Porto Airport is officially called Francisco Sá Carneiro and lies about 15 kilometres north of the city centre. The metro station is just outside the terminal, and the purple metro line E takes you from Porto Airport to the city centre at Trindade in 27 minutes for 2.30 euros. That makes the metro the best option for most people, and it runs all day from around 6am until just after midnight.
If you land at night, night bus 3M runs to Avenida dos Aliados, and if there are several of you with lots of luggage, a taxi or an Uber can be worth it. Here you’ll find all the options with prices, journey times and stops, how to get down to Ribeira and across the river to Gaia, and how to carry on to the Douro Valley, Braga and Lisbon.
Contents
Quick overview
- Metro line E (purple): 2.30 euros (around £1.90) plus 0.60 euros (around 50p) for the Andante card, 27 minutes to Trindade and 33 minutes to Campanhã, runs every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 to 40 minutes in the evening from around 6am to 12.42am.
- Bus 601: 2.30 euros (around £1.90) with Andante or 2.50 euros (around £2.10) from the driver, 35 to 55 minutes to Cordoaria by Torre dos Clérigos, runs roughly every half hour during the day from 5.30am until after midnight.
- Night bus 3M: same price as bus 601, just under 30 minutes to Avenida dos Aliados, runs once an hour from 12.30am and every half hour between 3.30am and 5.30am.
- Taxi: around 20 to 35 euros (around £17 to £30) to the centre on the meter, 20 to 30 minutes without traffic.
- Uber and Bolt: the price is shown in the app before you book, and it’s often lower than a taxi.
- Private transfer: from around 26 euros (around £22) per car when you book in advance, and the driver meets you in the arrivals hall.
How to find the transport at the airport
Porto Airport has a single passenger terminal, so you can’t go wrong. Once you’ve collected your luggage and come out into the arrivals hall, follow the signs for the Metro. Aeroporto metro station is just outside the terminal building, and it’s the end of line E, so every train at the platform heads towards the centre. There are ticket machines at the station where you buy your ticket.
The city buses run by STCP stop at the Aeroporto stop in front of the terminal, and the taxis also wait outside the arrivals hall. Long-distance coaches, including FlixBus and Getbus to Braga, Guimarães and Lisbon, leave from coach park P8, which is at the right-hand end of the car park opposite the arrivals level. If you book an Uber or Bolt, the app shows where to meet your driver, and it isn’t always at the nearest exit. Bus routes to and from the airport are listed on STCP’s page about the airport connection.
1. Metro line E to Trindade and the city centre
The Porto metro is a light rail system that runs above ground for most of the way and goes underground in the centre. Line E is purple and runs from Aeroporto via Botica, Verdes, Senhora da Hora and Casa da Música to Trindade, the main hub in the city centre. The journey to Trindade takes 27 minutes, and you reach Casa da Música in about 22 minutes.
During the day, every other train continues from Trindade via Bolhão, Campo 24 de Agosto and Heroísmo to Campanhã railway station and Estádio do Dragão. In the evening, all trains run the whole way to Estádio do Dragão. The journey to Campanhã takes 33 minutes, and if that’s where you’re going, look for a train showing Estádio do Dragão on the display, or change at Trindade.
On weekdays, line E runs every 15 minutes between 7am and 8pm, and early in the morning it runs every half hour. From 8pm to 11pm it runs every 20 minutes and after that every 30 to 40 minutes. The first train from the airport leaves shortly before or shortly after 6am, and the last one leaves at 12.42am. Metro do Porto changes its timetable a few times a year, so check the timetables at Metro do Porto before you travel.
Trains can be busy at rush hour, so keep your suitcase close. The metro suits almost everyone staying in the centre, in Gaia or by the beach in Matosinhos, as you can change to the other lines along the way on the same ticket.
Prices and tickets
The tickets are called Andante and are valid on the metro, STCP buses and local trains in the Porto area. The price depends on the number of zones, and from the airport to the centre you need a Z4 ticket, which costs 2.30 euros (around £1.90). The same ticket also covers Vila Nova de Gaia on the other side of the river. The ticket is valid for 1 hour and 15 minutes from first validation, so you have time to change to another metro line or a bus without paying again.
