From the airport to the city centre Portugal
In Porto, to get to the city center from the airport, you can take the aerial metro (line E, 30 minutes), the bus or the cab. The same applies to Lisbon, as well as the Aerobus 91(www.aerobus.pt). It goes to the Cais do Sodré train station via Campo Pequeno, Saldanha, Marquês Pombal, Restauradores, Praça do Comércio.
In Faro, there is no metro. Cabs (or Uber for cheaper rates) are a good solution if you have a specific destination. Otherwise, the bus will take you directly to the bus station. Be careful to take the direction of the city and not Praia de Faro (the driver will tell you).
Arrival by train Portugal
The Portuguese railroads have three types of trains: the comboios, very fast and quite expensive, connecting the main cities between them regularly, the intercity trains (like our corails), the interregional and regional trains, slower and less expensive (like our TER). On the website of the CP (Comboios, the equivalent of the SNCF in Portugal / www.cp.pt), you will find the fares, timetables and can book online.
Lisbon has 5 train stations. From abroad, you will arrive at Santa Apolónia, located in the Alfama. For Sintra, departure from the Rossio or Entrecampos station.
Porto has 2 train stations, São Bento in the center and Campanhã in the east. Depending on where you are staying, take your tickets according to the closest station. But these are connected by 4 metro lines.
The Faro train station is located in the city center next to the bus station. Here you can take the train to nearby cities like Albufeira, Tavira...
Public transport Portugal
The metro operates in both Lisbon and Porto and covers both cities well, with one line each to the airport. Ticket offices (often crowded or closed) and automatic terminals issue tickets. These are in English, Portuguese or Spanish. The first time, you will have to pay the price of the card (Viva 0,50 € in Lisbon, Andante 0,60 € in Porto) in addition to the price of the journey, valid for one year. The card is valid for all types of transportation (metro, bus, streetcar).
At the terminal, you can recharge your card by placing it in the slot provided and selecting the trip of your choice (one-way ticket at a rate that varies according to the duration of the trip for Lisbon or the zone for Porto, 24-hour ticket, 72-hour ticket, etc.) or the amount you wish to credit to it (zapping formula: 15, 20, 25 €, etc.), which only works for Lisbon and will be charged to you each time it is used.
Don't forget to validate your card each time, especially since the controllers often pass by in the trains to check that you are in order. In other cities, the bus is a very popular means of transportation for the Portuguese and is well laid out. Tickets can be purchased directly from the driver and cost an average of 2 € per trip.
Bike, scooters & co Portugal
The self-service bicycles are well established in Lisbon. Their name here: Gira. The operation is the same as in France. You have to download the application on the stores and choose your subscription (annual, monthly or daily at 2 €/day for the latter). The first 45 minutes are free. You can choose between a classic or electric bike to help you climb the city's many slopes. Aveiro also has its own bicycles in free circulation: the Burgas.
Electric scooters are also now well established in Lisbon with another app to download (Hive, Lime, Voi, Bird, or Tier) which will then give you the location of available scooters (and bookable before someone takes it away from you), scattered all over the sidewalks of the city. The rental costs 1 €, then 15 cents per minute. You have to be over 18 to use them.
In Porto, they are beginning to make their arrival, especially in the Foz area. This is also the case in other cities, where electric scooters are gradually, if not exponentially, flourishing.
With a driver Portugal
Like the yellow taxis in New York, the Portuguese taxi network is recognizable by its black cars (all kinds) with green or creamy white roofs and the "taxi" sign. A trip from the airport to the city centre in Lisbon is a maximum of €20, and about €25 for Porto. Luggage can be charged at around €1.50. Opt for Uber too; prices are almost half as expensive and the system works in the country's main cities: Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and much of the Algarve.
By car Portugal
If the national roads are rather easy to drive (even those winding through valleys), driving in the cities (and villages) can be scary as they are full of (all) small streets. But the latter are perfectly adapted for cars, and this can indeed be surprising. Municipalities have also thought about traffic management (one-way roads, display mirrors...). Be careful! There are a lot of priorities on the right, think about it!
Concerning parking, in small towns and villages, you will easily find parking spaces. But in Porto, Lisbon, Coimbra, Faro, in particular, parking is paid from 9 am to 7-8 pm in general. As soon as you find a place to park, do so because it is not easy to find one, especially during the day. Avoid driving between 5pm and 7pm, when traffic is heaviest.
As for the highways, although most of them have traditional payment terminals, access to certain sections can only be paid for electronically. These sections of road are referred to as "electronic toll only". There are several options for paying motorway tolls when visiting the country with your foreign vehicle:
The EASYtoll system, a 30-day subscription to be taken in front of an Easytoll kiosk, which can be found in four entry points to the countries (A28, Viana do Castelo service area; A24, 3.5 km from the Chaves/Verin border; A25, Alto Leomil-Vilar Formoso service area; A22, Vila Real de Santo António). You can cancel the subscription at any time on the website (https://www.portugaltolls.com/fr) or by calling customer service at +351 21 28 79 555.
The Toll card, a prepaid card (5, 10, 20 or 40 €) that can be purchased at Portuguese post offices (Correios CTT), freeway service areas or on the website (www.tollcard.pt). When you buy the prepaid card on the Internet, you will have to register the purchase receipt on which the activation key (Pre-Pago number) is written on the top right. It is this number that allows you to connect to the site to find out the balance associated with your registration number.
The Toll service, a ticket valid for three days that costs 20 €. It is available in Easytoll points, in hotels and on the same website.
If you need to stay longer than 3 days, the Via Verde system is the most convenient, it is the same system as our electronic toll with a box (6 € the first week and 1,50 € the following ones, with a deposit of 27,50 €) to be stuck inside the windshield of the vehicle. To acquire the box you will have to go to a post office (Correios CTT) or to the Via Verde stores (on the highways). Each time you pass through a toll booth, the amount due will be debited from your bank account.
The Vinci freeway ULYS badge offers the Spain-Portugal extension which allows you to travel on Portuguese and Spanish freeways from France, without having to take out a subscription in Portugal. The subscription costs 2 €/month in addition to the French rate. Very practical!
Accessibility Portugal
Portugal is very considerate of people with reduced mobility. Accessibility to public transportation is quite well implemented in the major cities. The problem is the cobblestones in the streets, which can make it difficult for wheelchairs and strollers to get around. Not to mention the slopes, which can be a challenge. However, it is important to note that most of the sidewalks are lowered, both in large cities and in smaller ones.
In Covilhã in the Serra d'Estrela or in Coimbra for example (and in other cities and villages) there are free elevators to reach the upper and lower city instead of having to climb on foot.
Tourist traps Portugal
Beware of cabs that may charge you for a ride without turning on the meter. The drivers are obliged to turn it on. Check before getting in and if not, change cabs.
If you rent a car, several precautions should be taken in the options offered to you: do not accept to return the car with empty fuel, they will charge you a full tank of fuel more expensive than at the station, regardless of the level of the gauge; prefer to fill up the tank yourself and return the vehicle with the same level of fuel as at the reception! For the tolls, take the electronic box (1,85 €/day, 18,50 € maximum for a longer rental) in order not to find yourself with a heavy bill at the end of the rental for unpaid tolls. You will pay the amount due when you return the vehicle.
