Trains in Portugal make exploring the country even the more beautiful. Routes take you along the Atlantic coast and down to the golden beaches of the Algarve. Ride comfortable trains through the green hills of Braga, to thrilling cities Lisbon and Porto and get connected with Portugal's unique, rich and glorious history.

Train types in Portugal

You can travel all over Portugal on trains run by the national railway company CP (Comboios de Portugal). With pleasantly modern and hassle-free train services, it's an experience that leaves you with fond memories of the country. Times of Portuguese trains are always available in the Interrail timetable.

Route Map
Domestic
International

Regional and Intercity trains in Portugal

Regional (RE / TRN) and Inter-Regional (RE)

Trains connecting larger cities such as Lisbon and Porto to smaller towns. They make frequent stops over short distances.
No reservation required.

Intercity / Intercidades (IC)

Faster trains connecting major towns and cities and making fewer stops along their routes.
Reservations are required.

Urbanos (SUB)

Suburban commuter trains operating in and around Lisbon and Porto.
No reservation needed.
You can take the following Urbanos lines:
- Lisbon to Azambuja, Lisbon to Cascais, Lisbon to Sintra (a traveller favourite!) and Lisbon to Sado
- Porto to Aveiro, Porto to Braga, Porto to Caíde/Marco de Canaveses and Porto to Guimarães

High-speed trains in Portugal

Alfa Pendular (AP)

Domestic high-speed train connecting Guimarães, Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon and Faro.
Portugal's fastest train.
A reservation is required.

International trains in Portugal

Celta (INT)

International train linking Porto (Campanha) with Vigo (Guixar) in Spain.
A cooperation between CP and RENFE of the Spanish railways.
A reservation is required (no fee at the railway station).

IC & Regional train (RE)

Lisbon/Porto – Madrid (Spain). See our Rail Planner.
- Lisbon/Porto – Entroncamento with connecting trains.
- Entroncamento – Badajoz.
- Badajoz – Madrid by IC.
- Reservation required for Lisbon/Porto – Entroncamento and Badajoz – Madrid.

Popular connections

Domestic routes
International routes

Here are approximate train times between Portugal's most popular cities by either high-speed or regional trains. If you wish to take a high-speed train, you usually have to reserve your seat in advance.

By travelling with slower regional trains you do not need to make reservations. You'll need to change trains on one or more occasions, which will lengthen your journey time.

Route	High-speed	Regional
Lisbon to Braga	3h 16m	7h 50m
Lisbon to Coimbra	1h 40m	3h 30m
Lisbon to Faro	3h 30m	-
Lisbon to Porto	2h 35m	6h 40m

The following cities in nearby countries have rail connections with Portugal:

Route	Which train?	Duration	Reservations
Porto to Vigo (Spain)	Celta	2h 20m	Required
Lisbon to Madrid (Spain) via Badajoz	IC + RE + IC	9h	Required (Lisbon-Entroncamento & Badajoz-Madrid)
Porto to Madrid (Spain) via Badajoz	IC + RE + IC	11h	Required (Porto-Entroncamento & Badajoz-Madrid)
Porto to Madrid (Spain) via Vigo	IC + RE + ALV	11h	Required (Pontevedra-Madrid)

Reservations

How can I make reservations for trains in Portugal?

At local railways stations in Portugal. This is extremely easy to do. Make them up to 60 days in advance, from any of the CP Ticket Offices.
When you want to book a seat for an International train, this can only be done at an international train station.

If you require assistance, you can call CP on (+351) 707 210 220. You can also learn more about train reservations by reading our Reservation Guide.

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Tips and tricks for Portugal

What are the main train stations in Portugal?

You can travel to all the main cities in Portugal as well as international destinations from the country's 2 hub stations:

Lisbon train station, Santa Apolónia
Porto train station, Campanha

Which station in Portugal is the most beautiful?

If you get the opportunity, don't miss checking out this railway station, known for it's awesome interior decoration:

São Bento train station in Porto

What are the facilities like?

Train stations in Portugal range from small, beautifully tiled rural stations to well-equipped city stations, which feature:

Luggage lockers
Cash machines, bureau de change and tourist info
Restaurants or cafés
Elevators, escalators and disabled access

Are there lounges at Portuguese train stations?

Yes, there's a CP lounge at Lisbon Oriente station. If you have a train reservation for an Alfa Pendular you can access the lounge for free up to 2 hours before your departure.

Spelling of city names in Portugal

You'll usually find local spellings of Portuguese cities on trains in Portugal. Here's the name you'll probably need to know!

Lisboa = Lisbon

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Trains in Portugal

Train types in Portugal