An Alfa Pendular train
 

An Alfa Pendular at Porto Campanhã.

Buy train tickets from Lisbon to Porto

The best way to travel between Lisbon & Porto is by train.  Fast trains link Lisbon's Santa Apolonia station with Porto's Campanhã station in as little as 2h58, city centre to city centre.  Choose between a tilting 200 km/h Alfa Pendular, or a slightly slower Intercity train.

Lisbon to Porto by train is 337 km (209 miles).

small bullet point  Lisbon Porto

small bullet point  Porto Lisbon

small bullet point  How much does it cost?

small bullet point  How to buy tickets

small bullet point  Route map

small bullet point  What are Alfa Pendular trains like?

small bullet point  What are the Intercity trains like?

small bullet point  Transfer to/from Porto São Bento

small bullet point  Station guides: Lisbon S. Apolonia, Lisbon Oriente, Porto Campanhã

Lisbon ► Porto

Porto ► Lisbon

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets

Route map

Lisbon to Porto train route map

 

Click for larger map

Green = scenic sections.  As you can see, much of the Lisbon-Porto route is scenic!

Reproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people.  I recommend buying a copy of the European Rail Map for your travels, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.

European Rail Timetable and map

Alfa Pendular (AP) trains

These are CP's premier trains, and very classy indeed.  They're fully air-conditioned 6-car electric trains which reach 220 km/h (136 mph) on some sections of the Lisbon-Porto route.  Built by FIAT, they tilt into the curves, enabling them to go faster than conventional trains.  They have 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar.  There's free WiFi & power sockets at all seats.  They are shown in the booking system as AP.  See Alfa Pendular seat map.

Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto, at Porto Campanha

Alfa Pendular train to Lisbon at Porto Campanhã.

2nd class on a Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto   Cafe-bar on a Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto

2nd class, arranged 2+2 across the car width.

 

Cafe-bar serving sandwiches, snacks & drinks.

Luggage racks on a Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto   1st class on a Alfa Pendular train from Lisbon to Porto

Luggage racks at the end of each car.

 

1st class seats, arranged 1+2 across the car width.

Alfa Pendular train from Porto, arrived at Lisbon Santa Apolonia

An Alfa Pendular from Porto, arrived at Lisbon Santa Apolonia.  The large numbers on the side of each car are car numbers, not class!

Intercity trains

These are CP's second-rank express trains, fully air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class, also with cafe-bar.  You'll find power sockets at some 1st class seats, but not in 2nd class.  The cars are showing their age now on the outside, but are very comfortable inside.  They're shown in the booking system as IC.  Typical Intercity train seat map.

Portuguese Intercity train at Lisbon Santa Apolonia

Portuguese Intercity train at Lisbon Santa Apolonia.

1st class on a Portuguese Intercity train   A half-bottle of wine from the bar

1st class seats.

 

A half-bottle of red & coffee from the bar.

Cafe-bar on a Portuguese Intercity train   2nd class on a Portuguese Intercity train

Cafe-bar.

 

2nd class seats.

Transfer to/from Porto São Bento

It's a 35-minute 2.5 km walk from Porto Campanhã to the old town.  However, Urbano (suburban) trains link Porto Campanhã with Porto São Bento in the city centre every 5-15 minutes taking 4 minutes.  Sit on the left hand side going towards São Bento for your first glimpses of the Douro and Porto's iconic iron bridge.  You can look up times at www.cp.pt or the CP app on your phone.

This transfer is free of charge if you have a mainline ticket to or from Porto Campanhã, in the hour after your mainline train arrives or in the hour before it leaves.

Inside a Porto suburban train   Porto suburban train at Porto Sao Bento

Travel tips

Crossing the Douro at Porto

Above:  Crossing the Douro.  As the train from Lisbon approaches Porto Campanhã, it crosses the Douro on the modern concrete Ponte de São João, with Gustave Eiffel's original wrought iron Ponte de Dona Maria Pia of 1877 visible on the left.  The double-track Ponte de São João replaced Eiffel's single-track bridge in 1991.


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