Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport and the Porto de Leixões Cruise Terminal, both international award winners, are the two main gateways for international tourists visiting the city. Porto International Airport is the fastest-growing airport in Portugal and the country’s second-largest. In 2023, the airport reached an all-time record with over 15 millions passengers and is currently connected to more than 106 direct destinations, through 30 airlines. The Cruise Terminal, a magnificent architectural project, handled 116 cruise ships in 2023 that brought about 150,000 passengers to the region, making it the best year ever for cruise ship operations in Leixões.
Circulation within the Porto metropolitan area, is ensured by a modern multimodal transport system. The Porto Metro has six lines with a total of 82 stations. It was designed by local Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Souto Moura. The city is expanding the system through a €772 million project, co-funded by NextGenEU, which includes constructing two new lines and 15 stations, making it the largest in the country. The Metro and the urban bus network, allow commuters to easily reach any part of the city using the same ANDANTE travel card.
Porto’s public transport system also includes the Campanhã Intermodal Terminal, designed to improve connectivity between different modes of transportation, making it easier for people to travel to and from the city on both short and long-distance trips.
The tram, the city’s first form of collective transport, which is 150 years old – also remains in operation, with three different routes through the most characteristic areas. It is an ex-libris of the city, much sought after by visitors, looking to enjoy a unique experience.
Pedestrian mobility and cycling networks are also part of Porto’s sustainable accessibility strategy. The main tourist attractions, traditional commerce, restaurants, bars and nightlife, are easily accessible on foot. Car traffic and parking have been gradually limited in the historical centre, creating pedestrian-only areas. The Guindais Funicular, the Lada Elevator and the Miragaia Mechanised Stairs guarantee the connection between the territory’s high and low altitude areas. The cycling network is around 55 km, and the city offers 210 bicycle and scooter-sharing points.
Pedestrian routes have been upgraded by inserting ramps and tactile paving, removing obstacles, widening pavements and lowering crossings. Several pedestrian traffic lights have audible warning devices and countdown timers. In addition, the metro system has 100% accessible vehicles and stations with adapted equipment and lifts. Guide dogs, wheelchairs, bicycles and leisure equipment are permitted. Urban buses have low floor design and can accommodate one occupied child stroller; 66% of buses have a ramp and one wheelchair place. Trains have two Type A intermodal stations – suitable for people with mobility impairments.
Natural resources are also accessible. All beaches have been awarded the Blue flag and two of them are certified “Accessible Beaches“, with specific paths, appropriate signage, parking spaces for people with reduced mobility, an emergency station and adapted toilets. They also have an amphibious chair to provide access to the water, free of charge, throughout the bathing season.
It is also a priority to ensure the removal of barriers (physical, economic, social, and linguistic) in cultural facilities. The City Council is currently undertaking a project in partnership with Accessible Portugal, to improve accessibility to museums, churches, gardens and historical monuments. More than 50 tourist sites in the city of Porto have been identified and the accessibility features and needs. Materials such as audio guides or Braille routes will be created, along with a guide called “Porto for Everyone”, which will identify accessible tourist points of interest.
The city is implementing a multimodal system that embraces five terminals, already constructed or refurbished, to provide a more efficient and sustainable public transport network. This will contribute to decarbonising and removing road transport from the city centre.
The construction of the Campanhã Intermodal Terminal (TIC) created an important hub of transport connections, with a significant impact on the city and the region. It is the first terminal in the country to connect every mode of transportation simply and effectively, rapidly becoming the centre of departures and arrivals in Porto and the North Portugal Region.
This facility, with a total gross construction area of around 24 thousand square meters, includes utility areas, a car park, a truck terminal, service station, “kiss & ride” stops, a bicycle park and a taxi park. Also noteworthy is the new green park created as part of the terminal’s construction, comprising a garden area with a total of 4.6 hectares, which will accommodate the most extensive green coverage in the eastern zone of the city.
The Campanhã Intermodal Terminal (TIC) celebrated its first year of activity in July 2023. It registered more than five million passengers (July 2022 to June 2023), distributed between 630 timetable slots, 11 operators and 58 final destinations.
Furthermore, the refurbished transport terminals of Camélias, in Batalha, and Asprela, which include the interfaces of Hospital de São João and Polo Universitário, will also contribute to reducing the volume of bus traffic in the centre of Porto, a crucial step towards the city’s decarbonisation.
With the intention of increasing the digital accessibility of the transport network, Porto City Council launched the website terminais.porto.pt for the city’s bus terminals and public transport interfaces. The user-friendly website provides real-time information for each terminal (Campanhã Intermodal Terminal, Boavista Intermodal Hub, Asprela Intermodal Hub, Parque das Camélias Terminal and Dragão Interface). The website complies with accessibility standards and is prepared for different platforms: PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.
In parallel, Explore Porto, the council’s web app, designed to boost mobility and tourism in the city, has nearly 400,000 users and two million sessions, and the aim is to extend its functionalities. As part of Explore Porto’s redesign, an experimental project is being implemented to install real-time information screens at some bus stops. The information on the screens will be transposed into an audio system, with the support of ACAPO – the Portuguese Association of Blind and Partially Sighted Persons.
Furthermore, as part of a “Cooperative Streets” pilot project (urban traffic monitoring), variable message signs (VMS) were installed in the city, to provide information on traffic and travel time information; real-time parking occupancy; road safety campaigns; scheduled road changes due to road works; or events and unscheduled road changes such as traffic closures due to accidents or breakdowns.
The city of Porto has two beaches that hold “Accessible Beach – Beach for Everyone!” awards – Homem do Leme and Carneiro beaches.
The various services and infrastructures available include adapted sanitary facilities, beach access with ramps and handrails, the existence of amphibious equipment to support bathing for disabled persons, a support service for beach use provided by the Porto Fire Brigade and parking spaces closer to the beach.
Porto City Council, aware of the importance of promoting the inclusion and integration of all citizens in enjoying the beaches, decided also to implement the ColorADD colour identification system on beach flags and selective waste collection containers.
The City Council aims to develop and promote the city as an accessible destination for everyone, starting with assessing accessibility in the tourism sector, through the Tour4all project, in partnership with Accessible Portugal.
More than 50 tourist sites have been identified in the city of Porto, from among museums, churches, gardens and historical monuments. These sites are being assessed in 2024 to understand their existing accessibility features and identify services that can be improved. Following this phase, materials such as audio guides or Braille routes will be created, along with a more general guide called “Porto for Everyone”, which will identify accessible tourist points of interest. This guide will be available in physical format at tourist information offices, hotels and museums, as well as online. This initiative will have a positive impact on the way visitors plan their trips, on the assessment and fitness of agents in the sector and on the more personalised and inclusive way in which they can manage their resources and businesses.
