The Municipality of Espinho marked the occasion with the signing of a collaboration protocol between the Municipal Council and Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto (TMP), as well as the opening of a new Andante desk at the Espinho Municipal Service Desk facilities. With this new service, citizens can now handle matters related to their transport passes locally, from joining the Andante Metropolitan Pass 65+ to issuing, renewing, and loading Andante cards. The initiative facilitates access to public transport and avoids travel to other municipalities, also benefiting students and the general population.
Membership in the Andante Metropolitan Pass 65+ can be done online, through the Municipality's portal at www.espinho.pt, or in person at the new service desk. To formalize the request, interested parties must present their Citizen Card (Cartão de Cidadão), a recent passport-style photograph, and proof of tax residency, as well as the Modelo 3 IRS declaration from the last fiscal year and its corresponding tax assessment notice or, where applicable, a certificate of exemption from filing IRS.
During the ceremony, the president of the Espinho Municipal Council, Jorge Ratola, highlighted the importance of collaboration with TMP and reaffirmed the municipal executive's commitment to improving mobility in the municipality. In his speech, the mayor expressed his expectation of significant uptake from the senior population. At the launch of the measure, the Municipality already registers 271 members, a sign of the interest generated by this initiative.
The opening of the Andante desk and the implementation of the free pass are part of the municipal strategy to promote more accessible and sustainable mobility, bringing services closer to citizens and helping to reduce families' travel costs. With these measures, the Municipality of Espinho reinforces its commitment to a public transport network that is closer to the population's needs, facilitating daily travel and promoting autonomy and quality of life, particularly for citizens aged 65 and over.
