Utilities

For further useful informations see: VisitPortugal.com

Transport and circulation of money
Travellers who enter or leave the European Union territory carrying amounts with them equal to or higher than €10,000, should declare this amount to the Customs authorities, in compliance with the stipulations of Regulation (EC) nº 1889/2005, that has been in force since June 15, 2007. This imposition aims to reinforce the EU’s efforts to counter criminal activity and reinforce safety, by combating money laundering, terrorism and other criminal practices.

Source: https://www.visitportugal.com

Citizens of the European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Romania and Switzerland need only an identity card to enter Portugal.

In addition to their identity card, minors must also present authorisation from their parents to travel.

For visits of less than 90 days, a passport valid for at least three months after the end of their stay is necessary for visitors from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China in Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan territorial Authority.

Citizens from countries not mentioned above need a visa to enter Portugal, which may be requested at the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate of their country for stays of up to 90 days.

Under the terms of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, flights between Schengen states are considered to be internal flights and passengers do not need to obtain another visa.

Related links:
Visa requests 
- http://www.secomunidades.pt/vistos/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=171&Itemid=14&lang=pt 
Portuguese consulates 
- http://www.secomunidades.pt/web/guest/PostosConsulares 
Portuguese Immigration Authority 
- http://www.sef.pt/portal/V10/EN/aspx/page.aspx

Source: https://www.visitportugal.com

Entry into Portugal of cats and dogs from other EU Member States
It is necessary to present a passport issued by a vet who has been accredited by the respective competent authority, which must: 
- contain indication of the owner’s name and address;
- confirm that the animal is identified via a microchip (the device used should be in conformity with the ISO 11784 standard or Annex A to the ISO 11785 standard, otherwise, the owner must have equipment that enables the chip to be read), or a clearly legible tattoo (only permitted during a transitory period – up until 03/07/2011);
- confirmation of a valid anti-rabies vaccination, or revaccination if applicable, carried out when the animal was at least 3 months old, in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturing laboratory, with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO standard).

Entry into Portugal of cats and dogs from countries outside the European Union 
It is necessary to present a Sanitary Certificate issued/validated by the Official Veterinary Authority of the country of origin (accompanied by confirmatory documents of vaccinations, and if appropriate an antibody titration). The certificate should confirm the following:
- identification via a microchip (the device used should be in conformity with the ISO 11784 standard or Annex A to the ISO 11785 standard, otherwise, the owner must have equipment that enables the chip to be read), or a clearly legible tattoo (only permitted during a transitory period – up until 03/07/2011)
- confirmation of a valid anti-rabies vaccination, or revaccination if applicable, carried out when the animal was at least 3 months old, in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturing laboratory, with an inactivated vaccine of at least one antigenic unit per dose (WHO standard).

In relation to certain countries it is also necessary that the certificate confirms a neutralising antibody titration, of at least 0,5 UI/ml. This requirement does not apply to several countries such as Andorra, Canada, USA, the Russian Federation, Japan, Norway and Switzerland, amongst others, and we therefore suggest that you search for further information on this matter from the Directorate General for Veterinary Practices www.dgv.min-agricultura.pt or from http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pets/nocomm_third_en.htm

Circulation of pets 
Portuguese people love animals and often keep cats or dogs in their homes. Nonetheless, animals are not permitted to enter restaurants, shops, supermarkets and certain beaches.

Animals are allowed to enter public transport services provided that they are of good health and hygiene and are transported in clean, well-preserved carrying cases or if they are guide dogs for persons with visual impairments. The transport operator may refuse to transport animals during rush-hour periods and the transport of dangerous or potentially dangerous animals is expressly prohibited.

Source: https://www.visitportugal.com

Official time

During winter time, i.e. from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in October to 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC).

The rest of the year (between 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March and 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in October), summer time is in effect and the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is Universal Time Coordinated plus one hour.

In the Azores, the time is one hour earlier than in the rest of Portugal and therefore one hour earlier than the Universal Time Coordinated during winter time and two hours earlier during summer time.

Money

Currency
Portugal is one of 17 European Union countries whose common official currency is the euro. 
1 euro is divided into 100 cents. The coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros. 
The notes are differentiated by their size and colour and come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. 
One side of the coins has a common design (the European side), and the other side has a national symbol. All euro coins can be used in any euro-zone country, irrespective of which national symbols they display. 

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: 
- Visa: Tel. 800 811 107 
- MasterCard: Tel. 800 811 272

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.

National Emergency Number: 112

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: 218 413 500 
Oporto - Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport - Phone: 229 432 400
Faro - Faro Airport - Phone. 289 800 800
Funchal, Madeira - Funchal Airport - Phone: 291 520 700
Ponta Delgada, Azores - João Paulo II Airport - Phone: 296 205 406

ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, SA is the Portuguese airport authority and provides departure and arrival information on www.ana.pt 

There are several Portuguese airlines offering regular domestic and international flights. 
TAP - Air Portugal (www.tap.pt) 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.
SATA  (www.sata.pt) 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. 