The ticket is loaded onto a rechargeable paper card, the Andante Azul, which costs 0.60 euros (around 50p) and can be used for a year. Each person needs their own card, so one card with two tickets can’t be used by two people on the same journey. If you buy 10 single tickets at once, you get an extra one free. There’s also a 24-hour ticket for zone Z4 for 8.30 euros (around £7). Prices are listed at Andante.
If you’ll be getting around the city for several days, the Andante Tour tourist card can be worth it. Andante Tour 1 costs 7.75 euros (around £6.50) and is valid for 24 hours, and Andante Tour 3 costs 16.55 euros (around £14) and is valid for 72 hours from first validation. The cards are valid across the whole Andante network of buses, metro and trains, but not on the Funicular dos Guindais or the historic trams. Read more at Andante Tour.
Where to buy your ticket
The ticket machines at the airport metro station sell both the Andante Azul card and the tickets. Choose a Z4 ticket, and remember to buy a card for each person. Before going down to the platform, hold your card against one of the validators, and when the light turns green, your ticket is validated. You need to validate again every time you change line or mode of transport, even within the 1 hour and 15 minutes.
You can also pay with your own bank card or your phone. At validators with the contactless symbol at Aeroporto station, you’re charged for a Z4 ticket at 2.30 euros (around £1.90), and it’s valid for 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you travel four times or more in one day, you pay no more than 7.75 euros (around £6.50). The scheme only applies at selected stations, including Trindade, Casa da Música, São Bento, Aliados and Campanhã, and it has been introduced as a trial, so check Andante’s page on paying by card before you travel. Tickets can also be bought in Andante’s app, Anda.
Where should you get off?
Trindade: The big hub in the city centre where all the lines meet. From here it’s a 5 to 10-minute walk to Avenida dos Aliados and the Baixa district with its cafés and bars. If you want to stay close to the metro, you can see hotels in Baixa here. If you’re unsure which area suits you, read my guide to where to stay in Porto.
São Bento and Ribeira: At Trindade, change to the yellow line D towards Santo Ovídio or Vila d’Este. After two stops, about 3 minutes, get off at São Bento, home to the famous railway station with its blue azulejo tiles. From here it’s about a 10-minute walk downhill to Ribeira by the river. This is the historic quarter most people dream of staying in, and you can see hotels in Ribeira here.
Vila Nova de Gaia: Stay on line D across the upper deck of the Ponte Luís I bridge to Jardim do Morro or General Torres, about 5 to 7 minutes from Trindade. From here you walk down to the port wine cellars at Cais de Gaia, and from Jardim do Morro you can also take the Teleférico de Gaia cable car down. The Z4 ticket covers the whole journey from the airport. If you’re staying on this side of the river, you can see hotels in Vila Nova de Gaia here.
Bolhão, Campo 24 de Agosto and Heroísmo: The stations after Trindade, served only by trains towards Estádio do Dragão. Bolhão is by the big Mercado do Bolhão market, and Campo 24 de Agosto and Heroísmo are in the local Bonfim neighbourhood, where you can see hotels in Bonfim here.
Casa da Música: The station by the concert hall in the Boavista district, about 22 minutes from the airport. If you’re heading for the beach and fish restaurants in Matosinhos, get off earlier at Senhora da Hora and change to the blue line A, which reaches Matosinhos Sul in about 13 minutes.
Campanhã: The city’s main railway station, served by trains to Lisbon, Braga and the Douro Valley. From the airport the journey takes 33 minutes on the trains running to Estádio do Dragão.
2. Bus 601 and 602 to Cordoaria
The city buses are run by STCP, and bus 601 is the fastest of them to the centre. It runs from the airport through Leça and past the Mar Shopping centre to the Boavista roundabout by Casa da Música, then on via Praça da Galiza to the final stop at Cordoaria. The journey takes 35 to 55 minutes depending on traffic, and at rush hour you should expect the longer time.
