Can I pay taxis in Portugal in cash?

I traveled around Lisbon, Cascais, and Coimbra, and taxis were a mix of card and cash. The drivers in Lisbon usually had card terminals that worked fine, but in smaller towns, I had to pay in euros. It’s worth carrying at least 20-30 euros in smaller notes for taxis, even if you rely on cards elsewhere. To avoid any issues, I often booked through Uber or Bolt since they always took cards and were sometimes cheaper than regular taxis anyway.

Portugal has a reputation for being fairly modern with payments, and I did manage to use cards in many taxis. That said, I always asked before hopping in to avoid surprises. In Porto, one driver had a card machine but said it would add a surcharge, so I just paid cash. For visitors, the safest bet is to have a mix-carry some euros and use cards when possible. In the cities, it’s less of an issue, but rural areas are still cash-driven.

My experience in Portugal was that most city taxis take cards, especially in Lisbon and Faro, but it’s smart to confirm before starting the ride. Once in Sintra, a driver refused my card and insisted on cash, which was a bit awkward. Generally, Portugal is card-friendly, but with taxis, you can’t assume. I also noticed that ride-hailing apps like Bolt or Uber are widely available, and those obviously charge directly to your card, making things much easier than traditional taxis.

In Portugal, I found taxis to be a mixed bag. In Lisbon, many drivers had working card machines, but in Porto and smaller towns, some still asked for cash. A couple of times the driver said his machine was “broken,” so I was glad I had euros on me. It’s not that card payments don’t exist, but they aren’t 100% reliable. If you want peace of mind, carry cash for short trips, especially outside major tourist areas, because not every taxi accepts cards.