Rail
CP - Comboios de Portugal (www.cp.pt), 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”. 

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.

Underground
The underground is an important addition to the traditional forms of public transport.
In Lisbon and Oporto it operates between 6 a.m. and 1 a.m. 
The Lisbon underground (www.metrolisboa.pt) is the older of the two and reaches a considerable part of the city. Its network has gradually been extended in recent years. Both the oldest and the most recent stations are decorated with panels of tiles by renowned Portuguese artists, making them true underground art galleries.
In Oporto, the underground (www.metro-porto.pt)  is new. There are six lines in operation - blue, red, green, yellow, violet and orange -, and most of their route is above ground.

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, transport by taxi is paid per kilometre, and the passenger is informed of the amount in advance. Where they exist, the passenger has to pay the road tolls there and back. 
Tipping is at the passenger’s discretion, though it is normal to tip 5-10% or round the amount up to the nearest euro.

While planning your trip, you will be able to find information and advice here about access, assistance and accessible transport during your journey and stay in Portugal. Before you travel, we suggest you obtain detailed information about the services you will be using.

ACCOMODATION
In Portugal, you will find a range of accommodation with adapted rooms for people with special needs and some properties also offer fully adapted services and accommodation. However, it would be advisable to contact the establishment directly to obtain information about the facilities available. On the www.visitportugal.com website, the indication “Access for the Disabled” is given in the Characteristics and Services section of properties that are accessible to people with reduced mobility.

MEANS OF TRANSPORT
Public Transport
Public transport vehicles usually have reserved spaces for people with special needs although not all may be accessible to wheelchair users.

In Lisbon, Carris provides a Reduced Mobility Service on its Regular Public Service routes. Most of the buses are fitted with low floors between the entrance and exit doors, and about half are fully accessible to passengers with reduced mobility, offering space for a wheelchair, backrests and an access ramp. More information can be found at www.carris.pt.

In Oporto, the transport operator STCP has a fleet of accessible urban buses and offers buses fitted with a ramp and a reserved space for wheelchairs. All have a low floor and allow a baby buggy to travel without being folded. More information can be found at www.stcp.pt.

Lisbon and Oporto Metros
The Lisbon Metro has stations that are fully accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. Blind passengers may travel with their guide dogs as long as the animal is wearing a collar and muzzle. 
Contacts: Tel. + 351 213 500 115 / relacoes.publicas@metrolisboa.pt / www.metrolisboa.pt
The Oporto Metro is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Contacts: Tel. +351 225 081 000 / metro@metro-porto.pt / www.metrodoporto.pt 

Airports
All Portuguese airports offer toilet facilities and transfers for people with special needs. Additionally, a personalised assistance service called MyWay can be provided on request for passengers with reduced mobility travelling in an EU member state. This service includes mechanical means to aid mobility, escalators and moving walkways, lifts and adequate signage and guidance, as well as staff who are qualified for the purpose and who will ensure that full assistance is provided.
More information can be found at www.ana.pt

Boats
Transtejo and Soflusa, which operate the boats across the River Tagus between Lisbon and the south bank, offer some vessels with facilities for people with special needs. For more information call: + 351 210 422 411 / 808 20 30 50.

Trains
The Portuguese railway operator, CP-Comboios de Portugal, offers a service called SIM, short for Integrated Mobility Service in Portuguese, and which can be contacted by calling + 351 808 208 746 between 7 am and 6 pm. The service allows Special Needs Customers to obtain information about accessibility on board trains and at stations as well as assistance during their journey and when boarding and alighting, among other provisions.
Fertagus, which serves the Greater Lisbon area, has carriages suitable for use by wheelchair passengers. At most railway stations, platforms can be accessed by lift and/or ramps. Contact: Tel. +351 707 127 127.

Taxis
Taxis adapted for use by passengers with reduced mobility operate in a number of Portuguese cities, including Lisbon, Faro and Oporto. The new taxis adapted to carry passengers with reduced mobility are fitted with boarding platforms, adapted seatbelts, devices to secure wheelchairs and a door with a wider opening angle. They can be found at airport taxi ranks or on request by telephoning the relevant dispatcher. Contacts can be found at www.antral.pt.

DRIVING
In Portugal, the driving regulations for disabled persons relate solely to their physical and mental fitness and may result in restrictions or adaptations that must be mentioned in the driving licence.
Disabled persons with a driving licence that is valid in Portugal may drive vehicles provided that they comply with the restrictions or adaptations relating to their situation.
Parking cards for people with disabilities, based on the standardised Community model and issued by any of the Member States, are recognised in Portugal. The spaces reserved for this purpose are clearly signposted. Parking is permitted in other places, in situations of absolute necessity, provided that this is only for short periods of time and does not interfere with the normal and free circulation of pedestrians and vehicles.

