Porto-North-Portugal.com
The best independent guide to Porto
Porto-North-Portugal.com
The best independent guide to Porto
Porto airport to Porto city; onward travel by metro, taxi or bus from the airport
Porto airport is a small but modern international airport, which comprises of a single terminal building. The airport is situated 10km to the north of Porto city centre, close to the town of Moreira.
Porto airport is connected to the metro network, and for most visitors, this is the easiest way to travel to Porto city centre. For faster transfers into the city, there are licensed taxis, and Uber operates in the Porto region. Pre-booked private transfers from Porto airport provide the easiest onward transfer, and are surprisingly inexpensive.
Porto is not a difficult or expensive airport to travel onwards from, and is relatively hassle-free, when compared to many other international airports. This article will detail how to travel from Porto airport (the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport) to the city centre, by taxi, bus and metro.
Related articles: Introduction to Porto – Top 10 Porto – Porto in 48 hours
Depending on the direction that your plane lands, you may fly over Porto, this is the mouth of the Douro river and the Foz district
Matosinhos beach is the largest beach close to Porto and it is also the location of the new cruise terminal
Airport to Porto city by metro
Porto metro is modern and safe, and is the best way to travel into the centre of Porto. The only slight issue with the metro is that there are only two lines through the city centre, so there may be a long uphill walk from a metro station to your accommodation.
Porto airport is connected to the E metro line, and during the daytime, there are three departures per hour (every 20 minutes). The first service is at 6am and continue through to midnight. Outside of the metro operating hours, the night bus, taxi or Uber will need to be taken.
The metro pulling into Trindade station
There are seasonal and daily variations for the time of last metro departure, so if travelling late always check with the Metro do Porto website: www.metrodoporto.pt/
The metro journey from the airport to the city centre passes through four fare zones, and a Z4 ticket is required, which costs €2.25. This fare is charged to the reusable Andante card, which costs €0.60 for the initial purchase.
The metro ticket is either purchased from a ticket office or ticket machine, and there can be long queues at peak times. The ticket queues can be slow as tourists unfamiliar with the metro system, hunt for their destination station on the list on the ticket machine, (which identifies the zone fare needed).
The list of metro stations is shown on every ticket machine and is highlighted in red – for the city centre a 4-zone ticket is needed
The Andante ticket must be validated before starting your journey by tapping the validation machine (these are very obvious), and need to be re-validated when changing to another line. Once initially validated the zone 4 ticket lasts for 75minutes and is sufficient to travel to your final stop.
Common metro journeys from the airport
Most visitors new to Porto travel to just four metro stations; São Bento (for Central Porto), Jardim do Morro (for Vila Nova de Gaia waterfront), Trindade (for north of the main tourist area) or Campanhã (for the main train station of Porto). Typical journeys from the airport are:
Airport to São Bento - 40 minutes (27min + 3min + connection time), Z4 ticket at €2.25 and a connection to line D required at Trindade
Airport to Jardim do Morro - 42 minutes (27min + 5min + connection time), Z4 ticket at €2.25 and a connection to line D required at Trindade
Airport to Trindade - 27 minutes Z4 ticket at €2.25, direct service
Airport to Campanha – 36 min Z4 ticket at €2.25, direct service (sometimes a change to line A is required at Trindade)
Warning: there are two very similar sound metro stations; Campanhã and Campainha. Campanhã (sometimes written as Campanha) is the train station – Campainha is just a residential area.
Porto airport is modern and relatively easy to travel through
The Alfa Pendular is the express train to Lisbon (and the Algarve) which departs from Campanhã station
Porto airport to Porto by Bus
There is no need for tourists to consider the public bus from the airport to the city, as the metro is faster and more convenient.
There are two regular public bus services (routes 601 and 602) from the airport to Cordoaria (Torre dos Clérigos) in central Porto. A single bus fare costs €2.25 (as it is a zone 4 ticket), but the bus takes longer than the metro, and has little room for luggage. More information about Porto’s bus routes can be seen on the STCP website: https://www.stcp.pt
Porto airport to Porto city by taxi
A taxi transfer is always the fastest option to travel to central Porto, but will be significantly more than the metro or bus. The transfer will take 20-30 minutes depending on traffic and will cost between €20-25.
When you enter a taxi, always ensure the taximeter is switched on, and this must be used by the law. The taxi fares are displayed within the taxi, and the current 2024 fares are: €0.50 per km with a minimum fare of €3.30, the waiting charge is €14.90 per hour (or €0.25 per minute stuck in traffic!). There are additional fees for luggage €1.60 and all rates are 20% more expensive at night (21:00-6:00) and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Sadly, some taxi drivers will try to exploit tourists, giving a bad reputation to the honest majority, and encourages customers to use ride-hailing apps.
If you have problems or are grossly overcharged, note the taxi number and demand the (legal) complaints book (Livro de Eclamacoes). Asking to see this red book will often resolve most issues. If you do wish to file a complaint, it can be completed online at: www.livroreclamacoes.pt/
Porto airport to Porto city by Uber
Uber is active in Porto, and with all other destinations, their drivers are efficient, smart and reliable. If you regularly use Uber in your home country, then you will probably use it in preference to normal taxis while in Porto.
It should be noted that actually there is not much of a price difference between taxis and Uber in Porto (Uber X price per Km €0.65 - Taxi price per Km €0.47 + surcharges + 20% at the weekend).
Note: Porto airport has free Wi-Fi if you need to hail a ride. The free network is "VINCI Airports Wi-Fi", and further information can be found on the Porto airport website:
www.aeroportoporto.pt/pt/
Private transfer
Private transfers are comparatively inexpensive from Porto airport to the city. The advantage of a pre-booked transfer is that the driver will be waiting for you, assist with luggage and navigate through the arrival’s hall. This will always be the most convenient option for weary travellers after a long journey of if travelling with children. Private transfer starts from €30, only slightly more than Uber and less than a taxi.
We have worked with Getyourguide.com for the previous 6 years, and some of their best private transfers include:
Rental car
A rental car may seem appealing for a holiday to Porto, but unless you are planning to explore the Douro Valley region, it is rarely of any use. Driving in central Porto is challenging, with limited car parking and congested roads, while most of the popular day trips, such as Braga and Guimarães can be easily reached by public transport.
Related articles: Day trip to Guimarães - Day trip to Braga
Guimarães is a delightful and historic town
The Bom Jesus do Monte (near Braga) is considered as one of the finest monuments in Northern Portugal
The night bus and travelling to Porto airport early in the morning
Porto airport is connected to the city by the 3M night bus route. This hourly service departs the airport 30 minutes past the hour; from 00:30 to 5:30. The 3M bus terminates in the Avenida dos Aliados (central Porto) where it returns to the airport on the hour (00:00 until 5:00).
The bus fare is €2.25 and further details can be seen on the Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP) website:
Timetable: https://www.stcp.pt/pt/viajar/linhas/?t=horarios&linha=3M&sentido=1&th=1&td=3
Night bus routes: https://www.stcp.pt/pt/viajar/rede-da-madrugada/mapa-da-rede/
Note: If you have an early flight leaving Porto and need to be at the airport before 6am, the 3M bus is the only (and therefore the best) public transport option. This bus will be much cheaper than a night taxi, Uber or private transfer.
Lockers
In Trindade metro station are automatic lockers, which can be useful for storing (non-valuable) luggage. Up to 12 hours of storage costs €3.5/€4.5/€6.5 (small/medium/large bag), and further information can be found on the city lockers website:
http://www.citylockers.pt/porto-trindade/
Porto airport also has a left luggage service at €2.50 per piece per 4 hours.
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