TRAVEL

Travel Information

GENERAL INFORMATION
PORTUGAL

With its mild climate, 3000 hours of sunshine per year, and 850 kms of splendid beaches bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal is the perfect holiday destination all year round.
This is a country that has the oldest borders in Europe, with an exceptional range of different landscapes, just a short distance away, lots of leisure activities and a unique cultural heritage, where tradition and modernity blend together in perfect harmony. Its superb cuisine, fine wines and hospitable people make this a tourist paradise of the highest quality.
Situated in the extreme south-west of Europe, just a few hours from any of the other European capitals, Portugal attracts visitors from all over the world.

CLIMATE

The climate in Portugal varies considerably from one region to another and is influenced by the relief, latitude and proximity to the sea, which offers mild winters, especially in the Algarve.
In the Oporto and North area and Beiras region, particularly inland, nearer Spain, the winters are colder, although the temperatures are still mild when compared to the rest of Europe. There is some snowfall. It occurs most in the Serra da Estrela mountains, where we find the highest point in mainland Portugal (1,991 m) and where it is sometimes possible to ski.
The summers are hot and dry, especially in the inland areas (Trás-os-Montes in north-eastern Portugal and Alentejo). Temperatures are slightly lower in the coastal areas, because of the influence of the sea.

HOW TO GET TO PORTUGAL – Transports

Air

Portugal’s excellent geographical position makes it a stopover point for many foreign airlines at airports all over the country:
Lisbon – Portela Airport – Phone: +351 218 413 500
Oporto – Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport – Phone: +351 229 432 400
Faro – Faro Airport – Phone: +351 289 800 800

ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, SA is the Portuguese airport authority and provides departure and arrival information.
There are two Portuguese airlines offering regular domestic and international flights.

SATA has regular flights between all the islands of the Azores and from the Azores to Madeira and mainland Portugal. SATA also offers regular flights to a number of international destinations.

TAP – Air Portugal is the country’s “flagship” airline and has scheduled flights to more than 50 international destinations and domestic flights between Lisbon, Oporto, Faro, Madeira and the Azores, and also between Madeira and Porto Santo.

TAP – Air Portugal offers a discount to the participants who make their flight booking and buy their ticket exclusively through TAP Air Portugal’s website. 

Terms and conditions HERE.

Rail

CP – Comboios de Portugal, the Portuguese railway company, offers a vast rail network covering the whole of mainland Portugal and also offers international train services to Vigo, Madrid and Paris.
There are a number of options to meet your needs:
The top-of-the-range “Alfa Pendular” trains offer the fastest and most comfortable rail link between Lisbon and the Algarve and, in the north, Oporto or Braga, with stops in Coimbra.
The “Intercidades” or Intercity service covers the Lisbon-Oporto-Guimarães, Lisbon-Guarda, Lisbon-Covilhã, Lisbon-Évora-Beja and Lisbon-Faro routes.
The international Sud-Express train and Lusitânia hotel-train leave from Lisbon.
There is a vast network of regional, inter-regional and suburban trains covering the whole of the country.

Road

Portugal has a good road network composed of Motorways (AE), Main Trunk Routes (IP), Complementary Trunk Routes (IC), Main (National) Roads (EN) and Secondary (Municipal) Roads.
There are two types of motorways:
The traditional motorways with toll booths, where payment is made either in cash or by bank card. These motorways also have a Via Verde (green channel), which is an electronic toll system that allows drivers to make the payment by bank debit and is intended for use solely by those who have an electronic device identifying their vehicle, which they have previously acquired at one of the respective sales outlets (www.viaverde.pt).
And motorways that have an exclusively electronic toll system, where tolls are collected by exclusively electronic means. As vehicles pass through the toll gates, they are picked up by electronic detectors placed at the entry to the channels, which are identified with the words “Electronic toll only”. For information about the roads covered by this system and the respective forms of payment, consult www.tollcard.pt.

Door-to-door transfer

Coimbra Airport Shuttle provides a door-to-door shared or private transfer between the city of Coimbra and the airports from Lisbon and Oporto. If you do not find a suitable schedule for you or if you require a Private Transfer service please enquire by email: coimbra@airportshuttle.pt

Coimbra Airport Shuttle offers a discount to the participants. Please, insert the promotional code WCSS2022C to obtain 10% discount.

Visit the website HERE.

Coaches

There are regular coach services between Portugal’s main towns and cities. For details of routes, timetables and fares visit www.rede-expressos.pt the website of Rede Nacional de Expressos (only in Portuguese).

Taxis

Taxis are usually cream in colour, although there are still some painted black with a green roof in the traditional Portuguese style.
The fare is shown on the taximeter. The prices are affixed inside the car or you can ask the driver about them.
If you phone for a taxi you have to pay an extra 0.80 euros. There is a charge of 1.60 euros for luggage, regardless of weight or the number of pieces.
Carry cots, pushchairs, wheelchairs and walking aids are carried free of charge.
Outside towns, taxis charge by the kilometre and the driver and passenger agree on the fare in advance. Where they exist, the passenger has to pay the road tolls there and back.

Is Uber/Bolt Cheaper Than A Normal Taxi Service?

