Getting to Porto
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) serves Porto and its metropolitan area. The 11km distance between the airport and the city centre can be easily overcome by using the direct light-railway line (Line E of ‘Metro do Porto’), operating from 06h00am to 01h30am. The journey takes 23 minutes from the Airport to ‘Casa da Música’ subway station and 28 minutes to ‘Trindade’ central subway station. Public bus line 601 departing from the Airport, as well as taxis, can also be used to reach the centre of Porto.

For more information about Porto airport please visit http://www.ana.pt.
If you are are not arriving at Porto by plane you can reach the city either by train or bus (3 hour journey). From Lisbon Oriente train station, long-distance trains are available on an hourly basis during daytime, leaving passengers at Porto’s transport interface of Campanhã. There is also a large offer of express buses in Lisbon connecting the two cities.

Portuguese Railways: http://www.cp.pt
Express Buses: http://www.rede-expressos.pt

Public transportation in Porto
Buses and Metro
Porto is well served by a public bus network and a new light-railway system. Timetables, fares and routes can be obtained here: http://www.itinerarium.net
Porto public bus company (STCP) – http://www.stcp.pt
Metro do Porto – http://www.metrodoporto.pt

Trains
Porto is served by two train stations. Long-distance trains to Lisbon, southern Portugal and Vigo (Spain) are available at Campanhã station. Commuter trains to the cities beyond Porto (Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro, Régua) can be found at São Bento station, in the city centre.
For information regarding timetables and fares: http://www.cp.pt

Taxis
Taxis are available at main locations such as the airport, train stations, hospitals and main commercial areas. Licensed taxis have a meter and are painted in beige or in the traditional black-and-green.
A taxi can be requested by calling a taxi company or going to taxi stops available throughout the city:
• Táxis Invicta 225 076 400, 225 022 693
• Raditáxis 220 403 782
• Unidos do Porto 225 029 898

Making phone calls
International telephone calls
To call abroad from Portugal:
• international access code – 00 + country code + area code + subscriber number

To call Portugal from abroad
• international access code + country code 351 + subscriber number (nine digits)

Note: In Portugal, landlines start with “2” and mobile numbers start with “9”.

Useful telephone numbers
• National Emergency number (SOS): 112
• International Collect Calls: 179
• Information Service: 118

Postal services
The public postal company in Portugal is called CTT. There are 20 CTT offices throughout the city of Porto, with different sets of services and working hours. Most of them are open Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 18h00 and close for lunch. The main office in the city center (Aliados) has all available postal/communication services and has extended working hours.

Banks
Banks are open from 8h30 to 15h00, Monday to Friday. Several ATM machines can be found inside/around UFP. Portuguese banks don’t apply fees for using these machines. To open an account at a bank, students will be asked for a Portuguese taxpayer number (NIF), which they can get at the Direcção-Geral dos Impostos’ counter at Loja do Cidadão (Avenida Fernão Magalhães n.º 1862, 1.º, Porto) with a copy of their passport and a proof of address in Portugal.

Weather and clothing
Porto has a generally mild climate. Temperatures rarely rise above 28ºC in the summer or drop below freezing in the winter. Expect days of continuous rain during winter and spring. Warm clothing is advised at all times during winter. In the summer, lightweight comfortable clothes are the best option.

Health and insurance
The Portuguese health service offers medical assistance to all citizens of the European Union. To qualify for this assistance EU students should bring their European Health Insurance Card. Other students must purchase a health insurance covering their entire stay in Portugal, before leaving their home country.

• In case of sickness: Visit the nearest Health Centre or call Saúde24 (808 24 24 24)
• In case of urgency: Go to the “Urgências” at a Hospital
• In case of emergency: Call 112