considerable amount of time. My car had yet to be cleaned and was coming from Sao Roque that night. So the next morning I eventually did retrieve my car and all was good. However, Azores car rental issues and headaches are more common than anyone could imagine. I have lots of other stories from many of the islands.

I sure learned a lot of lessons in Pico that were stored away for the future Azores escapades!

Carl,
Once again, thank you for your expertise. You made great suggestions. We are planning to rent the places near Magma. A friend stayed there a couple years ago and absolutely loved it. So we are anxious to get there, rather than than spend a night in Madalena. However, that may be the safest option. I will try contacting rental car companies.

When I looked at renting a car in Sao Miguel, several companies had no availability. Am I just too early?

Certainly the larger agencies should have the June 2026 availability calendars now, or by September, but the smaller outfits might not yet. Generally making reservations prior to January 1 for summer bookings will show unlimited availability, and rates that will be expected, and not crazy. After that date, the longer you wait to reserve might show prices that look unrealistic, but will actually be the going rate. I know of rates back in the summer of 2022 that had a small, 5-passenger car in Sao Miguel going for almost 300 euros/day...not per week...per day! Supply and demand!

I visited four Azores islands last year in April and May, and never paid more than I expected for flights, lodging, or rental cars. I made all my reservations by November, because I was not visiting in the summer.

You are wise to begin making reservations now!

:-)

Wow! 300 euros a day would be a deal breaker for us. Hoping we don’t run into issues like you did on Pico, but I guess you just have to go with the flow.