Last Update - 17/05/2006
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  USEFUL INFORMATION


  INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRIP

  How to get to Porto

  The city of Porto is easily accessible from abroad. Several airlines offer service to Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport , situated about   12 Km from the City Centre.

  Local Transportation
  From the airport to the hotels, you can take a taxi or use the Aerobus service.
  There are taxis available just outside the airport terminal.
  Taxi fares to the City Centre costs about 15 EUR.
  The Aerobus service, just outside the airport terminal, runs every 30 minutes. The journey to the City Centre costs 2,49 EUR and takes about   40 minutes. Tell the driver the name of your hotel in order he can help you to choose the stop where you should leave.
  If you arrive at Porto by train (Campanhã Railway Station) it is better to take a taxi. The cost is about 8 EUR.
  If you drive from Lisbon to Porto, follow the A1 motorway. The distance between the two cities is 310 Km. Choose the signs "ARRÁBIDA" to   cross the Arrábida bridge and leave the motorway to "Porto Cpo. Alegre" direction. You come to a junction with traffic lights after a few   hundred meters. All the recommended hotels are nearby.

  How to get to the Conference Center
  Map Location of FEUP
  Transportation from hotels to FEUP and to the social events will be available during the conference days.

  Geography
  Portugal is situated at the south-east point of Europe and also includes the Madeira and Azores archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean .
  Mainland Portugal occupies an area of 88,889 km2. It is 218 km wide and 561 km long. It has 832 km of Atlantic coast and a 1,215 km   border with Spain.
  The Azores are situated in the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North America . They have an area of 2,355 km2 and consist of nine   islands - São Miguel and Santa Maria in the Eastern Group, Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial in the Central Group and Flores and   Corvo in the Western Group. It takes about two hours to get from the Azores to mainland Portugal by plane.
  The Madeira Archipelago has an area of 741 km2 and lies in the Atlantic Ocean about 500 km from the African coast and 1,000 Km from the   European continent (1 ½ hours flying time from Lisbon). It consists of the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo.
  Oporto City Map

  Official Time
  During winter time, i.e. from 1 a .m. on the last Sunday in October to 1 a .m. on the last Sunday in March, the official time in mainland   Portugal and Madeira is the Coordinated Universal Time.
  The rest of the year (between 1 a .m. on the last Sunday in March and 1 a .m. on the last Sunday in October), summer time is in effect and   the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is Coordinated Universal Time plus one hour.
  In the Azores, the time is one hour earlier than in the rest of Portugal and therefore one hour earlier than the Coordinated Universal Time   during winter time and two hours earlier during summer time.




  
COMMUNICATIONS


  
Telephones
  In public telephone booths, coins and special cards can be used. They are sold in Portugal Telecom shops, post offices and some kiosks and   news-stands (with a sign indicating this).
  All telephone numbers in Portugal are composed of nine digits. To call from abroad to Portugal, it is necessary to dial the international access   code 00 and the country code 351.
  To call abroad from Portugal, dial 00, the country code, the area code and then the number wanted. The dialling codes of the various   countries are affixed in public telephone booths.

  
Mobile phones
  Portugal is one of the countries with the highest number of mobile phone users. There are three networks providing this service -   TMN, Vodafone and Optimus - with a good national coverage, although there may be some network failures in mountain or beach areas.

  
Internet
  
Internet access is available on payment in some cafés and in numerous post offices that have the Netpost service.
  In various hotels and public facilities, like conference centres and shopping centres, there are duly marked "wireless" areas where it is   possible to access wireless Internet.




  
MONEY

  
  Currency

  Portugal is one of 12 European Union countries whose common official currency is the euro.
  1 euro is divided into 100 cents. The coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros.
  The notes are differentiated by their size and colour and come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros.
  One side of the coins has a common design (the European side), and the other side has a national symbol. All euro coins can be used in any   euro-zone country, irrespective of which national symbols they display.

  
ATMs - Automatic Teller Machines (Multibanco)
  Portugal has a national network of cash machines (ATMs) identified by the symbol MB (Multibanco), from which you can withdraw cash 24   hours a day.

