Portugal Travel Guide - Getting There

Portugal's national airline is TAP Air Portugal (TP) (website: www.flytap.com).

From London to Lisbon is 2 hours 30 minutes and from New York is 7 hours.

Lisbon (LIS) (Portela de Sacavem) (website: www.ana-aeroportos.pt) is 7km (4.5 miles) north of the city (journey time - 35 minutes). To/from the airport: Carris buses run from the airport to the city and the main railway stations. A special ‘Aerobus' departs to the city centre every 20 minutes during the day. Taxi services to the city are available, with a 20% surcharge between 2100 and 0600, at weekends and on holidays. Facilities: Bureau de change, banks, tourist information, post office, duty-free shops and car hire.

Faro (FAO) (website: www.ana-aeroportos.pt) is 4km (3 miles) west of the city (journey time - 30 minutes). To/from the airport: EVA buses link the airport with different parts of the city. Taxis are available. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank/bureau de change, car hire and a bar/restaurant.

Porto (OPO) (Oporto Sá Carneiro) (website: www.ana-aeroportos.pt) is 20 km (7 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: Underground trains, buses and taxis to the city are available. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank/bureau de change, car hire and a bar/restaurant.

None.

Main ports: Lisbon (website: www.portodelisboa.com), Leixões (Porto) (website: www.apdl.pt), Funchal (Madeira) (website: www.portosdamadeira.com) and Portimão (Algarve) are served by major cruise lines.

Travelling from the UK, the quickest way is to travel by Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel to Paris (journey time - 2 hours 40 minutes) and, from there, to Portugal. The Sud-Expresso runs between Hendaye/Irun (linked to Paris by TGV) and Lisbon, offering first- and second-class seats, sleepers and a restaurant car. For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK or +44 1233 617 575 , outside the UK; website: www.eurostar.com) or Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; website: www.raileurope.co.uk). Caminhos De Ferro Portugueses (tel: 808 208 208, in Portugal or (21) 318 5990, outside Portugal; website: www.cp.pt) offers an international rail service to Vigo, Madrid and Paris.

InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

The only land border is shared with Spain. Major border posts are open around the clock, but smaller ones may close earlier in winter. From the UK, the quickest routes are via ferry to northern Spain, avoiding the need to drive through France. Brittany Ferries runs from Plymouth to Santander (tel: 0870 907 6103, in the UK; website: www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) and P&O Ferries runs from Portsmouth to Bilbao (tel: 0870 598 0333, in the UK; website: www.poferries.com). Cars can be imported into Portugal for up to six months. Travelling from the UK, Eurotunnel operates trains 24 hours per day through the Channel Tunnel between Folkestone in Kent (with direct access from the M20) and Calais in France. All vehicles, from motorcycles to campers, can be accommodated. For further information, contact Eurotunnel Reservations (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK; website: www.eurotunnel.co.uk).

Coach: Eurolines operates an extensive network of coach services to many destinations throughout Portugal, including Coimbra, Faro, Lagos, Lisbon and Porto. For information on timetables and fares, contact Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK; website: www.eurolines.co.uk).