Travelling to Portugal for UEFA Champions League final 2021? Read the guidelines
Advice for fans travelling to Portugal for the 2021 UEFA Champions League final in May.
May 20, London: Match: Saturday 29 May: Manchester City v Chelsea (Porto, 8:00 pm local time). Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Passports and visas
You don’t need a visa to travel to Portugal, but you must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to Portugal. You should check if your passport is still valid for your trip.
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 into your travel arrangements; an emergency travel document is only valid for travel back to the United Kingdom and currently costs £100.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel
All passengers, excluding children up to the age of 2, travelling to or through Portugal in transit, must show a negative RT-PCR test result for SARS/COVID-19 at the time of boarding. The test must have been taken within 72 hours of departure. Your airline is likely to deny boarding if you cannot provide this at check-in. Check with your airline before you travel.
You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test. Make sure you have a COVID-19 test that uses the RT-PCR methodology. Check your test result identifies the type of test taken and gives your name, date of birth, the date and time the sample was collected and the date of the result.
Measures are in place throughout Portugal to control the spread of the virus. You are required to observe the rules on social distancing when in public: Keep a social distance of 2 metres; Use a face covering in enclosed spaces, and outdoors where a distance of 2m cannot be maintained; Wash your hands regularly.
Bars and nightclubs remain closed. It is illegal to drink alcohol outdoors in public places, except for on pavement cafés and restaurants. Alcohol cannot be sold after 9 pm unless it is with a meal.
Getting to Porto
the nearest airport 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 Campo 24 de Agosto
if you’re driving, you should carry your passport, valid UK driving licence, car logbook and insurance or car rental contract; 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);
no drinking and driving and no drugs; it’s illegal; the traffic accident rate is very high; traffic police carry out random spot checks and will test for both alcohol and drugs; the speed limit on Portuguese motorways is 120km/h; don´t get caught speeding on one of the radar cameras
Getting around Porto
You can reach Porto 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.
Taxis are beige-coloured or black and green; they’re available at the airport, rail and bus stations and at taxi ranks around the cities; you can flag down taxis in Portugal.
Getting to the stadium
The Estádio do Dragão in Porto has a Metro station; 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.
At the match
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 supporters 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
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.
If you intend to use the Metro in Porto, remember to buy a ticket card on entry, swipe it before you get on the train and keep it so you can top it up.
Portuguese beer is stronger than regular beer at home so make allowance for this.
There’s no time difference between the UK and Portugal.
Read more from the below TAGS
People also reading-
