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Road signs in Portugal

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Example of a modern Portuguese road with its vertical signposting

Road signs in Portugal are governed by the Regulamento de Sinalização do Trânsito (Road Signage Regulation) of the Portuguese Republic.

They are installed along the road on the right side of the road and are subdivided into warning signs (group A), regulatory signs (groups B-D), subdivided into priority, prohibition, obligation and specific prescription signs, indication signs (groups H-T), subdivided into information signs, pre-signalling, direction, confirmation, location identification, supplementary signs, additional signs and temporary signs (groups AT and TC).

The typefaces used on road signs are derived from the British Transport and Motorway typefaces. Portugal is an original signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.

Warning signs

  • Dangerous curve to right Dangerous curve to right
  • Dangerous curve to left Dangerous curve to left
  • Double curve, first to right Double curve, first to right
  • Double curve, first to left Double curve, first to left
  • Bump Bump
  • Dip Dip
  • Uneven road Uneven road
  • Steep hill downwards Steep hill downwards
  • Steep hill upwards Steep hill upwards
  • Road narrows on both side Road narrows on both side
  • Road narrows on left Road narrows on left
  • Road narrows on right Road narrows on right
  • Slippery road Slippery road
  • Loose chippings Loose chippings
  • Dangerous shoulder on right Dangerous shoulder on right
  • Dangerous shoulder on left Dangerous shoulder on left
  • Unprotected quayside or riverbank ahead Unprotected quayside or riverbank ahead
  • Falling rocks Falling rocks
  • Opening or swing bridge Opening or swing bridge
  • Ice or snow Ice or snow
  • Sidewinds Sidewinds
  • Reduce visibility Reduce visibility
  • Children Children
  • Elderly people crossing Elderly people crossing
  • Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian crossing
  • Pedestrians Pedestrians
  • Cyclists Cyclists
  • Equestrians Equestrians
  • Domestic livestock Domestic livestock
  • Wild animals Wild animals
  • Tunnel Tunnel
  • Low-flying aircraft Low-flying aircraft
  • Traffic signals ahead Traffic signals ahead
  • Roadworks Roadworks
  • Crossroad without priority Crossroad without priority
  • Two-way traffic Two-way traffic
  • Level crossing with gates or barriers Level crossing with gates or barriers
  • Level crossing without gates or barriers Level crossing without gates or barriers
  • Tramway Tramway
  • Other dangers Other dangers
  • Traffic queues likely Traffic queues likely
  • Accident Accident
  • Blind spot Blind spot
  • Farm machinery Farm machinery

Priority signs

  • Give way Give way
  • Stop Stop
  • Priority road Priority road
  • End of priority road End of priority road
  • Priority for oncoming traffic Priority for oncoming traffic
  • Priority over oncoming traffic Priority over oncoming traffic
  • Roundabout ahead Roundabout ahead
  • Crossroad with priority Crossroad with priority
  • Side road with priority on left Side road with priority on left
  • Side road with priority on right Side road with priority on right
  • Merging traffic on left Merging traffic on left
  • Merging traffic on right Merging traffic on right

Prohibition signs

  • No entry No entry
  • No vehicles both directions No vehicles both directions
  • No motor vehicles No motor vehicles
  • No dangerous good No dangerous good
  • No lorries No lorries
  • No lorries over 3.5 tonnes No lorries over 3.5 tonnes
  • No motorcycles or mopeds No motorcycles or mopeds
  • No mopeds No mopeds
  • No cycles or mopeds No cycles or mopeds
  • No agricultural vehicles No agricultural vehicles
  • No animal-drawn vehicles No animal-drawn vehicles
  • No hand-carts No hand-carts
  • No pedestrians No pedestrians
  • No equestrians No equestrians
  • No trailers No trailers
  • No trailers over 2 tons No trailers over 2 tons
  • No vehicles carrying dangerous goods No vehicles carrying dangerous goods
  • No vehicles carrying explosives No vehicles carrying explosives
  • No vehicles carrying polluted water No vehicles carrying polluted water
  • No buses No buses
  • No motor vehicles No motor vehicles
  • No lorries and trailers No lorries and trailers
  • No motor vehicles and animal-drawn vehicles No motor vehicles and animal-drawn vehicles
  • No trucks and animal-drawn vehicles No trucks and animal-drawn vehicles
  • No pedestrians, mopeds, animals, and handcarts No pedestrians, mopeds, animals, and handcarts
  • No bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles No bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles
  • No trucks and buses No trucks and buses
  • Axle limit Axle limit
  • Weight limit Weight limit
  • Length limit Length limit
  • Width limit Width limit
  • Height limit Height limit
  • Driving vehicles distance Driving vehicles distance
  • No right turn No right turn
  • No left turn No left turn
  • No U-turn No U-turn
  • Maximum speed limit Maximum speed limit
  • No overtaking No overtaking
  • No overtaking by lorries No overtaking by lorries
  • No overtaking by motorcycles No overtaking by motorcycles
  • No parking No parking
  • No standing or parking No standing or parking
  • No hooting No hooting
  • Customs Customs
  • Toll Toll
  • National speed limit National speed limit
  • End of maximum speed limit End of maximum speed limit
  • End of overtaking prohibition End of overtaking prohibition
  • End of overtaking by lorries prohibition End of overtaking by lorries prohibition
  • End of no overtaking by motorcycles End of no overtaking by motorcycles
  • End of no parking End of no parking
  • End of hooting prohibition End of hooting prohibition

