How to get around
Covered by an ever progressing, accomplished transport network, getting to Porto could never be easier whether it be by plane, bus, car, boat, train or metro. Travelling within the city is made simple should you go by public transport, your own car or a hired one.
CAR
Porto has a privileged geographic location, complemented by a modern communications network. It’s easy for anyone coming from Galicia, the Algarve, Lisbon, Coimbra or from any other point in the country to arrive comfortably to the city and equally as easy to travel to any of these destinations. Throughout Porto there are various public and private car parks at your disposal.
Besides national roads (EN, IC, IP), free, the city has access to various highways, subject to toll: A1 Lisbon, linking to the Algarve; A3 Valença (Minho), linking to Galicia; A4 Amarante (Trás-os-Montes), linking to Bragança; A28 (Porto – Cerveira) and A29 (Porto – Aveiro/Cantanhede). Some of these highways are to be paid at the end of the trip with the ticket that must be collected at the beginning of the highway. The ways showing the sign “Via Verde” are for monthly-pass holders only.
Other highways or parts of highway have only electronic tolls. It means that there are no cabins and the passing of vehicles is detected by devices placed at the beginning of those highways.The highways are identified at the beginning with: “Electronic toll only”.
TRAIN
Porto is served by international trains, Alfa Pendular (high-speed train), intercity, inter-regional, regional and urban trains, connecting the city to several destinations inside and outside the country. The Campanhã train station is the busiest in the city and the S. Bento railway station is the most central one.
For further information check the CP– Comboios de Portugal’s website.
METRO
Running daily between 6am – 1am, the Porto metro service has 6 lines that connect the outskirts of the city to the centre:
• Line A (Blue) – Estádio do Dragão – Senhor de Matosinhos
• Line B (Red) – Estádio do Dragão – Póvoa de Varzim
• Line C (Green) – Estádio do Dragão – ISMAI
• Line D (Yellow) – Hospital São João – Santo Ovídio
• Line E (Violet) – Estádio do Dragão – Aeroporto
• Line F (Orange) – Senhora da Hora – Fânzeres
For further information check Metro do Porto.
BUS
STCP buses operate:
• Daytime service: 5am – 12:30am (Some lines only run until 9pm)
• Night service (Lines 1M to 13M): 12am – 5am
Tickets can be purchased from Payshop offices, train station ticket offices, post offices, Andante shops, automatic ticket machines and at the STCP or Andante service points.
TRAM
There are 3 lines operating:
• 1 – Infante/Passeio Alegre
• 18 – Massarelos/Carmo
• 22 – Batalha/Carmo
Timetables can be found at each stop. Single trip tickets can be bought in the tram.
GUINDAIS funicular
Connects the Batalha area to the Ribeira area.
• Nov to Mar – 8am – 8pm (Sun to Thu) and 8am – 10pm (Fri and Sat)
• Apr to Oct – 8am – 10pm (Sun to Thu) and 8am – 12am (Fri and Sat)