Porto's old riverside district and the port-lodge quarter of Vila Nova de Gaia face each other across the Douro, close to the Luís I bridge. Since July 2026 Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto (TMP), the metropolitan transport authority, has run a scheduled boat between Cais da Ribeira on the Porto bank and Cais de Gaia on the south bank. It leaves each side every 30 minutes, and TMP puts the crossing at roughly seven minutes.
Because it is part of the Andante network, a valid Andante pass or occasional ticket for the right zones covers the trip. Visitors without one can pay the crew: €3.00 for a single or €5.00 for a return, and the return is only good on the day you buy it.
Weekday service starts at 07:30 from Ribeira, weekends at 09:30. On Fridays and Saturdays the last boat leaves Ribeira at 22:00; on other days it is 20:00.
When the first and last boats leave each bank
Departures from Cais da Ribeira
- 07:30
- 20:00
Departures from Cais de Gaia
- 07:45
- 19:45
Departures from Cais da Ribeira
- 07:30
- 22:00
Departures from Cais de Gaia
- 07:45
- 21:45
Departures from Cais da Ribeira
- 09:30
- 22:00
Departures from Cais de Gaia
- 09:45
- 21:45
Departures from Cais da Ribeira
- 09:30
- 20:00
Departures from Cais de Gaia
- 09:45
- 19:45
TMP timetable in force since July 2026, no end date published · checked 30 October 2026 TMP / Andante – new river crossings (notice of 21 July 2026, in Portuguese) · 2026-10-30
Andante card or a €3 ticket from the crew
If you are already using Porto's metro or buses on an Andante card, the boat is simply another leg of the journey: TMP accepts passes and occasional tickets valid for the zones concerned. The notice does not say which zone each quay sits in, so we do not tell you which ticket to load.
Without Andante, buy from the crew on board. The €5.00 return is a same-day ticket, handy if you cross to the Gaia side for the afternoon and come back the same evening.
| Single | €3 |
| Return, valid on the day of purchase only | €5 |
On-board fares published by TMP in July 2026, unchanged on 30 October 2026 TMP / Andante – 'Viaje com o Andante' (notice of 21 July 2026) · 2026-10-30
Finding the boat on each bank
TMP's notice refers to the stops simply as Cais da Ribeira and Cais de Gaia and mentions no ticket office on land: if you have no Andante ticket, you pay on the boat.
Cais da Ribeira
On the Porto side TMP names Cais da Ribeira, the riverside promenade below the old town, but not the exact pontoon. Sightseeing cruises with their own tickets also tie up along this waterfront, so ask the crew whether you are boarding TMP's crossing, the one that takes Andante. The first boat from here is at 07:30 on weekdays and 09:30 at weekends.
Cais de Gaia
The boat lands on Cais de Gaia, the south-bank promenade in Santa Marinha parish. Again, TMP gives the quay rather than a pontoon. Boats back to Porto start at 07:45 on weekdays and 09:45 at weekends; the last one is at 19:45, or 21:45 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Two riverfronts a few minutes apart
The pins mark Cais da Ribeira in Porto and Cais de Gaia in Vila Nova de Gaia, either side of the Douro near the Luís I bridge. TMP only names the quays, so each pin sits on the quay rather than on a particular pontoon. TMP gives the crossing time as about seven minutes.
Tips for visitors
- Late boats at the end of the week
On Fridays and Saturdays the last departures are 22:00 from Ribeira and 21:45 from Gaia; on other evenings, 20:00 and 19:45.
- Foot passengers only
TMP's notice talks only about passengers and tickets: this is not a car ferry, and a hire car stays on its own side of the river.
- Public holidays
TMP has published nothing about holiday running, for example on 1 November (a Sunday this year) or 8 December (a Tuesday). The Andante helpline is 226 158 151.
- Luggage, bikes and wheelchairs
TMP has not published rules on bicycles or large luggage, or any accessibility details for this boat. Ask the helpline before you go if you need to know.
- Keep the return ticket
The €5.00 return is only valid on the day you buy it, so it will not cover a crossing back the following morning.
Meant to run all year
When the two Douro crossings opened in July, Gaia city council called them a permanent arrangement and said it expected to run them all year round. It also said passenger numbers and feedback would be reviewed so that, within six months, a decision could be taken on putting the service out to international tender. As of 30 October 2026 neither TMP nor the council had published a winter timetable or an end date for the Ribeira boat.
TMP runs a second river boat further downstream, near the mouth of the Douro, between Cais do Ouro and São Pedro da Afurada, with the same ticket rules. It has its own page: Cais do Ouro – Afurada boat.
Visitors' questions about the Ribeira boat
How often does the Ribeira–Gaia boat run?
Every 30 minutes from each side, between the first and the last boat of the day. TMP does not publish a full timetable.
When is the first boat from Porto?
07:30 Monday to Friday and 09:30 on Saturdays and Sundays, from Cais da Ribeira.
What time is the last boat back to Porto from Gaia?
19:45 Monday to Thursday and on Sundays; 21:45 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Can I use my Andante card?
Yes. Passes and occasional tickets valid for the relevant zones are accepted. TMP's notice does not say which zones the quays are in.
How much is a ticket if I don't have Andante?
€3.00 for a single and €5.00 for a return, both bought on board. The return is valid on the day of purchase only.
Is this the same as the six-bridges cruises?
No. It is a short public crossing run by Porto's transport authority, priced as a ticket rather than a tour.
Is there a similar boat to Afurada?
Yes, from Cais do Ouro, further downstream. See the Cais do Ouro – Afurada boat.