Lisbon and Porto are two of the main attractions of Portugal that you most likely would like to visit during your trip to the country. You might also want to find out what is the best way to get from Lisbon to Porto. This is why we’ve prepared this guide on how to get from Lisbon to Porto (or from Porto to Lisbon) covering all the information you might need. Read on and plan your trip from Lisbon to Porto!
1. Lisbon to Porto by train
Time – just under 3 hours
Cost – Tickets start at €15
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 4
Probably the easiest way of traveling from Lisbon to Porto is by train. There are frequent connections between the capital and the second biggest city in Portugal. The journey time is between 2 hours and 40 minutes and 3 hours and 10 minutes, depending on the train you take. You can choose between Alfa Pendular – the high-speed trains and intercity trains with more stops along the way.
The tickets start at €15 if you buy in advance, the regular price is €25 for Intercity and €31 for Alfa Pendular trains. All the connections are operated by Comboios de Portugal – known also as CP – the national railways’ company. You can check the connections and buy the ticket at the official website.
In Lisbon, trains leave from Lisboa Santa Apolonia station, located near Alfama, at the shore of Tag river. You can reach it by the blue metro line. The train also stops at Lisboa Oriente station, the gem of modern architecture. The easiest way to reach the station is by the red metro line.
In Porto, all the trains arrive at Porto Campahna station, a bit away from the center. You might there change the train for the one terminating at the centrally located Sao Bento station (the beautiful building decorated with famous blue tiles – azulejos) or take the metro to get to destinations further in the city. Campahna is connected with the rest of the city by A (blue), B (red), C (green) and F (orange) metro lines.
2. Lisbon to Porto by bus
Time – 3 hours and 30 minutes
Cost – Tickets start at €9
Ease – 5
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 4
Lisbon and Porto are very well connected by bus too. There are numerous departures throughout the day, the journey takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes. If you buy tickets in advance you might pay €9 only, the regular price is €19.
The connections are operated by Rede Expressos, the biggest long-distance bus company in Portugal. To check the schedule and purchase the tickets head to their website.
The buses depart in Lisbon from the Sete Rios station, next to Jardim Zoologico metro station (blue line). Some of the buses also leave from Oriente bus station, located next to the train station with the same name, but those buses are less frequent.
The bus station in Porto is located at Campo 24 de Agosto, near the metro station with the same name. You can reach it using the same metro lines as for Campahna station we described above.
3. Lisbon to Porto by plane
Time – around 4 hours, including getting to and from the airport
Cost – Tickets start at €20
Ease – 4
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 2
For fans of flying we have good news – each day there are plenty of flights between Lisbon and Porto and we are sure you will find one that fits your schedule. The national airline of Portugal – TAP – connects these two cities, with the flying time just one hour. You can book the tickets on their website, if you are lucky you can find a good deal with prices starting at €20 only.
Both airports, in Lisbon and Porto, are very well connected with the cities. In Lisbon you need to take the red metro line, in Porto, it’s purple E line.
We recommend flying from Lisbon to Porto only to big aviation enthusiasts. Even with the good transport to and from the airport, it’s faster to take the train from Lisbon to Porto, and you can enjoy amazing views of the Portuguese countryside along the way.
4. Lisbon to Porto by car
Time – at least 3 hours
Cost – Rentals start at €85 for a day
Ease – 5
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 5
Driving from Lisbon to Porto can turn into a great road trip! The distance between the cities is a bit over 300 kilometers and if you go directly you can make it in around 3 hours. But there are so many interesting places along the way that we think you should see!
Obidos, Fatima, Tomar or Coimbra are only a few places worth visiting but there are more! You can drive from Lisbon to Porto in one day, with a stop or two along the way, but you can as well spend a week on this road trip and you still might miss some places! This part of Portugal is just packed with attractions.
If you decide to rent a car for the trip you can expect to pay around €25 for a day (and less for a longer rental) but remember about the additional payment for returning the car in a different location (this charge starts at €60 but can be more so look carefully when renting a car).
5. Lisbon to Porto by private transfer
Time – around 3 hours
Cost – €250 for a car
Ease – 5
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 5
For a comfortable journey, fit to your needs, you can choose a private transfer with the English speaking driver. The price for a car up to 3 people is around €250 but you can add extra stops between Lisbon and Porto to your itinerary.
We can’t decide what would be better: fairytale alike Pena Palace in Sintra, the royal town of Obidos, the beach paradise in Nazare, the impressive Batalha monastery, Fatima – the holy city well known even beyond Portugal, Coimbra – the medieval capital of Portugal and the vibrant students’ city or Aveiro – the colorful town known also as “the Venice of Portugal”. No matter what you choose, you are in for a treat as all of these places are incredible!
6. Lisbon to Porto by hitchhiking
Time – depends on your luck
Cost – free
Ease – 2
Fun – 4
Sightseeing – 4
We have good news for fans of hitchhiking – finding a ride from Lisbon to Porto shouldn’t be too difficult, although, as it always is with this form of transportation – everything depends on your luck.
In Lisbon take the red metro line to Encarnação station (second to last in the direction of the airport) and from there head to Galp petrol station, it’s a short walk away. From there you might find a ride all the way to Porto but if someone goes to the A1 highway you should settle for this too, it will be even easier to hitch a lift from there.
In Porto, you might have the best luck at the roundabout in Vila Nova de Gaia. It is located next to the last metro stop on the D orange line – Santo Ovidio.
7. Lisbon to Porto by bike
Time – at least 5 days
Cost – free
Ease – 3
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 5
You might go from Lisbon to Porto by bike in some 5 days only but we recommend taking it easier to see all the great things along the way. You might take the route along the Atlantic Ocean, you might follow Camino Portugues (the trail leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain), you might choose your own route. Whichever way you go, we are sure you will enjoy the beautiful scenery of Portugal along the way.
8. Walking from Lisbon to Porto
Time – at least 10 days
Cost – free
Ease – 2
Fun – 3
Sightseeing – 5
You might have heard of the famous Camino de Santiago – the pilgrimage route leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. But did you know its southern route goes from Lisbon, via Porto? You might use it for your walking holidays between the two biggest cities in Portugal! The route is well marked and goes through some really amazing and well worth visiting places, such as Santarem, Tomar, and Coimbra, as well as along the Atlantic Coast in its late part.
Have a wonderful time in Portugal and a smooth trip from Lisbon to Porto!
Images used under license from Shutterstock.com
excellent!!!! you forgot to mention blablacar…