The bus runs from 5.30am until after midnight, roughly every half hour during the day and up to 50 minutes apart late in the evening. Bus 602 also runs from the airport to Cordoaria, but it takes a long detour through Maia and usually takes an hour or more, so it’s rarely relevant to you.
The bus suits you best if you land very early, before the metro is running, or if you’re staying close to Cordoaria. The pitfalls are traffic and luggage, as the bus can fill up with local commuters along the way, and there isn’t much room for large suitcases.
Prices and tickets
If you have an Andante card with a Z4 ticket, the journey costs 2.30 euros (around £1.90), and you validate the card as you board. If you don’t have a card, you can buy a ticket from the driver for 2.50 euros (around £2.10) and pay in cash, with MB WAY or by card. The ticket from the driver is only valid for the journey you buy it for, so you can’t change on it. Prices are listed on STCP’s fares page.
Where should you get off the bus?
Boavista-Casa da Música: The stop by the concert hall in Boavista, where you can change to the metro.
Cordoaria: The final stop by the Jardim da Cordoaria park, right next to Torre dos Clérigos. From here it’s a 5 to 10-minute walk to Ribeira and Baixa.
3. Night bus 3M to Avenida dos Aliados
When the metro stops just after midnight, night bus 3M takes over. It runs every night between the airport and Avenida dos Aliados, the wide boulevard with the city hall in the centre, and stops at places including Trindade, Carolina Michaelis and Praça da República along the way. The journey takes just under 30 minutes, as there’s very little traffic at night.
From the airport the bus leaves at 12.30am, 1.30am, 2.30am and 3.30am and then every half hour until 5.30am. Towards the airport it leaves Avenida dos Aliados at 1am, 2am and 3am and then every half hour from 3.30am to 5.30am. The ticket costs the same as during the day, 2.30 euros (around £1.90) with Andante or 2.50 euros (around £2.10) from the driver.
The night bus is the only public transport at night, so if your flight lands after midnight, it’s a good alternative to a taxi. Check the departure time before heading out to the stop, as there can be up to an hour between buses. Departures are listed on STCP’s page about the airport connection.
4. Taxi, Uber and Bolt
Taxis wait at the exit from the arrivals hall and run on the meter. Expect around 20 to 35 euros (around £17 to £30) to the centre, depending on where you’re going and how much traffic there is. The journey usually takes 20 to 30 minutes without traffic. At night, at weekends and on public holidays the fare is higher than on weekdays during the day.
Fares are set by the authorities and adjusted from time to time, so the starting fee and surcharges may change. Keep an eye on the meter during the journey, and if you’re unsure, ask the driver for an approximate price before you get in. If you can’t pay in cash and need to pay by card, say so straight away, as not all taxis take cards.
Uber and Bolt also operate from the airport, and the price is shown in the app before you book. It’s often lower than a taxi, but it goes up when lots of people book at once, for example when several flights land at the same time. The app shows where to meet your driver, and it isn’t always at the nearest exit. Read more about pick-ups at Uber.
A taxi or Uber takes you to the door, so they’re most worthwhile when there are three or four of you, when you have lots of luggage, or when your hotel is in the steep streets of Ribeira, where you’d otherwise have to drag your suitcase up and down the hills.
Private transfer
If you want to be sure a car is waiting, you can book a private transfer from Porto Airport to your hotel here. Prices start at around 26 euros (around £22) for a car for up to four people, the driver meets you in the arrivals hall, and the price is agreed in advance. It’s a good option when you’re landing late with children, or if your hotel is on a street that’s hard to find.
On to the Douro Valley, Braga and Lisbon straight from the airport
If you’re not going into Porto, you can often travel directly. Getbus runs non-stop to Braga and Guimarães from coach park P8 every day, with tickets from 9 euros (around £7.50). FlixBus also runs from P8 to Braga in about 40 minutes and to places including Guimarães, Coimbra and Aveiro. You’ll find departures and prices at Getbus. If you’d rather take the train to Braga, take the metro to Campanhã, where local trains get there in about an hour.
