© Eduardo Muniz・Unsplash License

Portugal

Porto

An old river port stacked on the slopes of the Douro. A modern metro and heritage trams share the hills.

Taxis (táxi) and ride-hailing (TVDE)

Taxis run on a nationally fixed meter tariff, Uber and Bolt price freely. The airport, Gaia and Matosinhos lie outside Porto: a ride out switches to a per-km tariff at the boundary; airport pickups are per-km throughout.

Updated 18 days ago

How to ride

  1. 1
    Spot a licensed taxi
    Ride only in a car with a lit roof sign and a meter; if the green light is on you can flag it down in the street.
  2. 2
    Read the fare table on the window
    The tariff sheet is stuck to the rear left window, so you can read it before getting in.
  3. 3
    Check the meter is running
    Make sure the meter is on as you set off; if the driver will not run it, do not stay in the car.
  4. 4
    Book ride-hailing only in the app
    By law Uber and Bolt rides must be booked in the app - never go with a driver who approaches you.
  5. 5
    Ride on the per-km rate outside the urban area
    A ride out of Porto switches from the urban tariff to a per-km one at the boundary; from the airport it is per-km all the way.
  6. 6
    Paying and the receipt
    App rides are paid electronically only; in a taxi always take the receipt when you get out.

Typical costs

How the meter adds up6

Taxi flag fall (bandeirada)
3.25 on weekdays 06:00-21:00, incl. 990 m; 3.90 at night and all day at weekends and holidays, incl. 792 m
3.25〜3.9 EUR ≈ $4–5
Taxi distance rate (per km)
0.53 by day and 0.64 at night and weekends for up to 4 passengers; 0.67 and 0.80 in larger cars
0.53〜0.64 EUR ≈ $0.6–0.7
Taxi waiting time (per hour)
The waiting-time part of the meter, which traffic and stops feed - 16.50 by day, 19.80 at night and weekends
16.5〜19.8 EUR ≈ $19–23
Per-km rate outside the urban area
Airport rides are on this rate throughout; from Porto it starts at the boundary. Assumes an empty return
1.06〜1.27 EUR ≈ $1
Luggage and pet supplements
1.60 each for a bag in the boot or a pet; small items, wheelchairs and guide dogs are free
1.6 EUR ≈ $2
Phone or radio dispatch supplement
Added when a taxi is ordered by phone or radio dispatch; not charged at a rank or when you flag one down
0.8 EUR ≈ $0.9

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

Taxis can be taken at a rank, flagged down or phoned; Uber and Bolt may legally be contracted only by booking in the app.

Payment

Card payment on board Unverified
Some cars take cards or MB Way, but the regulator says only sometimes
App tickets
Uber and Bolt handle booking and payment inside the app
Cash
By law ride-hailing is electronic payment only, so no cash
On board: Cash works in a taxi

Tap for where to get the app

Quick facts

Hours
24 hours, every day
Fares from
3.25 EUR+

Heads-up

  • The taxi fare rules are being replaced - the start is tied to the new TVDE law

    Portugal's taxi tariff is due to be replaced outright; the new rules are already published in the official gazette. They redefine the flag fall as an amount that includes neither time nor distance, charge distance and time together across the whole trip, and abolish the luggage and pet supplements while keeping only the dispatch fee. The start was first set for 19 June 2026, then held after the trade bodies objected, and in the gazette of 31 July 2026 the regulator reset it to the 30th day after the new TVDE law comes into force. That law cleared parliament in July 2026 but had still not been published in early August. So the date is not missing - it is waiting on a trigger, and once the law appears these figures change within a month or two. Check the fare table right before you ride.

  • Never hire a driver who approaches you, and check the meter

    Whether at the airport or in town, do not agree a price on the spot with a driver who comes up to you. Ride-hailing cars may legally be contracted only through the platform and paid only by electronic means, and providing the service outside it is fined 2,000 to 4,500 euros for an individual and 5,000 to 15,000 for a company - the person approaching you is an individual, so it is the first figure that bites. In a taxi, check the meter is running from the start; if the driver will not switch it on, the regulator's own advice is to end the ride and find another taxi. The regulator says reports of illegal touting at airports and of fares charged without the meter have been rising. Failing to start the meter, or breaching the price rules, is an offence carrying a 250 to 750 euro fine for the driver and a possible ban from the profession for repeat offenders.

Timetable

Operating hours 24 hours, every day
Check the official site for the latest times and service status