Advice for fans travelling to Portugal for Liverpool FC’s match with FC Porto on Wednesday 17 April 2019.



Date: Wednesday 17 April 2019

Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto

Kick off time: 8:00pm (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. If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the rules for travel to most EU countries will change. If your passport was issued over 9 years ago, you may be affected. You should use this tool to check 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 documentonline; 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; an emergency travel document is only valid for travel back to the United Kingdom and currently costs £100
  • 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. If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, your EHIC will no longer be valid. Though the Portuguese government has said British visitors will continue to have access to public healthcare, it’s important to take out comprehensive travel insurance

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. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you are driving through France and Spain to reach Portugal, you may also need an international driving permit (IDP) for these countries. You do not need an IDP for Portugal. In addition, if there is no EU Exit deal, you may need to carry a motor insurance Green Card
  • 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
  • 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

At the match

  • Liverpool 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 - doors will open at 6:30pm
  • 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 will be kept behind for between 30 to 45 minutes after the match to allow the home fans to disperse

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 the beer at home so make allowance for this
  • there’s no time difference between the UK and Portugal