For the Douro Valley, trains run along the Linha do Douro from São Bento and Campanhã to Peso da Régua and Pinhão. The journey normally takes around two hours to Régua and around two and a half hours to Pinhão, but parts of the line are sometimes served by rail replacement buses due to engineering works, so check the timetable at CP before you travel. From the airport, take the metro to Campanhã, or to Trindade and change to line D towards São Bento. If you want to drive yourself around the vineyards, the car hire companies are at the airport.
For Lisbon, Alfa Pendular trains run from Campanhã to Santa Apolónia in about 2 hours and 50 minutes, with several departures a day. FlixBus also runs directly from the airport to Lisbon in around 4 hours. If your trip continues south, you can read my guide to where to stay in Lisbon, and if you’re flying home from there, see my guide to getting from Lisbon Airport to the city centre and back again.
Getting back to the airport
Trains towards Aeroporto run from Trindade via Casa da Música and Senhora da Hora. During the day, every other train starts back at Estádio do Dragão and Campanhã, and in the evening they all start there. If you’re staying near Ribeira, first take line D from São Bento to Trindade and change to a train towards Aeroporto, and the Z4 ticket covers the whole journey. The first train from Trindade leaves at 5.58am, getting you to the airport shortly before 6.30am, and the last train leaves Estádio do Dragão at 12.29am.
If you have an early flight, the metro is often too late. Night bus 3M leaves Avenida dos Aliados at 1am, 2am and 3am and then every half hour until 5.30am, reaching the airport just under 30 minutes later. Bus 601 runs from Cordoaria from 6am and takes 35 to 55 minutes to the airport.
By taxi or Uber, expect roughly the same as on the way in. If you want the car booked before you leave home, you can book a private transfer from your hotel to the airport here. Follow your airline’s recommended check-in times, and allow extra time if you need to change at Trindade with suitcases.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re staying:
Baixa and Aliados: Take the metro to Trindade. It runs every 15 minutes during the day and costs 2.30 euros (around £1.90) plus the card.
Ribeira: Take the metro to Trindade and change to line D to São Bento. If you have lots of luggage, I’d take a taxi or an Uber right down to the hotel, as the streets are steep.
Vila Nova de Gaia: Take the metro to Trindade and change to line D to Jardim do Morro or General Torres.
Bonfim: Take a train towards Estádio do Dragão to Campo 24 de Agosto or Heroísmo, so you don’t need to change.
Matosinhos: Take the metro to Senhora da Hora and change to line A towards Senhor de Matosinhos.
If you land at night: Night bus 3M runs to Avenida dos Aliados, but check the departure time. If it doesn’t fit, a taxi, an Uber or a pre-booked transfer is easiest.
If there are three or four of you: Four metro tickets with cards cost 11.60 euros (around £10), so the metro is cheapest. On the other hand, a taxi at around 20 to 35 euros (around £17 to £30) or a transfer takes you right to the door.
If you’re travelling straight on: Take Getbus or FlixBus directly from P8 to Braga and Guimarães, and take the metro to Campanhã if you’re catching the train to Lisbon or the Douro Valley.
Practical tips for getting from Porto Airport to the city centre
Buy an Andante card for each person. The card costs 0.60 euros (around 50p), and two people can’t share the same card on the same journey. Keep the card, as you can top it up with new tickets throughout your stay.
Validate every time. You need to hold your card against the validator when you start your journey and every time you change line. This applies even if you’re still within the 1 hour and 15 minutes the ticket is valid for.
Choose the right zone. From the airport you need a Z4 ticket to the centre and Gaia. A ticket for a smaller zone isn’t valid for the whole journey, and you risk a fine if you’re checked.
Allow for the hills. Porto is a very hilly city, and from São Bento down to Ribeira it’s a steep descent over cobblestones. With large suitcases, a taxi for the last stretch is often worth the money.
Choose your hotel by its connections. If you stay in Baixa, the metro gets you to Trindade without changing, and if you stay in Gaia or Ribeira, you’ll need to change to line D. If you’re unsure which area to choose, read my guide to where to stay in Porto.
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