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A red and silver CP suburban train marked S1 Sintra at a station platform on a Lisbon suburban line in Portugal

The 20-Euro Green Rail Pass Arrives on Lisbon and Porto Commuter Trains in the Third Week of September

The Passe Ferroviario Verde extends to CP urban services in both metropolitan areas during European Mobility Week, 16 to 22 September. Rail-only commuters can pay 20 euros instead of the 40 euros a Navegante or Andante costs.

The Portugal Brief 22 Aug 2026

The Banco de Portugal headquarters in Lisbon floodlit at night, its neoclassical facade and corner tower lit against a dark sky

Portugal's Economy Now Carries €894 Billion of Debt, Four Percentage Points More of GDP Than at New Year

A Bank of Portugal note puts household, corporate and public debt at 282.7% of GDP in June, after roughly €40 billion was added in six months. Housing credit drove the €8.2 billion household increase.

The Portugal Brief 21 Aug 2026

A Portuguese Servico de Financas tax office in Praia da Vitoria in the Azores, its name lettered across a cream two-storey building beside the road

The Tax Office Adds Phone Calls to Its Fraud Warning, as the Bank of Portugal Names Two Unlicensed Operators

Criminals are now calling taxpayers and asking them to press a key to fix an IRS 'discrepancy'. The AT only writes from @at.gov.pt, never links to data or payment pages, and only messages those who opted in.

The Portugal Brief 21 Aug 2026

The long pastel Pombaline facade of the Banco de Portugal headquarters on Rua do Comercio in Lisbon, with stone-framed windows, wrought-iron balconies and a ground-floor arcade running the le

Portuguese Savers Cross €50 Billion in State Certificates for the First Time, but the Treasury's Own Product Kept Shrinking in July

Bank of Portugal data put household holdings of state savings certificates at €50.38 billion at the end of July, a first. Aforro certificates took in €767.7 million, their best month in three years; Treasury certificates fell for a 57th straight month despite a new product raising €297.7 million.

The Portugal Brief 20 Aug 2026

A Caixa Geral de Depositos bank branch with its blue sign on the ground floor of white Portuguese apartment blocks in Albufeira, seen from across the road with a bus shelter in front

Interest Now Eats 49.5% of the Average Portuguese Mortgage Payment, and New Borrowers Face €731 a Month

INE's July reading puts the implicit rate on Portuguese housing credit at 3.135%, a second straight monthly rise, with interest taking 49.5% of the average €414 instalment. Loans signed in the last three months average €731 a month, 15.1% more than a year ago.

The Portugal Brief 20 Aug 2026

The dark red and white facade of the Liceu Passos Manuel secondary school in Lisbon, Portugal

Portuguese Families Brace for a €100 to €250 Back-to-School Bill Per Child, and Most Expect Worse Next Year

A ConsumerChoice study finds 43% of parents expect to spend EUR 100 to EUR 250 per child on the return to classes, 83% think it will cost more than last year, and eight in ten will cut restaurants, leisure or holidays to pay for it.

The Portugal Brief 20 Aug 2026

The headquarters of Portugal's Ministry of Finance at Terreiro do Paco in Lisbon

Validating Your Invoices on e-Fatura in Portugal in 2026: A Practical Guide to the Despesas Dedutiveis, the Six Deduction Categories, the February Deadline, and How to Maximise Your IRS Refund

Say yes to 'Contribuinte?' and your invoices become money off your IRS. A guide to the six e-Fatura deduction categories and what each is worth, the general 35%, health 15%, the VAT back on restaurants, vets and transport passes, the global ceiling, and the end-of-February validation deadline.

The Portugal Brief 19 Aug 2026

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