LIIIVING IN PORTUGAL

HEALTH

In Portugal, the provision of health care by official services is organized by the National Health Service. Alongside this, there are private health institutions and professional practices. The hospital network is made up of modern, fully-equipped units spread across the country and with long-standing partnerships with the main international and national insurance companies. The hospitals have implemented personalized patient care and follow-up services, always available in English. 

In addition, there is also an Integrated Medical Emergency System, which guarantees victims of accidents or sudden illness prompt and highly effective health care. The Portuguese health system is in 12th place in the World Health Organization's ranking, where the average time taken to answer the emergency telephone line is 7 seconds.

To know:

1. Citizens of one of the 27 countries of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, have access to health care either with cushioned costs or even free of charge.
2. Foreign citizens with a residence permit in Portugal must be registered at a Health Center and hold a Cartão do Utente.

EDUCATION

Em Portugal, o sistema de ensino pode ser público ou privado. O sistema de ensino português está bem cotado a nível mundial, nomeadamente em universidades como a Nova, a Católica e a do Porto.

Para além disso, as Escolas Internacionais espalhadas pelo país, frequentadas por alunos portugueses e estrangeiros, ensinam através de programas internacionais como o “International Baccalaureate (IB) program”, ou os “British GCSE and GCE examination systems”, por exemplo.

MEANS OF TRANSPORT

Driving: Traffic signs comply with international standards and the use of seat belts is always compulsory. Traffic starts in the right-hand lane, with priority given to vehicles on the right at squares, crossroads and junctions, unless otherwise signaled.

People with disabilities: The rules on driving for people with disabilities refer to their physical and mental fitness, and may be subject to adaptations or restrictions which will be stated on the driving license. Community model parking cards issued by any of the member states are recognized.

Car rental: Driverless car rental services are available at the main transportation hubs, such as airports and international railway terminal stations.

Public Transport Network: Information on public transport is available at www.transpor.pt .

Air transport: There are 11 international airports in Portugal, offering service and comfort, with regular connections to all European countries, as well as high levels of security. Connections go to the main countries in America and Africa, operated by the main flag carriers, full service and low cost companies.
     

           ► Porto airport, one of the world's main hubs for the Ryanair network, offers daily scheduled and low-cost connections to the main European capitals.

           ► Lisbon airport, the country's main airport, offers daily connections to all European capitals and intercontinental flights to the United States, Africa and Brazil. Of particular note is the recent direct flight to Dubai with fast connections to the whole of Asia. It also provides a fast and frequent connection to all the other Portuguese airports, namely Madeira and the Azores.

           ► Funchal airport also has regular direct connections to the main European countries.

           ► Faro airport stands out for its low-cost connections to the main European markets, especially the UK, Germany and Ireland. It is the most accessible gateway to the Algarve.

Parte da informação aqui representada é suportada pelo sítio http://www.livinginportugal.com/ do Turismo de Portugal.