Taxis in Portugal are actually quite affordable and, although Uber is often slightly cheaper, it doesn’t undercut them that much. It’s not as big a money-saver as it is in other countries. Does have other benefits, though.

Benefits:
1 – You know the driver in advance: people look for a comfortable trip, safety. That’s why they make a point of knowing the driver’s profile, and the opinion of other users of the app. The software will show the number of trips made, the time working on the platform, the average rating of the evaluations and the achievement stickers;
2 – Know the price of the trip beforehand: the platform uses the same logic as airline tickets: we know the total price before making the trip. Passenger Uber is the same thing;
3 – Save routes: the application saves your main routes. And as he travels, he starts to suggest the best ways to his home, office or place that he frequents most to relax;
4 – The possibility of adding stops: this is an advantage for those who share trips with friends. When ordering the car through the app you can already inform all the stops where you will pick up or drop off each friend. It is a great resource to share the trip in fair parts for each one. And if you need to change your route, you can do it even on the go. The system itself will readjust the values if necessary;
5 – Agility and price: the passenger Uber has one of the most agile navigation systems in the segment. This facilitates the arrival of the driver at the address from which the trip will start. And the fees charged by the platform are the best.
6 – Share the trip with friends: did you know you can share the value of the trip? Just select the option “Divide Fare” after ordering your trip and the amount will be divided equally among all.

APP Uber:

Start your journey with UberX, Uber’s most affordable mobility option.
HERE

APP Bolt:

Request a trip – Bolt offers you a trip in minutes.
– At the best prices – Our goal is to offer trips in all cities at the best prices. See for yourself!
– Easy to use – Go wherever you need to go, as quickly as possible.
– Safe and convenient – Getting around with Bolt is easy, convenient and fast.
– Happy drivers, happy customers – Bolt drivers earn more, thanks to the low commissions we practice
– Building a greener future – All Bolt travel in Europe is 100% carbon neutral.

SHOPPING HOURS

Traditionally, shops are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 or 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some close for lunch from 1 to 3 p.m. On Saturdays from January to November, shops generally close at 1 p.m. though in city centres some are open in the afternoon.
Shops tend to stay open on Saturday afternoons and sometimes even on Sundays in December for Christmas shopping.
There are plenty of shopping centres inside and outside the cities that are usually open from 10 a.m. to midnight every day of the week. They generally have stores with the main international brands.
However, traditional shops with Portuguese products can be found particularly in the streets of the older neighbourhoods of towns and cities.

SMOKING

Since 1 January 2008, smoking has been prohibited in enclosed public spaces in Portugal.
This ban extends to all government buildings, work places, public transport, healthcare establishments, laboratories and pharmacies, schools and other educational establishments, indoor sports facilities, museums, shops selling food and drink, indoor car parks, concert and theatre halls, libraries, hotels, and service stations.
Restaurants, bars and discotheques with a floor area of more than 100 m2 must clearly mark out areas where smoking is allowed, which must have adequate ventilation and may not amount to more than 30% of the total area.
The owners of restaurants, bars and discotheques with a floor area of less than 100 m2 can choose whether these are to be smoking or non-smoking areas, and must clearly display this information so that it is visible outside the building. These areas must have good ventilation.

CREDIT CARDS & CURRENCY

Portugal is one of 17 European Union countries whose common official currency is the euro.

ATMs – Automatic Teller Machines (Multibanco)

Portugal has a national network of cash machines (ATMs) identified by the symbol MB (Multibanco), from which you can withdraw cash 24 hours a day.

Currency Exchange

You can exchange money at banks, which are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week; at bureaux de change; and at automatic currency exchange machines (these are for currency sale transactions only).

Credit cards

In Portugal, the most commonly used credit cards are: Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Europay / MasterCard, JCB and Maestro.

If your Visa or MasterCard credit card is lost or stolen, contact the following telephone numbers for assistance:
American Express: +351 707 50 40 50 / +351 21 427 82 05
Mastercard: +351 800 811 272
Visa: +351 800 811 107

Tipping

Service is included in the bill in restaurants, though it is customary to leave an additional tip of about 5-10% of the total.
It is also normal to tip taxi drivers 5-10 % or rounding up the amount paid to the nearest euro.

PASSPORT & VISA INFORMATIONS

To enter Portugal, you may need a Passport and/or a Visa, depending on the country you live in. Citizens from the European Community don’t need a Visa for entering Portugal.
Passports must be valid for up to six months (depending on your nationality) and are required by all, except by European Union nationals and nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Norway and Switzerland holding valid national ID cards. British, Australian, Canadian, American and Japanese citizens need a valid passport.
Although it is not obligatory to have a return ticket, it is advisable to have one because, if you don’t, you may have to prove sufficient means of financial support to return.

LIABILITY

The organizers regret that they cannot accept liability for any personal accidents, loss of belongings or damage to private property of participants and accompanying persons that may occur during the Meeting. Participants are advised to make their own arrangements to obtain health, travel and property insurance before their departure.

INSURANCE

The Organizing Committee cannot assume responsibility for injuries or losses occurring to persons or personal belongings during the Congress. Participants are therefore advised to travel with a valid insurance package.