Upon Arrival

Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro: located around 10km (20 minutes by car) from the city centre, where most of the hospitality facilities are located. It is served by the Metro, which connects it directly to the city centre, and there is the ‘Casa da Música’ stop, which is located near the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto. Public transport such as buses and contracted shuttle buses also connect the airport and the city. To get to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto from the Airport: Take Metro ‘Line E’, Destination ‘Estádio do Dragão’, leaving the Metro at the exit called ‘Casa da Música’; you can use the Z4 Travel Ticket; at ‘Casa da Música’ metro station, change to bus ‘902 or 903 or 204’ and get off at the ‘Junta de Massarelos’ bus stop.

Travel Ticket; Use the same travel ticket for the metro and the bus. Get off at the bus stop and take a short walk (about 5-6 minutes) to the Faculty.

Taxis: The city is served by over 700 taxis. A taxi ride from the airport to the city centre costs between 20€ and 30€. Compared to taxi fares in other countries, this is relatively cheap.

Taxi Contacts:

Táxis Invicta: +351 225 076 400 / +351 912 301 251

Táxis Porto1: +351 225 020 591 / +351 911 907 533 

Táxis Porto: +351 220 997 336 / +351 918 888 600

Climate: The average, maximum and minimum temperatures in the Porto area in May are 22ºC / 72ºF (maximum) and 14ºC / 57ºF (minimum). Please note that Porto is located on the banks of the Douro River and the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and therefore it can be windy in the late afternoon or evening. In these circumstances, it may be necessary to carry a windbreaker, jumper and/or scarf.

Currency: Portugal is a member of the European Monetary System, so the currency in force is the Euro (€).

Electrical current: Portugal follows the European standard of 2-pin sockets with 220 volts AC at 50 cycles. 380-volt current is normally available in meeting rooms and on the walls of the exhibition area.

Local time: Mainland Portugal is 1 hour ahead of European Standard Time (CET+1).

Language: The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. English, Spanish and French are regularly spoken.

Smoking: Under Portuguese law, in accordance with regulations in force in most European countries and the USA, smoking is not permitted on public transport or in any enclosed public area (some restaurants, bars and clubs may have a designated area for smokers).

TAX Free: VAT is included in the prices quoted. For non-EU residents, there are tax-free items in many stores, offering substantial savings.

Security: Portugal is considered one of the safest countries in the world, being in the Top 5 of the Global Peace Index since 2016. This situation applies to the city of Porto.

Health Services: Emergency treatments are free at any public hospital (SNS Service). There are also several private hospitals. The emergency number is 112. No special vaccinations are required, although it is highly recommended that participants be vaccinated against COVID-19. European Union citizens should bring their European Health Insurance Card, if they have one. The conference organisers will not be responsible for any medical expenses, losses or accidents occurring during the conference. Participants are advised to take out their own personal insurance for their travel and stay in Portugal.