Mandatory signs

  • Turn right Turn right
  • Turn left Turn left
  • Straight ahead Straight ahead
  • Turn left ahead Turn left ahead
  • Turn right ahead Turn right ahead
  • Straight ahead or turn left Straight ahead or turn left
  • Straight ahead or turn right Straight ahead or turn right
  • Turn left or right Turn left or right
  • Pass on right Pass on right
  • Pass on left Pass on left
  • Roundabout Roundabout
  • Trucks only Trucks only
  • Heavy vehicles only Heavy vehicles only
  • Buses only Buses only
  • Cycles only Cycles only
  • Pedestrians only Pedestrians only
  • Equestrians only Equestrians only
  • Domesticated animals only Domesticated animals only
  • Pedestrians and cycles only Pedestrians and cycles only
  • Pedestrians to the right and cycles to the left Pedestrians to the right and cycles to the left
  • Minimum speed limit Minimum speed limit
  • Snow chains on tires Snow chains on tires
  • Headlights on Headlights on
  • End of trucks only End of trucks only
  • End of heavy vehicles only End of heavy vehicles only
  • End of buses only End of buses only
  • End of bicycles only End of bicycles only
  • End of pedestrians only End of pedestrians only
  • End of equestrians only End of equestrians only
  • End of domesticated animals only End of domesticated animals only
  • End of pedestrians and cycles only End of pedestrians and cycles only
  • End of pedestrians to the right and cycles to the left End of pedestrians to the right and cycles to the left
  • End of minimum speed limit End of minimum speed limit
  • End of snow chains on tires End of snow chains on tires
  • Headlights off Headlights off

Information signs

  • Parking Parking
  • Hospital Hospital
  • One way One way
  • No thru road No thru road
  • Advisory speed limit Advisory speed limit
  • Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian crossing
  • Bus stop Bus stop
  • Tram stop Tram stop
  • Motorway Motorway
  • Expressway Expressway
  • Escape lane Escape lane
  • U-turn permitted U-turn permitted
  • General speed limit General speed limit
  • Tunnel Tunnel
  • Living street Living street
  • Chevron left/right Chevron left/right
  • Multiple chevron left/right Multiple chevron left/right
  • Curve to the (T) Curve to the (T)
  • Barrier Barrier

Additional signs

  • Distance Distance
  • Distance for stop sign Distance for stop sign

Influences

  • Angola largely shares similar road signage designs used in Portugal alongside SADC-issued road signs which made them transitional in nature.
  • Yemen largely shares similar road signage designs used in Portugal—except those languages used are bilingual (Arabic and English) and have different symbols (e.g. camels, mosques, sand dunes, date palms, crescents).

Indication signs

Information signs

Portuguese sign Meaning Specs
100px Direction on the road being traveled It indicates the directions you will reach along the road you are driving on; it is located above the roadway.
100px Direction of exit Indicates the directions you will reach when you leave the road you are driving on; it is located above the roadway.
100px Lateral direction Indicate the directions of the next intersection.
100px Lane Usage Indicates traffic restrictions and maximum speeds that must be maintained in the lanes of the road on which you are traveling..
100px No parking zone Indicates the beginning of a zone where parking is prohibited..
100px Agrotourism Agrotourism
100px Hostel-motel Hostel-motel
100px Bus Stop Indicates where a bus stop is
100px Airport Indicates that there is an airport near by
100px Information post Indicates the presence of a tourism information post
100px Radio Frequency Shows you a radio frequency
100px Highway Indicates the start of a highway
100px General Speed limits Indicates the general speed limits of the state, valid for passenger cars and motorcycles. It is located near the borders.
100px 100px Border with a country of the European Union Indicates a boarder with a country of the European Union
100px Via verde Indicates lane equipped with electronic toll system called "Vía verde".

Pre-signaling sign

Portuguese sign Meaning Specs
100px Pre-signaling sign for direction on the roads at certain distances indicates the directions that can be reached at the next intersection taking suburban roads.
100px Directions at the roundabout Indicates the addresses that can be reached at the next intersection regulated by roundabout traffic
100px Pre-signaling sign for directions on the road being traveled Indicates the addresses that can be reached at the next intersection along urban roads.
100px Guide to the left turn point Indicates the maneuver to be performed for the left turn at the next intersection.
100px 100px Dead end Indicates that the path indicated by the sign you are about to take is a dead end.

Direction, confirmation and location signs

Portuguese Sign Meaning Specs
100px Direction at the intersection Indicates the addresses that can be reached at the intersection.
100px Directions via the airport/aerodrome Indicates the direction to follow to get to the airport/aerodrome.
100px Tourist attractions/points of interest Indicates the direction to follow to reach a point of tourist interest.
100px Directions(Urban) Indicates the directions that can be taken on an urban road.
100px Direction confirmation sign Indicates the distance to the city centre of several cities following the road.
100px Start of locality It indicates the beginning of the city/town.
100px End of locality It indicates the end of the city/town.
100px Start of locality

(World Heritage Site)

It marks the beginning of an urban centre with World Heritage status.
100px End of locality

(World Heritage Site)

It indicates the end of an urban centre with World Heritage status.
100px Panel with distance for the next exit Indicates that the start of the motorway exit that was previously indicated is located 750, 500 and 250 metres away. They are installed on the right side of the road
100px River Indicates the name of a river when passing over it

References

  1. Portugal. (1999). Código da estrada; Regulamento do Código da estrada; Novo Regulamento de sinalização do trânsito : Decreto-lei no. 114/94, de 3 de maio alterado pelo Decreto-lei no. 2/98, de 3 de janeiro. Livraria da Universidade. ISBN 972-8130-52-X. OCLC 44255926. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  2. "20. Convention on Road Signs and Signals - United Nations Treaty Collection". treaties.un.org. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  3. "Decreto Presidencial n.º 209/17 de 25 de setembro". Lex.AO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 26 September 2024.
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