GovWire

Advice for fans travelling to Portugal for Leicester Citys match with FC Porto on 7 December

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

Passports and visas

• you dont need a visa to travel to Portugal, but your passport should be valid for the period of your stay
• remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) but also take out travel insurance; even if youre only going for one night, it could save you a lot of money if you get into difficulties

• 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, the British Consulate in Lisbon can issue an emergency travel document, subject to background checks and confirmation of ID; this is only valid for travel back to the United Kingdom and currently costs 115 (approx 100); travel from Porto to Lisbon to get an emergency travel document takes at least 4 hours so remember to factor this in to your travel arrangements

Getting to the stadium

• the nearest airport to the stadium is Porto

• if youre arriving at another airport, there are trains and buses to Porto; the main railway station in Porto is Campanh and the bus station is at Praa 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 So Bento; or stay on the purple line to Bolho or Campo 24 de Agosto

• the stadium has a Metro station (Estdio do Drago); 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 Metros website for more information
• for information generally on Portos public transport system, see Portos tourism website
• taxis are beige-coloured or black and green; theyre available at the airport and at taxi ranks around the city; you can flag down taxis in Portugal
• if youre hiring a car, you should carry your passport, valid UK driving licence and rental contract; the police can fine you on-the-spot if you dont have these documents
• there are tolls on Portuguese motorways; you can get a heavy fine if you dont pay toll fees so remember to carry enough cash with you; dont 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 unmanned tolls (SCUTs); check what arrangements the car hire company has to enable you to use these
• no drinking and driving and no drugs; its 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; dont get caught speeding on one of the radar cameras

At the match

• Leicester City fans will be seated in the upper tier at the north end of the East Stand of the stadium (Areas 47, 49 and 50); entry will be by Gates 19 and 20; entry for disabled fans will be by Gate 22
• 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 6:15pm
• 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
• visiting supporters will be kept behind for around 20 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 centre 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, 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
• its illegal to urinate in public; find a public toilet or walk in to one of the many cafs or fast-food restaurants

• Portuguese beer is stronger than the beer at home so make allowance for this

• theres no time difference between the UK and Portugal

Contact the British Embassy in Lisbon

For more information please visit British Embassy Lisbon website

Facebook: Brits in Portugal

Emergency services numbers

112

Further information

• information on visiting Portugal (including transport links and interactive map): http://www.visitportugal.com/Cultures/en-US/default.html

• Porto Tourist information:http://www.visitporto.travel/Visitar/Paginas/Default.aspx
• FC Porto: http://www.fcporto.pt/en/Pages/fc-porto.aspx
• Leicester City Football Club: http://www.lcfc.com/

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