Travel information

PASSPORT AND VISA

For information on passport and visa requirements for entering Portugal, please visit https://vistos.mne.gov.pt/en/short-stay-visas-schengen/general-information/who-needs-a-visa

TRANSPORTATION

When arriving by plane

Porto is served by the international airport Francisco Sá Carneiro. The airport, with an annual passenger volume over 10 million, is a high-quality infrastructure, distinguished by international awards in its category and region. It is less than 15 km away from the city center, and is easily and rapidly accessible by public transportation.

Passengers have diverse public transportation options (https://www.aeroportoporto.pt/en/opo/access-parking/getting-to-and-from-the-airport/public-transportation) to reach the city center:

  • metro [Line E (Purple)]: the journey runs every 20-30 minutes, depending on the time and day of the week, the line is operating between about 6 am and a little after midnight (schedules vary to time of the year); more information: https://en.metrodoporto.pt/pages/397
  • buses [STCP: Line 601 (Cordoaria – Airport), Line 602 (Cordoaria – Airport, via Padrão de Moreira), Line 604 (S. João Hospital – Airport, via Crestins)]: the first two lines are operating 5:30 am to 0:30 am (timetables change from season to season), and services are scheduled on a 25-minute frequency approximately, the third line between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm (schedules vary to season), and services are scheduled on a 30-minute frequency approximately; more information: https://www.stcp.pt/en/tourism/from-and-to-the-airport/daytime-and-night-network/
  • taxi: taxis circulate 24/7, and are always available at taxi ranks; it is also possible to order a taxi by phone.

When arriving by train

If you are planning to come by train from Lisbon, please note that Alfa Pendular and Intercidades are fast train direct connetions between the two cites. There is also a direct connection to Vigo (Spain), Celta. In any case, you will arrive at Oporto Campanhã (Porto Campanhã) railway station. The train station is served by the metro network. For further information on trains, please check the CP – Comboios de Portugal’s website: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en

Local transportation

As the conference venue is located downtown where the hotel offer is abundant, walking may be the easiest and most enjoyable way to reach it. Nevertheless, there are some steep streets and, if this is the case, using public transportation maybe more convenient.

Metro and buses have the same ticket/price system. To use the Metro do Porto you must purchase an Andante ticket. This is a valid intermodal ticket in the network of Metro, Funicular dos Guindais and STCP (buses). The Andante Azul is a non-personalized paper ticket, valid for one person, rechargeable with any kind of travel title although each ticket can only contain one type of title (it cannot have a Z2 title and also a Z3 title), but it can contain several titles of the same type (for example, 10 Z2 titles); it is only possible to change the content of one Andante Azul ticket when it is empty. There are other types of Andante tickets. More information: https://en.metrodoporto.pt/pages/397

Coming to Porto for the 2025 ISHPSSB Meeting is, in addition to the conference, an opportunity to explore the region (check here and here). You may be interested in taking a look at the Visit Porto and North Marketplace (https://booking.visitportoandnorth.travel/en/), a platform for marketing tourism experiences and activities in the Porto and North region of Portugal. ISHPSSB Meeting participants who wish, will be able to book a wide variety of tourist activities in this platform with a 10% discount – the promocode will be sent by email upon meeting registration. All the experiences included in the Marketplace have the official guarantee of Turismo do Porto e Norte. The conference local organizers are not endorsing or taking responsibility for any of these service providers.

You may also be interested in considering the advantages of the Porto.CARD (https://booking.visitportoandnorth.travel/en/portocard/), the official card of the city of Porto. ISHPSSB Meeting participants will receive 10% discount on the purchase of the card, using the same promotional code.