Hello! In anticipation of a trip from the U.S. to Portugal next month, my husband and I are trying to set up the Bolt app. But we don't receive the code that it sends to our phones nor receive the phone call when trying to use that alternate option. Has anyone else had this issue? We've heard that Bolt is less expensive and more available in Portugal, so we'd really like to get it working.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
162 posts
We've found that European apps only send SMS codes to European phone numbers. Our workaround is that we wait until we get over there and activate our eSIMs (we use the Orange plan that gives you an actual French phone number). At that point, we are able to receive the codes and activate the apps.
Posted by
USA
89 posts
Same problem.
Suction was wait until we reach a country where Bolt was available.
Then it sent the code to US phone number.
Have taken 100+ rides on Bolt over last few years without any issues or we last few years
Most drivers work with both u er and bolt Both drivers and pax prefer Bolt over Uber be cause Bolt take much smaller cutoff the fare then driver.
Also once you find a driver that you really like, you may hire him directly.
That's how we met Fernando Batista of PortugueseCauffeur.com
What a wonderful resource.
Posted by
near San Francisco
4624 posts
I installed Bolt last summer, while in the US. It must have sent the code to my US phone, because that's the one in my Bolt profile, and I had no other phone number.
I'm wondering if it could be a setting with your carrier that disallows international texts and calls?
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1191 posts
I set up the Bolt app while in Canada for my Portugal trip last September.
Bolt sent a 4 digit code to my cell phone number +1xxxyyyyyyy where +1 is my country code, xxx is my area code and yyyyyyy is my cellular number. No hyphens.
After our trip I uninstalled the app.
Tonight, I reinstalled the app to see what happens. Once again, it sent the four digit code to my cell phone after installation. And the app worked on my phone. Of course, when I tried to order a ride, the app advised me that there is no bolt service in my area in Canada. Otherwise, the app is working as it should.
Posted by
13 posts
Same thing happened to us. Installed the app at home but didn’t get the activation code. When we arrived in Lisbon I tried again and the code came right away to my US number.
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1556 posts
I started using Bolt in 2021 coming out of the pandemic in E Europe where I found myself waiting and waiting to get an uber where as there were tons of Bolt users. Now I just keep both apps on my phone.
Also, note in some countries, e.g. Tunisia, Bolt rides have to be paid in cash
Posted by
1 posts
I'm on T-Mobile using an Android phone in Seattle. I had to turn off RCS chats in Google messages to get it to work. Once I did that the Bolt confirmation code SMS message came through.
Posted by
1 posts
To the person that suggested turning off RCS messages on an Android phone, you are a genius! It fixed the issue for me.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
322 posts
I’ve never used Bolt but because I’m going to be in London during a tube strike and I have to actually get someplace I have now added bolt to my list of apps. I found Uber to be incredibly unreliable in London maybe this will be better. My first choice will be a cab if I can get one, but that may be a challenge to.