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Top Tips for Getting to Porto

Travellers to Porto will find that it is well-connected by air, train and road as the city continues to grow as a popular tourist destination. This is ensuring that there are more and more travel options available and for a range of budgets. All of this choice can nevertheless be quite confusing and make it difficult to choose the best option for you. However, before you have a holiday planning panic, take a look at our tips below on how to easily save money on your trip to Porto together with helpful information on travelling there. You will then be all prepared to come and join us on one of our fun tours!

Airport Parking

Airport parking is often the last ‘to do’ on the list for most travellers and this is a big mistake! Parking at your departure airport can be really expensive, especially during the peak travel months and there are easy ways to save. You simply need to book in advance and could save up to 60%. Couple that with using a comparison website and you will quickly and easily find the best options for your trip. Parkhero is a great example for those travelling from the UK. If you are looking for airport parking Gatwick, you just need to select the airport and enter your travel dates into the comparison tool. All the available options will appear with the cheapest option first. Just like many comparison sites, there are no booking fees and you do not need to make account. It couldn’t be easier to save! If you want to find a similar website for your country, type ‘compare parking at … airport’ into a search engine.

Choosing your airport

There is one main airport in Porto, but you also have the option of flying to Lisbon Airport instead if you want to see both cities. This can sometimes save you money on flights and allows you to fly into one airport and home from the other, saving you time travelling back and forth. Below you will find information on each airport and how to get to and from the airport.

Porto Airport

The airport is located just 11 km to the north of the city and is the best option for visiting Porto. This small airport is served by a number of different airlines, including TAP Portugal, easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, KLM, Emirates and Wizz Air. It mostly offers destinations across Europe with some flights to the Middle East and North America.

Transfers to city centre

By metro

  • Take Line E directly from the airport with services running every 20 to 30 minutes between 06:00 and 00:00

  • The trip takes about 30 minutes and costs €2.60 (you can use the same ticket for other trips if you recharge it)

  • Tickets can be purchased at the airport station or at the tourist information desk

By bus

  • STCP buses 601 and 602 run between the airport and Cordoaria in the centre between 05:30 and 00:30 and take around 30 minutes

  • Tickets can be purchased onboard or at the airport and cost around €3

By taxi

  • Taxis are available outside the terminals and it takes around 20 to 30 minutes to reach the centre

  • Prices should be between €20 and €30 and make sure only to take taxis that have their metres on

Lisbon Airport

Lisbon’s airport can be found just 7 km from the city centre in the northeast. It offers flights around the world and is the country’s biggest airport. You can find TAP Portugal, easyJet, Ryanair, Transavia, British Airlines, American Airlines and Iberia, amongst others at Lisbon Airport. This great number of airlines gives you plenty of choice and something for every budget.

Transfers to city centre

By metro

  • Catch the Aeroporto – Saldanha metro line from the airport to the city centre in 20 minutes 

  • Best option is to purchase a '7 Colinas' / 'Viva Viagem' card which you can top up for further journeys

  • Cost is €1.45 for a single fare or €6.30 for a 24-hour pass

By bus

  • Carris bus network serves the airport and you can also use the '7 Colinas' / 'Viva Viagem' card on the bus for the same fare

  • If your baggage is bigger than 50x40x20cm, you will have to catch the Aerobus instead

  • Line 1 of the Aerobus runs every 20 minutes (8am to 9pm) and takes 10 minutes to reach the city centre, Line 2 runs every 60 minutes (8am to 7:30pm) with a single fare costing €3.60

By taxi

  • Taxis can be found outside departures and arrivals terminals

  • It takes around 10 minutes to the city centre and costs between €10 and €15 depending on traffic 

  • Again make sure that the driver has the meter turned on

From Lisbon to Porto you can catch a train that takes just under 3 hours and costs between €75 and €220 euros (depending on when you book and which class). You can also take a bus, such as Flixbus, which takes around 4 hours and can cost as little as €6.

For more tips about Porto, make sure to join us on a tour and check our blog.

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