Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Arrival in Porto
ByTrain: Porto has two train stations. Regional trains, including those serving the Douro
Valley, use the very central São Bento Station (a sight in itself for its magnificent tiles;
see here ). Facing the exit in the left corner is the helpful Loja da Mobilidade transportof-
fice (daily 7:30-20:00, international ticket window daily 8:00-12:30 & 13:30-16:30). Here
you can purchase train tickets as well as the hassle-free Andante Card (described later,
under “Getting Around Porto”), and get answers to your questions about transportation
within or out of Porto. The helpful staff can help you understand the bus-station mess and
get a handle on the ever-changing local transit picture (tel. 808-208-208, www.stcp.pt ) .
Trains coming from farther away, including Lisbon and Coimbra, arrive at Campanhã
Station, on the east edge of town. If your train stops at both stations, get off at São Bento
(closer to central hotels). If you have to get off at Campanhã, you have three options for
getting into the center: Take a taxi directly to your hotel (€7 with luggage to most city-
center accommodations); catch another train to São Bento Station (6/hour, free on any
ticket to Porto); or use the Metro across the street (take it to the Trindade stop, then trans-
fer to the yellow line for either Aliados or São Bento stations; €2.30 to load Andante Card
with one Zone 4 trip plus €0.50 one-time card fee, buy at TI or from machines at Metro
entrance). Note that the Metro is not practical for those staying near the Ribeira.
By Bus: As each of Porto's many bus companies operates its own garage, there's
no central bus station. All of the bus garages are more or less in the city center. The
main ones are: Rede Expressos (to Lisbon and Coimbra; Rua Alexandre Herculano, tel.
222-006-954, www.rede-expressos.pt ) ; RENEX (to Lisbon; Campo Mártires da Pátria
37, tel. 222-003-395, www.renex.pt ); Rodonorte (to points north; Rua Ateneu Comercial
do Porto, tel. 222-004-398, www.rodonorte.pt ); and Internorte (to Spain, including
Santiago de Compostela and Madrid; Praça da Galiza 96, tel. 226-052-420,
www.internorte.pt ). You can also buy bus tickets to Spain from the Abreu Travel Agency
on Avenida dos Aliados (at #207, tel. 222-043-500).
By Car: Central Porto is a headache by car. Stow it at your hotel or a nearby parking
garage. Approaching from Lisbon and Coimbra on the A-1 expressway, pay a toll and
then follow signs for Ponte da Arrábida . After crossing the bridge, take the first right and
follow centro signs (or the little bull's-eyes) into downtown.
ByPlane: Porto's Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (airport code: OPO) is 11 miles north
of the city center. Since it's an international airport (with connections beyond Iberia), it's
used by people throughout northern Portugal and Spain. The Metro connects the airport to
the center (3/hour, 30 minutes to the Trindade stop), or catch a taxi (figure €25). Airport
info: tel. 229-432-400.
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