Porto Public Transport: Metro, Trams and the Andante Card

Porto is compact enough to walk, but its hills are steep, and the metro, historic trams and cable car can save your legs. Here’s how to get around Porto by public transport, and how the Andante ticket system works.

Quick answer: buy a rechargeable Andante card and load single trips or a day pass for the metro and STCP buses. Metro line E runs from the airport to the centre (Trindade) in about 27 minutes. Ride historic tram 1 along the river to Foz and the Gaia cable car (the Guindais funicular has been suspended since July 2026). Most of the centre is walkable.

New to Uber? Sign up with our Uber invite link and new riders get money off their first trips (the current offer shows in the app when you join). It only works for new accounts.

Do you need public transport?

For the historic centre, mostly not. The Ribeira, São Bento, Clérigos, the cathedral and the Gaia port cellars are all within about 20 minutes’ walk of each other. You will want transport for the airport, the beaches at Foz and Matosinhos, Serralves, the main train station at Campanhã, and for climbing back up from the river at the end of the day.

The Andante card

• What it is: Porto’s rechargeable transport card, valid on the metro, STCP buses and CP suburban trains within the network. The blue card costs about €0.60.
• Zones: fares depend on how many zones you travel through. Most trips around central Porto need a Z2 ticket, which costs about €1.40. The airport is further out and needs a Z4 ticket, about €2.30.
• How to use it: buy and top up at metro station machines, then validate (tap) every time you board, including when changing lines. A trip lets you change within a time limit (one hour for Z2), so you don’t pay twice for one journey.
• One card per person: you can’t share a card on the same journey.
• Day passes: you can load a 24-hour ticket for your zones (about €5.15 for Z2). The Andante Tour covers all zones for 24 hours (about €7.75) or 72 hours (about €16.55); buy it at Andante shops, not the machines. Worth it if you’ll ride several times a day. The old Porto Card tourist pass was reported suspended in July 2026, so plan on Andante tickets.

Prices change every year, so check the machine before you buy.

The metro

• Six lines (A–F), mostly above ground outside the centre. Trains run from early morning until around 1am.
• Line E (violet): airport to Trindade in about 27 minutes. See Porto airport to the city centre.
• Line D (yellow): crosses the top deck of the D. Luís I bridge to Gaia (Jardim do Morro), and runs through the centre via São Bento and Trindade.
• Line A (blue): to Matosinhos for the beach and fish restaurants, and the cruise terminal.
• Trindade: the main interchange in the centre, where most lines meet.
• Works: two new lines are under construction. The Rosa line (São Bento to Casa da Música) is due to open to passengers around spring 2027 after testing. The Rubi line to Gaia, with a new bridge, has slipped to around mid-2028. Expect some road closures and diversions until then.

Historic trams

• Tram 1: along the river from the Ribeira (near the Igreja de São Francisco) to Foz, where the river meets the sea. The most scenic ride, about 25 minutes each way. Sit on the left heading to Foz for river views.
• Tram 22: a 30-minute loop around the centre between Carmo and Batalha, back in service since 1 August 2026 after nearly five years off the rails.
• Tram 18: since July 2026 runs from Carmo in the centre down past the Tram Museum in Massarelos and along the river to Passeio Alegre in Foz. See our Porto trams guide.
• Tickets: trams cost more than the metro and don’t take Andante single tickets. A single is about €6 (€3.50 for children aged 4 to 12) and a same-day two-trip ticket about €8, paid on board (bank cards accepted); a two-day ticket for all three lines costs €12 (€6 for children).

Tram 1 gets very busy in summer, so board at the terminus and go early.

Funicular and cable car

• Funicular dos Guindais: from the Ribeira up to Batalha, near the cathedral. It has been suspended since July 2026, so plan to walk or use another route; check for news of its reopening.
• Teleférico de Gaia: a short cable car from the Gaia riverside up to the Jardim do Morro, by the metro station and the top deck of the bridge. It needs its own ticket, not Andante: about €7 one way or €10 return in 2026.

Buses, taxis and Uber

• STCP buses cover the whole city (Andante valid), including the beaches at Foz and the Serralves museum. Night buses run when the metro stops.
• Metrobus: since 2026, hydrogen buses run on their own lane along Avenida da Boavista from Casa da Música to Praça do Império, near the sea, in about 12 minutes. An extension to the Anémona roundabout by Matosinhos beach is being built.
• Uber and Bolt are widely used and good value. See Uber vs Bolt vs taxi.
• Taxis are metered and easy to find at ranks near stations. Since 2026 there is no luggage supplement.

Trains

São Bento station (in the centre) serves suburban and regional trains to Braga, Guimarães, Aveiro and the Douro. Campanhã is the main station for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains to Lisbon, and suburban trains link it to São Bento in a few minutes. See the Portugal train guide and day trips from Porto by train.

Driving in Porto

A car is more trouble than it’s worth in the centre. The streets are steep and narrow, parking is scarce and expensive, and the lower deck of the Dom Luís I bridge has been closed to private cars since 2023. If you are touring the north by car, park it at your hotel and use the metro.

Accessibility

Metro stations have lifts and step-free platforms, which makes the metro the easiest choice with a pram or wheelchair. Historic trams have high steps, and many old-town streets are steep and cobbled.

Tips

• Walk downhill, ride uphill: Porto is steep.
• Validate every time on the metro; inspectors fine people without a validated ticket.
• Keep your Andante card to top up and reuse.
• Load the right zone: a Z2 ticket won’t get you to the airport.

FAQ

How much does the Andante card cost?

The blue Andante card costs about €0.60, then you load trips onto it. A Z2 trip for central Porto is about €1.40 and a Z4 trip to the airport about €2.30.

How do I get from Porto airport to the centre by public transport?

Take metro line E from the airport station to Trindade, about 27 minutes. Buy an Andante card with a Z4 trip at the machines in the station and validate it before you board.

Can I use Andante on the historic trams?

Not with single Andante tickets or the Andante Tour. Pay on board instead, about €6 for one trip or €8 for two on the same day.

More: things to do in Porto and where to stay in Porto.

See also: parking in Porto, Porto’s hop-on hop-off buses and football in Portugal.

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars, Welcome Pickups, Airalo, Yesim, Saily, Tiqets, Radical Storage, EKTA, AirHelp, Uber). If you book or sign up through them we may earn a small commission or ride credit at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.