Road signs in Portugal are governed by the Road Signage Regulation () of the Portuguese Republic. The country is an original signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
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.
Signage in use Illustrated below are the road signs currently in use as codified by the Road Signage Regulation of 1998 and its subsequent updates.
Warning signs
Priority signs
Prohibition signs
Mandatory signs
Lane selection and direction signs
Zone signs
Information signs
Pre-signaling sign
Direction, confirmation and location signs
Complementary signs
Additional indication signs
Touristic-cultural signage (list) The following figures are present in Table XXXVII annexed to the traffic signals regulation of 1998: T1 - Regional sign T2 - Heritage (used on motorways, prior to appropriate exits. Shown is the example for the city of Tomar, showing the Manueline Window of the Convent of Christ) T3 - Natural heritage (in the example, a sign for the River Zêzere) T4a - Touristic circuit identification (the example shown is for a "Circuit of Castles") T4b - Touristic circuit direction T5a - Touristic route identification (the example shown is for a "Route of the Megalithic") T5b - Touristic route direction T6 - Touristic signage for a settlement (typically used on municipal borders)
Indication signage (list) he following figures are present in Table XXXIX annexed to the traffic signals regulation of 1998 and are mostly used around unforseen route changes and/or construction: ST1a - Number of lanes and direction (one way) ST1b - Number of lanes and direction (two lanes, one direction) ST1c - Number of lanes and direction (one lane in each direction) ST1d - Number of lanes and direction (two lanes with another lane in the opposite direction) ST2 - Supression of road lane, with distance shown ST3 - Supression of road shoulder, with distance shown ST4 - Lane diversion, with distance shown ST5 - Lane diversion into opposing direction ST6 - Narrowing of road lane ST7 - Advanced notice of detour ST8a - Route detour with the word "Desvio" (detour) and destination ST8b - Route detour variant with two destinations instead of the "detour" information ST9 - End of detour ST10 - Alternating circulation (due to road work) ST11 - "Traffic subject to delay" (with space for the specific road secion) ST12 - Emergency telephone ST13 - Accident ST14 - End of road work
Complementary devices (list) At the end of the annexes in Table XL of the regulations, several temporary or remote devices are codified: ET1 - Signalling rackets ET2 - Directional bays ET3 - Positioning bay ET4 - Alignment marker ET5 - Positioning markers ET6 - Cones (two variants) ET7 - Clearance markers ET8 - Set of sequential wireless markers ET9 - Set of wired sequential markers ET10 - Movable plastic profile ET11 - "Robot" (Moving figure with signal) ET12 - Marker trailer ET13 - Luminous arrow
(List of) Pictograms The first of the illustrated annexes of the regulations set the several groupings of pictograms for ease of circulation on the road, in Table XXI. A few of the approved pictograms are similar in design to those used in Spain and other countries in the Mediterranean area, albeit sometimes separated with different lines or weight/thickness:
I - User support
Emergency The following are to be inserted against blue background signage:
1.1 - Hospital 1.2 - Hospital with emergency services 1.3 - First-aid post 1.4 - Pharmacy 1.5 - Fire station 1.6 - GNR - national guard post 1.7 - PSP - police station 1.8 - Car garage 1.9 - Petrol station with GPL pumps 1.10 - Petrol station 1.11 - Telephone
Other indications The following are to be inserted against white background signage:
2.1 - Car park 2.1A - Parking garage 2.2 - Church/sanctuary 2.3 - Cemetery 2.4 - Market (although typically used for commercial areas in general) 2.5 - School 2.6 - Post office 2.7 - Town/city centre 2.8 - Pedestrian area 2.9 - Neighbourhood (bairro) 2.10 - Metro 2.11 - Railway station 2.12 - Bus station 2.13 - Taxis 2.14 - Car-rental 2.15 - "Ferry-boat" 2.16 - Boarding quay 2.17 - Port 2.18 - Airport or aerodrome 2.19 - Heliport 2.20 - Municipality 2.21 - Motorway 2.22 - Disabled 2.23 - Pedestrian grade-separated crossing (ramp) 2.24 - Pedestrian grade-separated crossing (stairs) 2.25 - Lavatories (WC variant) 2.25A - Lavatories (figures variant) 2.26 - Car inspection centre 2.27 - Road reserved to cars and motorcycles 2.28 - Fountain
II - Touristic indications The following are to be inserted against a blue background:
1 - Caravan and camping park 2 - Camping park 3 - Caravan park 4 - "Pousada" or inn 5 - Hostel ("Albergue") 6 - Youth hostel 7 - Hotel/Motel/Residential 8 - Information post/booth 9 - Restaurant 10 - Bar 11 - Zoo 12 - Rural tourism (typically related to accommodation) 13 - Thermal baths/springs 14 - Aquarium 15 - Local craftwork 16 - Bullring 17 - Private accommodation 18 - Marina 19 - Cape or promonotory (depicting a lighthouse) 20 - Casino 21 - Exhibition centre/park
III - Geographical and ecological indications The following are to be inserted against a brown background:
1 - River/lake/reservoir 2 - Mountain/mountain range ("serra") 3 - Caves 4 - Park or garden 5 - Beach 6 - Pinewood 7 - Picnic area 8 - Pedestrian routes/trails 9 - Belvederes or viewpoints 10 - Agricultural area 11 - Vinicultural area 12 - Protected area, natural park or nature reserve 13 - National park (or forest)
IV - Cultural indications The following are also to be used against a brown background:
1 - Monument, (palace) or castle 2 - Museum 3 - Library 4 - Ruins 5 - Pre-historic monument 6 - Theatre 7 - UNESCO World Heritage Site 8 - Preserved village 9 - Pillory or cross 10 - Bridge 11 - "Solar" (noble manor house) 12 - "Aldeia Histórica de Portugal", historic village network
V - Sporting indications The following are also to be used against an orange background. Some, as well as the overall language in representing the sports, are based on the 1972 Munich Olympic Games' pictograms, designed by the team led by Otl Aicher:
1 - Sailing 2 - Stadium 3 - Hippodrome (horse track) 4 - Golf course 5 - Autodrome (racetrack) 6 - Tennis 7 - Swimming pool 8 - Sport fishing 9 - Sporting centre/complex 10 - Shooting range 11 - Ski 12 - Waterpark 13 - "Kartódromo" - kart track 14 - Equestrian sports centre 15 - Rowing 16 - Mountaneering 17 - Windsurfing 18 - (Sport) hunting 19 - Powerboating 20 - Canoeing 21 - Athletics
VI - Industrial indications These pictograms are meant to be used against a grey background.
1 - Factory or industrial zone 2 - Fishing industry 3 - "TIR" terminal - truck terminal (TIR standing for Transporte Internacional Rodoviário, International Road Transport) 4 - National stud farm
Historic signs 1926 road signs
1935 road signs
1954 road signs Warning signs
Prohibitory signs
Mandatory signs
Information signs
1959 road signs Warning signs
Prohibitory signs
Mandatory signs
Information signs
Influences The design of road signs in Angola is largely similar to that used in Portugal, although they are transitioning to the SADC design. Road signs in Macau are predominantly based on the pre-1994 Portuguese signage design.Regulamento de Trânsito Rodoviário de Macau (Macau Road Traffic Regulation)
External Links Infraestruturas de Portugal - Sinalização Vertical (Illustration of road signs currently approved for use in Portugal)
Notes
References