ACCESSIBLE BEACHES
194 bathing zones – maritime and river beaches – are accessible for persons with restricted mobility. These beaches are identified with a white flag, including the respective symbol, and have reserved parking areas, pedestrian access, beach walkways and adapted toilet facilities. Several beaches also have equipment items that facilitate access to the sea, thus enabling persons with restricted mobility to go swimming, although assistance of another person is always required.

For matters relating to accessibility in Portugal, please contact:

Portugal Acessível / Associação Salvador
Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 14, 9º 1050-121 Lisboa
Tel: +351 21 318 48 51 - Fax: +351 21 357 22 60
www.portugalacessivel.com - info@portugalacessivel.com

For more information please contact: info.visit@turismodeportugal.pt.

Before travelling, consult the indicated average prices of certain products and services, in order to gain an idea of the cost of living in Portugal.

Transport

Trains
The journey between Lisbon and Oporto on the Alfa Pendular train (the fastest and most comfortable train) may vary between €30,30 and €42,40 (2nd or 1st class) and on InterCity trains the price varies between €24,30 and €35.90.
From Lisbon to Faro the fare is between €22,20 and €29.80 on the Alfa Pendular train and between €21 and €27.80 on the InterCity train.
If you want to visit the sights on the outskirts of the capital, train tickets cost €1.25 from Cais Sodré to Belém or from Rossio to Queluz-Belas, €1.55 from Alcântara to Oriente, and €2.15 from Lisbon to either Sintra or Cascais.
www.cp.pt 

Express coaches
There are regular connections between the main Portuguese cities.  The journey between Lisbon and Oporto may cost around €19, between Lisbon and Faro, €20, between Faro and Oporto €31 and between Lisbon and Coimbra €14,50.
www.rede-expressos.pt 

Taxis
In the urban service, the minimum charge (initial price) during the daytime is €3,25 and €3.90 at nighttime, weekends and public holidays. The final fare will be determined in function of the distance travelled and the time.
Ordering a radio taxi results in an additional cost of €0.80 and transport of luggage requiring use of a roof rack or car boot implies a supplement of €1.60.
For transport outside urban areas, the service is paid on a per kilometre basis, and the cost of the return journey is also calculated, regardless of whether or not the passenger makes the return trip.  Normally the price is informed at the start of the trip.

Driving

Vehicles drive on the right in Portugal. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and at intersections. At junctions with roundabouts, vehicles already on the roundabout have right of way.
Road signs comply with international rules.

Compulsory papers: 
- Personal ID
- Driving licence
- Motor insurance certificate
- Vehicle registration or equivalent
- Vehicle logbook (livrete)or equivalent

On the spot fines are issued.

Speed limits for cars without trailers and motorcycles:
  50 kph - in built-up areas
  90 kph - on normal roads
100 kph - on roads restricted to motor vehicles
120 kph - on motorways

All occupants must wear seat belts.

The Portuguese Highway Code forbids the use of mobile phones while driving, unless you’re using hands-free equipment or an earphone.

Driving for disabled persons

In Portugal, the driving regulations for disabled persons relate solely to their physical and mental fitness and may result in restrictions or adaptations that must be mentioned in the driving licence.
Disabled persons with a driving licence that is valid in Portugal may drive vehicles provided that they comply with the restrictions or adaptations relating to their situation.
Parking cards for people with disabilities, based on the standardised Community model and issued by any of the Member States, are recognised in Portugal. The spaces reserved for this purpose are clearly signposted. Parking is permitted in other places, in situations of absolute necessity, provided that this is only for short periods of time and does not interfere with the normal and free circulation of pedestrians and vehicles.

Alcohol, drinking and driving
It is against the law to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 grams per litre or more.
- A blood alcohol level between 0,5 g/l and 0,8 g/l is considered a serious offence, and it is sanctioned with a driving inhibition between 1 month and a 1 year and a fee payment of an amount from 250 up to 1.250 euros. 
- A blood alcohol level between 0,8g/l and 1,2g/l is a very serious offence, sanctioned with a period of driving inhibition between 2 months and 2 years and the a fee payment of an amount from 1.250 up to 2.500 euros.  
- A blood alcohol level of 1,2g/l or more is considered a crime, that can be punished with imprisonment up to 1 year or fee penalty up to 120 days, and driving inhibition between 3 months and 3 years.

Car rentals
There are car rental services at airports, international rail terminuses and in the main towns and cities. 
Drivers with mobility difficulties, or anyone who prefers to, can rent automatic or adapted vehicles. 
To rent a car you must: 
- be at least between 21 and 25 years old, depending on the company’s rental policy 
- show identification (identity card for EU citizens or a valid passport for other nationalities) 
- have had a driving licence for more than one year