The Open Newsroom Summit takes place at the Riverside Centre, a former customs warehouse on the bank of the Tagus, about twenty minutes from Lisbon airport. This guide covers everything from the airport to the last coffee of the day.
Getting there
From the airport, take the red metro line towards São Sebastião and change to the green line at Alameda. Get off at Cais do Sodré and walk eight minutes west along the river. The journey takes about 35 minutes and costs under three euros with a rechargeable card.
Taxis and ride-hailing cars drop off at the north gate on Rua da Alfândega. At peak times the drop-off lane is busy; allow ten extra minutes on Thursday morning.
Trains from Cascais stop at Cais do Sodré too. If you are staying along the coast, it is often faster than the road, and the view of the river is better.
There is no parking at the venue itself. The nearest public car park is at Praça do Município, a seven-minute walk, and it fills up early. We strongly recommend public transport.
Bicycles can be left at the racks next to the north gate. A shared-bike dock with twenty places is on the other side of the street.
Entrances and registration
The main entrance is the north gate. Registration desks are in the foyer immediately inside, sorted alphabetically by surname. Bring the QR code from your confirmation email; a printed copy or a phone screen both work.
Speakers and sponsors have their own desk to the right of the main desks, where they also collect their equipment passes.
The south gate, on the river side, opens at 10:00 each day and is the step-free entrance. A lift from the south gate reaches every floor.
The halls
The Tagus Hall on the ground floor is the main stage and seats 1,200 people. The three track rooms, Alfama, Belém and Graça, are on the first floor, reached by the wide staircase in the foyer or the lifts behind it.
Workshop rooms are on the second floor and are numbered W1 to W6. They are small; arrive a few minutes early, because doors close when a session starts.
The exhibition area runs along the river side of the ground floor. Sponsor stands, the summit bookshop and the coffee bars are all there.
Food and drink
Coffee, tea and water are free all day at the three bars in the exhibition area. Lunch is served from 12:30 to 14:00 in the Warehouse Café on the ground floor, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options marked on every dish.
If you told us about an allergy when you registered, your badge carries a small orange dot. Show it at the café counter and the staff will bring a meal prepared separately.
There are dozens of restaurants within a ten-minute walk, around the Time Out Market and along Rua Nova do Carvalho. Most are busy at 13:00; at 14:00 they are quiet.
Quiet rooms, prayer room and family room
Two quiet rooms on the first floor, Q1 and Q2, are for anyone who needs a break from the noise. Phones on silent, no meetings.
A prayer room is next to Q2, with washing facilities next door. The family room on the ground floor, by the south gate, has a changing table, a fridge and a comfortable chair for feeding.
Wi-Fi, power and the cloakroom
The Wi-Fi network is called ONS-Guest and the password is printed on the back of your badge. Power sockets are along the walls of every room and at the long tables in the exhibition area.
The cloakroom is in the foyer, to the left of the registration desks. It is free, and it closes 30 minutes after the last session of each day. Large suitcases are accepted on Saturday only.
Safety and help
First aid is next to the cloakroom, staffed from 8:00 until the evening events end. In an emergency, ask any volunteer in a green lanyard or call the venue's control room on the number printed on your badge.
Lost something? Lost property is kept at the speakers' desk until Saturday at 16:00 and is then handed to the venue.