Porto is located in the north of Portugal and has frequent air links to Europe. You can also easily get around Portugal by train and bus.
By air from abroad
Around 13 km north of the centre of Porto, you can use the medium-sized international airport Porto OPO.
Direct flights from Porto go to around 100 destinations in Europe and North Africa, but there are also direct long-haul flights to other continents.
Long-haul flights to Porto fly to destinations such as:
- Boston - Azores Airlines
- New York JFK - Azores Airlines
- Newark - TAP, United
- Sao Paulo - TAP
- Rio de Janeiro - TAP
- Toronto - Azores Airlines, Air Transat
- Montreal - Air Canada
- Luanda - TAAG, TAP
Where and how to buy tickets to Porto?
The cheapest flights from European destinations are usually with low-cost airlines Ryanair or easyJet, both of which have large bases in Porto with dozens of direct flights.
However, promotional prices usually only apply to a small number of dates.
Most flights to Porto can be bought with Portugal's national airline TAP to every major city in Europe, as well as Brazil and the USA.
Buy tickets to Porto at Flytap.com
Flights to Madeira and the Azores
Porto often serves as a popular stopover when travelling to the Portuguese islands in the Atlantic. Direct flights from Porto to both Madeira and the Azores are commonly sold around 70 eur to 180 eur depending on demand.
We always recommend comparing offers from all airlines flying the route as they may all offer similar prices. It is impossible to say that one particular airline is consistently cheaper than the others. Click on the name of the airline below to see the fares.
- Madeira - Ryanair, TAP, easyJet and Transavia fly the route
- Azores (Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel) - TAP, Transavia, Ryanair and Azores Airlines fly the route
- Azores (Terceira) - Ryanair and Azores Airlines fly the route
By air to Lisbon and Faro
Air travel from Porto is also available domestically within mainland Portugal, although the journey to Lisbon may not be worth the time compared to the train. However, trains and planes compete on price and tickets can be bought from 25 eur to 40 eur one-way.
By train to/from Porto
The train is the best choice of transport from other major Portuguese cities or across the border into northern Spain.
There is only one train operator in Portugal, Comboios de Portugal, which also provides all services from Porto. It is best to buy tickets online, ideally at least 1 week in advance for the best price.
- buy your ticket at cp.pt
- buy your ticket via the mobile app (Google Play / App Store)
The busiest connection is of course from Porto to Lisbon, with at least 1 train per hour.
- Travel time: around 3 hours depending on the train
- one-way ticket price: from 15,50 eur for InterCity trains, or from 21 eur for AP (Pendolino) trains
Twice a day you can also use the international connection of the Spanish railways RENFE from Porto to the Spanish city of Vigo. The journey takes 2.5 hours and you can buy your ticket from 15 eur at renfe.com.
The main Campanhã train station is on the eastern edge of the centre (see map), while São Bento station in the centre of Porto (see map) is mainly used for journeys to northern Portugal and surrounding towns (Braga, Guimaraes, Aveiro, etc.).
By bus to/from Porto
The best use of the bus service is when travelling to nearby towns such as Braganca, Vila Real or Vigo in Spain.
However, buses can get you all over Portugal and are often cheaper than trains, albeit slightly longer.
Almost all long-distance routes around Portugal are operated by two companies: Flixbus, Rede Expressos, Alsa. If you buy online about 14 days in advance, you can get special one-way tickets from 8 eur, including to Lisbon.
There are 3 main bus operators in Portugal who compete with each other and it is always advisable to compare the times and especially the ticket prices for each company separately.
Then you won't find any central bus station in Porto. Each bus company stops at a different location, which is always marked on the ticket.
Most buses depart from Campo 24 de Agosto bus station (see map) or Campanhã bus station (see map).