  
Currency Exchange
  
You can exchange money at banks, which are open from 8.30 a .m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week; at bureaux de change; and at   automatic currency exchange machines (these are for currency sale transactions only).

  
Credit cards
  In Portugal, the most commonly used credit cards are: Visa, Visa Electron, American Express, Diners Club, Europay / MasterCard, JCB and   Maestro.
  If your Visa or MasterCard credit card is lost or stolen, contact the following telephone numbers for assistance:
  - Visa: Tel. 800 811 107
  - MasterCard: Tel. 800 811 272




  
SERVICES


  
Car rentals
  There are car rental services at airports, international rail terminuses and in the main towns and cities.
  Drivers with mobility difficulties, or anyone who prefers to, can rent automatic or adapted vehicles.
  To rent a car you must:
  - be at least between 21 and 25 years old, depending on the company's rental policy
  - show identification (identity card for EU citizens or a valid passport for other nationalities)
  - have had a driving licence for more than one year

  
Banks
  Banks are open from 8.30 a .m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week.
  Portugal has a national network of cash machines (ATMs) identified by the symbol MB (Multibanco), from which you can withdraw cash 24   hours a day.

  
Post Offices
  In general, post offices are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 a .m. to 6 p.m.Central and airport offices have extended opening hours and   may be open on Saturdays and in some cases also on Sundays.
  Stamps are sold in post offices and vending-machines in the streets.
  Many post offices have the Netpost service that on payment allows access to personal e-mail and the Internet.
  More detailed information about opening hours and services available at each office can be found on
www.ctt.pt

  
Pharmacies
  In general, pharmacies are open on weekdays between 9am and 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm and on Saturdays between 9am and 1pm.
  They display an illuminated green cross outside when open at night.
  All of them have information posted on the door indicating the nearest pharmacies that are open at night.

  
Shopping
  Traditionally, shops are open from Monday to Friday, from 9 or 10 a .m. to 7 p.m. Some close for lunch from 1 to 3 p.m. On Saturdays from   January to November, shops generally close at 1 p.m. though in city centres some are open in the afternoon.
  Shops tend to stay open on Saturday afternoons and sometimes even on Sundays in December for Christmas shopping.
  There are plenty of shopping centres inside and outside the cities that are usually open from 10 a .m. to midnight every day of the week.   They generally have stores with the main international brands.
  However, traditional shops with Portuguese products can be found particularly in the streets of the older neighbourhoods of towns and cities.




  
USEFULL PHONE NUMBERS


  
Emergencies - The national number for emergencies is 112. It can be dialled at any time of the day or night from anywhere in Portugal.

  
Usefull numbers - http://www.portoturismo.pt/en/informacoes/telefones_uteis.asp

  
Health (hospitals, medical centre, pharmacies) - http://www.portoturismo.pt/en/informacoes/template.asp?id=1128




  
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
  1 cm = 0.39 inches
  1 metre = 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
  1km = 0.62 miles
  1 litre = 0.26 gallons (USA) / 0.22 gallons (UK)
  1 inch = 2.54 cm
  1 foot = 0.39 metres
  1 yard = 0.91 metres
  1 mile = 1.6 km
  1 gallon (USA) = 3.78 litres
  1 gallon (UK) = 4.54 litres




  
ELECTRICITY
  The electric current in Portugal is 230/400 volts at a frequency of 50 hertz and sockets comply with European standards.
  You will need a 230 volt transformer and an adaptor to use American-style flat-prong plugs.




  
DRIVING

  Vehicles drive on the right in Portugal.
  Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and at intersections.
  At junctions with roundabouts, vehicles already on the roundabout have right of way.
  Road signs comply with international rules.

  Compulsory papers:
  - Personal ID
  - Driving licence
  - Motor insurance certificate
  - Vehicle registration or equivalent
  - Vehicle logbook (livrete)or equivalent

  On the spot fines are issued.
  Speed limits for cars without trailers and motorcycles:
  50 kph - in built-up areas
  90 kph - on normal roads
  100 kph - on roads restricted to motor vehicles
  120 kph - on motorways

  It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 grams per litre or more.
  All occupants must wear seat belts.
  (More information : http://www.visitportugal.com)