Lisbon Portela Airport is the largest airport in Portugal. Due to the ever-growing passenger traffic, the country's authorities had to decide to build a new airport in Alcochete, also part of the Lisbon municipality. It should be noted that most tourists from around the world (including our compatriots) use the Portela air harbor as a connecting point on their way to southern countries or Brazil. Let's take a closer look at this airport today.
Lisbon Airport: scheme, general information
The largest air harbor in Portugal - "Portela" - began its work in October 1942. Today this airport includes three terminals. Two of them are passenger, and one is military (it is called "Figo Maduro"). Portela has two runways 3805 and 2400 meters long. Each one is 45 meters wide.
Lisbon Airport (websitewww.ana.pt) serves more than fifteen million passengers annually, most of whom are in transit. The air harbor is owned by the state company ANA. Portela is also the base for the national Portuguese air carrier, TAP Portugal. TAP carries out the main part of its flights to the countries of Africa and Latin America. Many transit passengers use the Lisbon airport as a transit point on their way to Brazil (most often to Rio de Janeiro), as well as the Azores and Madeira.
Information for transit passengers
If you are planning a flight with a connection at the Portela air harbor, then you should carefully select the schedule and make sure that there is enough time left. So, if you arrived at Lisbon airport from a non-Schengen country for a connection and then intend to go back to a non-Schengen state, you will need to go through passport control and check-in for the next flight again.
If, in the case of your connection, the next flight is operated by Easy Jet, then passengers arriving at the airport will have to not only go through passport control, but also pick up their luggage, leave the air harbor building and arrive by shuttle at Terminal No. 2. Transfer passengers can always get additional information about the necessary actions at the information desks at the airport.
In addition to the listed subtleties, Lisbon airport can be a little inconvenientpassengers whose flights are connected at night. The fact is that from 12 o'clock at night until 6 o'clock in the morning the passage to the transit zone is closed. Accordingly, people do not have access to the shops and cafes located there. Therefore, transfer passengers who find themselves in the Lisbon air harbor at night can only be content with drinks and chocolates from vending machines.
Services
Lisbon Airport has a fairly large area, which made it possible to place many different shops on its territory, including duty-free shops, souvenir shops, as well as shops specializing in the sale of Portuguese wines, cheeses and sausages.
For the youngest travelers there is a playground and slot machines. This will allow passengers with children to keep their children busy while waiting for the next flight.
For mothers with babies on the territory of "Portela" there are rooms for mother and child, where you can feed or swaddle your child in a relaxed atmosphere. Everywhere at the airport, free access to the official website of the air harbor is provided, where you can check information about the flight you are interested in. There is a service and paid access to the Internet. Also on the territory of Portela there are rooms with computers for common use.
Like any other major airport, there are car rentals, travel agencies, restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as bank and post offices. In addition, Portela provides conference room services,business center and VIP lounge.
Lisbon Airport: how to get there
There are three options for getting to the Portela air harbor and getting from it to the city center: taxi, shuttle and bus. We will not consider the taxi option in detail, since it is expensive (on average, the trip will cost you 30 euros).
Buses
Yellow buses No. 22 and Carris minibuses run every half an hour from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the Airport-City Center route. Keep in mind that if you are traveling with heavy luggage, then it simply may not fit in a minibus. If you're not sure which stop you need to get off at, don't worry, Lisbon's public transport has recently introduced displays with information about the next stop and nearby hotels.
Shuttle
The AeroBus shuttle is considered the best option for traveling to or from the airport. Its advantages include regularity, comfort and the presence of large chambers for carrying luggage. Tickets can be purchased directly from the driver. For an adult passenger, you will need to pay 3.5 euros, and for a child aged 4 to 10 years, two euros.
