The Andante Card belongs to the electronic ticketing system used in public transportation in the city of Porto. It is a rechargeable and reusable card that allows users of public transportation to make their trips in a simpler and more practical way.
What is the Andante Card?
The Andante Card is an electronic card that allows users of public transportation in the city to use the metro, buses, and urban trains.
The Andante card is rechargeable and reusable, which means that users can recharge it (but be careful, you can only load tickets of one type) to pay for their trips at any time.
Where can I buy the Andante Card?
You can buy the Andante Card at various sales locations, such as the Tourist Information Desk at the airport, at the Automatic Vending Machines (MVA) at the metro and CP Porto stations, as well as at the Mobility Store of the Porto City Council.
How much does the Andante Card cost?
The Andante Card has an initial cost of €0.60, which corresponds to the value of the card itself and does not include the balance needed to use public transportation. Users can load the card with the desired balance, according to the number of trips they intend to make.
How to recharge the Andante Card?
The Andante Card can be recharged at any authorized sales point, including vending machines, stores, and public transportation stations. Users can also recharge the card online through the official Andante website.
To load the card on a vending machine, users must follow these steps:
- Select the language on the vending machine.
- Insert the Andante card into the card reader.
- Select the amount you want to load onto the card.
- Insert the money into the vending machine.
- The vending machine will confirm the load and display the current balance on the card.
How much do tickets cost?
The price of public transportation tickets in Porto varies according to the zones traveled. The cost of a ticket for 2 zones (Z2) is €1.30, while the ticket for 9 zones (Z9) costs €4.30.
Each ticket allows the use of the system for at least 1 hour, and this travel time increases as more zones are covered. During this time, it is possible to use any operator that is part of the Andante system as many times as desired, within the number of zones purchased.
For example, with a travel pass for 4 zones (Z4), it is possible to validate several times on any Andante operator during 1 hour and 15 minutes. That is, if a second validation is made before 1 hour and 15 minutes have passed since the first one, only one travel pass will be deducted. By validating the second time, for example, at 1 hour and 14 minutes, it is possible to complete the trip to the intended destination.
How to validate tickets?
To use the tickets, users must validate the transport pass on the card readers installed on the vehicles or at public transport stations. Validation is required before each trip.
To validate the Andante Card, users must follow these steps:
- Approach the card to the card reader.
- Wait for the reader to confirm the validation of the card and show the current balance.
If users have difficulty validating the transport pass, they should not be afraid to try again, as a new travel pass will only be deducted after a first validation.
How to check the balance of the Andante Card?
Users can check the available balance on their Andante Card at any time. To do so, simply approach the card to a card reader on a vending machine or at a public transport station. The reader will display the current balance on the card.
In summary, the Andante Card is an electronic ticketing system that allows public transport users in Porto to travel more easily and conveniently. The card is rechargeable and reusable, and can be used on the city’s metro, buses, and urban trains. Users can top up the card at any authorized sales point and check the balance at any time.
Summary and Important Notes:
- It is mandatory to validate your Andante card before starting a journey, every time you change lines or transport and regardless of the type of Andante card you have;
- The Andante card is rechargeable;
- The Andante card is for individual use and cannot be shared with other people;
- As it contains an electronic circuit, it is important to handle the card with care to avoid damage;
- The Andante card allows you to load multiple tickets of the same type at the same time, but tickets can only be for one zone. (Example: 10 tickets Z2);
- It is recommended to load the round trip journey in advance to avoid unforeseen circumstances;
Also see the Andante Tour and Porto Card.
Note: This information does not replace reading the rules of the Andante Line.
