Tuesday 26 May 2015

Public Transport in Coimbra


This post can be funny… We would like to help you understand the rules of public transport in Coimbra, however it is not so easy. But let’s try!

(All of the information have been taken from the website http://www.smtuc.pt/index.php and from our personal experience)

1)    Prices

When you are planning going by bus everywhere whole month the best option for you is to buy monthly ticket. It costs 22 euros. However if you know that you will take only couple roads the Coimbra Public Transport offers beneficial tickets, perfect for students pocket. Here you have the table with prices:


Number of passages 
Price
(
€)
Price per one  passage (€)
3
2,20
0,73
4
2,50
0,63
5
3,15
0,63
6
3,80
0,63
7
4,40
0,63
8
4,65
0,58
9
5,25
0,58
10
5,80
0,58
11
6,40
0,58

Even you do not plan traveling by bus, it is very good idea to buy one of those offers. The single one-way ticket costs 1,60!!! That is why, we recommend to buy the “yellow card” – just in case. For the first time you have to pay 0,50more for the card, later you can fill it.
Here you have the full table of prices:
2)    Where to buy the tickets?
The single one-way ticket (he expensive one) you can buy from the bus driver. For the monthly and couple-passages tickets there are a lot of places to buy them in Coimbra. Some of them are official shops, some just licensed to sell the tickets.

Here we present you the most common places, where Erasmus students are buying them (they are or in the center either in common places for students):
Name
Where?
Google Maps
Shop Praca de Republica
In front of AAC
Shop in Mercado
Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes (Lift in the Market Hall D. Pedro V)
Shop Polis
Av. Emídio Navarro (Park Dr. Manuel Braga)        
Dolce Vita
Shopping Center Dolce Vita
Forum Coimbra
Shopping Center Forum Coimbra
Tabacaria Triunfo
Rua do Brasil, nº 233
Quiosque Sousa
Largo da Portagem


Here you have the full list of Local Authorized Sale:


3)    The network
To find proper bus you need to study the map. In Coimbra the buses are making loops.
Here you have the map for buses:
4)    Timetables
And here is the trick of timetables… Maybe you know, maybe you don’t know, but in Portugal nobody is in hurry. It is the same with buses! There are official timetables, however from the personal experience we can tell you, that in practice you are going for the bus stop and you are waiting until the bus come. That’s it! Fortunately, some of the buses come very often, so it is not a problem.
Despite of our personal opinion, here you can check the timetables:
5)    Mobile App
Coimbra is one of the oldest cities in the world… However it is quite modern right now! From this website you can download the mobile app for your phone or tablet to be still informed

Basic Tips

This time when you come to Coimbra, you are as much happy as exhausted. You have to find new place to live, meet new people, take care about your budget, cook for yourself… All those basic stuff may be cover the main idea of international exchange – to develop yourself, to meet new culture, to enjoy your time in here!

 
That is why we have prepared some basic stuff for you: thing you cannot know because you have never lived in Portugal. So let's start!

 

1. Don’t be in hurry – in Portugal nobody is! Really!





2. When you meet somebody, you always give TWO kisses :*:*




3. When you order coffee in café without clarification – you will get espresso.




 

4. Praça da República is the most important place to know – it is the landmark in Coimbra.



 5. Do you want to experience the most crazy week in your life? Wait for QUEIMA DAS FITAS  in May – whole Coimbra is celebrating for 9 days, without classes!




6. Girls, do not take high hills – you will never wear them in here - believe us!



 

7. Do you like to climb? No? So you will have to like it –Coimbra is a very mountainous city.



 

8. Coimbra is not a big city, however it has three shopping centers – Forum Coimbra, Dolce Vita and Coimbra Shopping.






 

9. Don’t you know what to eat firstly in here? We propose: pastel de nata – something sweet, francesinha – something what makes you full, and bacalhau – fish made for 100 ways. But remember – you have to try them in restaurant!

 


Bacalhau

Francesinha

Pastel de Nata

 10. Do you want to go for a beach? Go to Figueira da Foz – It is one hour by train, costs only 2,65!


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