Porto Airport

Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport

Metro Station - Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro
© Kanakari / CC BY-SA 3.0

Departures terminal
© Petr Brož / CC BY-SA 3.0

Francisco Sa Carneiro International Airport

Porto International is, after Lisbon, the second busiest airport in Portugal. This not only reflects Porto's position as Portugal's second city but emphasises how Porto has grown as a tourist destination in recent years. Not too long ago Faro airport, which serves the Algarve, would have been busier. The airport was initially constructed in the 1940s and named Pedras Rubras Airport after the red soil local to the area. It was renamed in 1990 after the Portuguese prime minister Francisco de Sá Carneiro, who was killed in an air crash en route to Porto in 1980. Some have pointed out it might have been in bad taste to name an airport after someone who died in a plane crash?! These days Porto International Airport is the height of modernity and has all the facilities you would expect from a large regional airport. There are shops, including duty free, a full bank service with a bureau de change and no shortage of places to eat.

Getting to and from Porto Airport

Whilst not quite as close to the city centre as Lisbon's Portela airport is, Porto Airport is still only 10 km (6 miles) out. Located just north of the beaches and docks of Matosinhos and Leça there are plenty of options for getting from the airport to the city centre. Perhaps the cheapest and quickest way to get to Porto Airport is my using the relatively new metro system. The city's extensive underground network is only around 10 years old and covers much of the city. For the airport you will need to take the violet line (E) which you can pick up at any of the city centre stops. The journey takes around 25 minutes in total. If you don't fancy the metro then the most convenient (and expensive) option is a taxi. There are no shortage of taxis running from Porto's airport into town and it shouldn't cost you much more than €25 or take longer than 25 minutes most times of day. Please note though, taxi fares are 20% more expensive at weekends and in the evening. The cheapest option is to travel by bus. There are no shortage of bus routes from the airport and these cover a much wider range of destinations than the metro. Information and timetables are available at the airport and the buses leave from in front of the arrivals hall.