FC Porto v Rangers FC travel advice

Date: Thursday 24 October 2019

Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto

Kick off time: 5:55pm (local time)

As well as this advice, check out our travel advice for Portugal

Passports and visas

• you don’t need a visa to travel to Portugal, but your passport should be valid for the period of your stay
• you must show some form of identification if asked by the police or judicial authorities; in most cases, it should be sufficient to carry a photocopy of the data page of your passport, but you can be asked to produce the original document
• if you lose your passport, you can apply for an emergency travel document online; you will have to collect the document from the Consulate in Lisbon or Portimão; travel from Porto to Lisbon takes at least 4 hours and to Portimão at least 8, so remember to factor this in to your travel arrangements
• remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) but also take out travel insurance even if you’re only going for a short period, it could save you a lot of money if you get into difficulties

Getting to the stadium

• the nearest airport to the stadium is Porto
• if you’re arriving at another airport, there are trains and buses to Porto; the main railway station in Porto is Campanhã and the bus station is at Praça de Batalha; domestic flights to Porto from Lisbon and Faro are operated by TAP Air Portugal and Ryanair
• you can reach the city centre from the airport by underground (Metro); to get into the city, take the purple line to Trindade, then the yellow line to Aliados or São Bento; or stay on the purple line to Bolhão or Campo 24 de Agosto
• the stadium has a Metro station (Estádio do Dragão); four lines (green, red, purple and blue) terminate at the stadium; you can buy ticket cards from vending machines in the entrance hall; add as many fares to the card as you think you may need, or just add as you go along; swipe the card before getting on the train to validate your journey; buy one card per person; see Porto Metro’s website for more information
• for information generally on Porto’s public transport system, see Porto’s tourism website
• taxis are beige-coloured or black and green; they’re available at the airport and at taxi ranks around the city; you can flag down taxis in Portugal
• if you’re driving, you should carry your passport, valid UK driving licence, car logbook or rental contract and insurance; the police can fine you on-the-spot if you don’t have these documents
• there are tolls on Portuguese motorways; you can get a fine if you don’t pay toll fees so remember to carry enough cash with you; don’t use the green lanes (VV – Via Verde) at toll pay points; these are for motorists who subscribe to the automatic pay system; some roads in the north of Portugal and in the Algarve have electronic tolls (SCUTs); check how to pay these before you travel

At the match

• Rangers fans will be seated in the upper tier at the north end of the East Stand of the stadium in Sector 47, 48, 49 and 50; (entry by Gates 19 and 20); and Sector 19 (entry by Gate 17)
• access to the stadium can be slow – there will be ticket checks and searches carried out by stewards and/or police on entry to the stadium; to avoid last minute queues get to the stadium in good time
• no alcohol, sharp objects (including umbrellas), air horns or loudspeakers, fireworks or flares, bottles or cans, drums or video cameras in the stadium
• the authorities have the right to breathalyse on entry to the stadium and anyone they consider too drunk may be refused entry
• children under the age of 3 will not be admitted to the stadium
• visiting supporters may be kept behind

Tips

• as in any other city beware of pickpockets and bag snatchers at airports, railway stations, around the town centres and when using public transport; only carry what you need and leave spare cash and valuables in hotel safety deposit box or split it up and carry it in different places
• there’s no time difference between the UK and Portugal

Telephone: +351 21 392 4000 (also for out of hours emergencies)

Office hours: Monday to Friday: 9am to 4.30pm

For more information, please visit British Embassy Lisbon website

Emergency services numbers: 112

Further information