Bike pathPortugal
5. Bike path
A bike path is a part of a road or a separate route intended primarily or exclusively for people riding bicycles. It may be physically separated from motor traffic, marked on the road surface or identified by traffic signs.
Bike paths may be one-way, two-way or shared with other road users. The permitted users, direction of travel, priority rules and obligation to use the path depend on local traffic signs and regulations.
Wikimedia.org • Joehawkins • CC BY-SA
Must cyclists use every Portuguese cycle path?
The Code says traffic should use the specially designated path preferentially. This is not a blanket compulsory-use rule based solely on a path’s existence. The statutory wording is pistas destinadas a velocípedes; also follow any applicable traffic signs.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 17, 78, 99–100, 104; RST D7a–D7f and D13
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Mandatory path for cyclists.
English • Traffic sign D7a • Compulsory cycle path. Cycles must use the path specifically provided for them.
Português • D7a • Pista obrigatória para velocípedes. Indicação da obrigação de os velocípedes circularem pela pista que lhes é especialmente destinada.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org (Gigillo83 • CC BY-SA 4.0)
🔗 Diariodarepublica.pt • Regulamento de Sinalização do Trânsito • artigo 27.º • D7a
🔗 Ansr.pt • Republicação oficial retificada • D7a • página 16
Replacement SVG: Commons.wikimedia.org • Wikimedia Commons original • NACLE2 • CC0 • Original revision 2025-09-17. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Artwork verified against Ansr.pt • official published diagram D7a.
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
NACLE2 • CC0 • Source revision 2025-09-17. Wikimedia original unmodified.
May ordinary motor vehicles use a Portuguese cycle-only path?
No. Special paths are reserved for the traffic for which they are designated. Other vehicles may cross them for access where the Code permits, rather than use them as a normal traffic lane. Shared-path signs can designate a different combination of users.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 17, 78, 99–100, 104; RST D7a–D7f and D13
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings
Are all bicycle-and-trailer combinations allowed on Portuguese cycle paths?
No. The Code restricts bicycles with trailers and bicycles with more than two wheels that are not in line, but permits them where the total width is no more than one metre. Check the complete combination, rather than just the bicycle’s width.
🔗 pgdlisboa.pt • Portugal, Código da Estrada — articles 17, 78, 99–100, 104; RST D7a–D7f and D13
🔗 ansr.pt • ANSR official RST — corrected 2019 republication, sign descriptions and markings

Traffic rules
Portugal