ticu

I see e-gates mentioned in a few Lisbon posts but I am not sure I understand what it is.
I will be going through LIS coming from Canada (Toronto).
Would "e-gates" help in anyway?
Thanks.

fluffymitten

e-gates are common across many airports in Europe. Essentially, if you have a biometric chip built into your passport and you're using a passport from an eligible country, you'll be able to scan your passport at the e-gates and not need to see an immigration officer.

The gates essentially scan your passport, and scan your face, compare the two, check your passport isn't on a watch-list and then (all being well) the gates open and you're granted entry to the country.

Portugal has made e-gates available to US and Canadian passport holders so you may be able to use them : https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...rom-us-canada/

Some countries restrict use of the gates to persons over a certain age. I have noticed 16 years of age in Amsterdam and 12 years of age in the UK, for example. If travelling with children, you may find you all still need to present to an immigration official.

ticu

Thank you.
Now, any idea on how to know if I have a biometric chip in my Canadian passport?

southlondonphil

If you have a symbol like this on your passport you're Golden

Be aware that when using the Non-Schengen e-gates at LIS (i.e. UK. CAN, US, etc.) you're still supposed to get an Entry stamp from the Border Control officer at the kiosk behind the gates before you exit the area

ticu

Thank you. I checked and have that sign on my passport.Actually I will transfer to a flight for Faro but I beleive I still have to do all these e-gates and entry stamp things. The layover is about 4 hours so I'm wondering if there's enough time to go out in town and come back for the other flight in about 2 hours.​​​​​​​Never been to Lisbon so I have no ideea how transfer to the city and back to airport would work. Any recommendations? Thanks.​​​​​​​

Bear96

The airport is very close to the city center but security lines for departing flights can often be long and slow (unless there has been a recent improvement). So it would depend on your personal risk tolerance.

Although Lisbon is a lovely city, personally I wouldn't bother; how much can you do / see in an hour or so? Unless you had something specific in mind.

southlondonphil

Have to concur with the above. For a 4 hour layover I wouldn't bother. It's still likely to take you 30+ minutes to get to downtown and you're going to have to pass through Security when you come back to take your connecting flight, which may involve a lengthy queue if you can't use Fast Track.

LIS is not the greatest of airports to spend time in especially if you don't have status and/or can't get into a lounge but frankly with a 4 hour window it's not going to be that painful and, IMHO, there's absolutely no point in going into the city for the hour or so you could ever spend there. Come back another time for a proper visit.

ticu

Thank you.Is there a way of going from my international flight to my connecting domestic flight airside only? Or I have to exit the terminal and reenter the terminal and do the security screening for my domestic flight?And what is Fast Track, if I may ask?Thanks.

southlondonphil

As you are travelling from a Non-Schengen Area country to a Schengen Area final destination you will arrive at the 'N' Gates (41-47) in Terminal 1 and pass through Immigration at the upper Red icon where you will be stamped as entering Schengen, then go through a Transfer Security line immediately afterwards which lets into the Schengen area of the terminal and the 'S' Gates from where your flight to FAO will depart (owing to the crippling lack of pier space at LIS this is almost inevitably going to be a 'Bus Gate' departure)



Fast Track = Priority line at the main security checkpoint (lower Red icon) for *G and (some?) other premium ticket holders would have potentially been available to get you from the landside Check-In area to the 'S' zone Departures on your return to the airport if you'd gone downtown but per previous messages it's not really recommended.

ticu

Not considering going downtown anymore. Thanks for all the info.

Palal

If you have 4h, you realistically can spend 1-2h either downtown or in Parque das Nações, which is much closer to get some fresh air and have a coffee. As long as you arrive an hour before your flight to Faro, you'll be fine. It takes 30 min to get to downtown, 10 min to get to Oriente. If you don't encounter any delays on arrival, I would consider the trip.

ticu

Thank you. Good to know. I might look into this option on my return flight to Canada when I have a 5 h 30 min layover in LIS. In that situation the question would be how long would it take me to go trough security for the flight from Lisbon to Toronto, i.e. how early should I be back at the airport for the international flight

Palal

If you arrive at 90 minutes before, you'll be perfectly fine for getting to your non-Schengen gate even during the summer peak.
I managed to get to my non-Schengen gate, arriving at T-55 back in Nov.

Adam Smith

One important point about the e-gates in Portugal: Canadians (and perhaps Americans and non-Portuguese EU nationals as well, but certainly Canadians) are only eligible to use them if they entered the Schengen zone in Portugal. If you enter Schengen in, say, Germany, and are exiting at LIS, you won't be able to use the e-gates. This does not appear to be a Schengen issue, but a Portuguese one, as I have definitely used the e-gates at AMS after entering Schengen at CDG.