Lisbon to Porto without a car
- Train
Lisbon and Porto, Portugal’s two biggest cities, are linked by a comfortable direct train that covers the length of the country in under three hours. The tilting Alfa Pendular is the fast option, a slower Intercidades service the budget one, and either way you arrive within walking distance of the centre — no rental car, no motorway tolls, no parking to sort out.
Route facts
| By train | By car | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 340 km | 314 km |
| Journey time | ~2h 55m | ~3h |
| CO₂ per passenger | ≈ 12 kg | ≈ 53 kg |
| Typical fare | from €25 | — |
| Departures per day | ≈ 15 | — |
| Operators | CP Alfa Pendular · CP Intercidades | |
Train or car?
The train wins comfortably: it's about as fast as driving once you count fuel stops, costs less than the tolls alone on the A1, and drops you in the centre of Porto instead of circling for parking.
The train saves about 41 kg of CO₂ per passenger.
Distances and CO₂ are estimates, for comparison only.
The journey, leg by leg
- Lisboa Santa Apolónia / Oriente Porto Campanhã
The journey, leg by leg
The Alfa Pendular leaves Lisbon — from Santa Apolónia or Oriente station depending on the service — and runs north along Portugal’s spine, calling at Coimbra-B around the halfway point, before reaching Porto Campanhã roughly two hours and fifty-five minutes later. Its tilting carriages let it take curves faster than a standard train without losing comfort.
A slower, cheaper Intercidades service covers the same route without tilting technology, taking closer to three and a half hours but costing noticeably less — a fair trade if you’re not in a hurry.
Tickets & when to book
CP (Comboios de Portugal) fares are relatively stable compared to some of Europe’s more volatile pricing systems, but early booking through the CP app or website still brings the price down — Alfa Pendular seats from around 25€ one way if booked a couple of weeks ahead, with Intercidades running several euros cheaper still.
Seat reservation is mandatory on the Alfa Pendular and included in the ticket price, so there’s no risk of standing for three hours — just pick a departure time that suits you.
Best stop en route
Coimbra, home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, sits almost exactly halfway and is served by nearly every train on the line. Its hilltop old town and UNESCO-listed university library are an easy detour if you have a spare day.
Stopping over here for a night breaks up the trip nicely and adds one of Portugal’s most atmospheric historic centres without any extra transport planning.
Doing it car-free at each end
Lisbon Oriente, designed by Santiago Calatrava, connects to the metro, buses and long-distance coaches under one roof, while Santa Apolónia sits a short tram ride from Alfama. In Porto, trains arrive at Campanhã, a few minutes by metro or a short onward regional train from São Bento — the city’s famous azulejo-tiled station right in the historic centre.
Neither city needs a car once you’re there: both have compact, walkable centres backed up by metro, tram and bus networks that reach the rest of the metropolitan area easily.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Lisbon to Porto?
Yes. The Alfa Pendular runs direct between Lisbon and Porto Campanhã roughly every hour, taking about 2h55 with no changes; the slower Intercidades service covers the same route for less.
How much does the Lisbon–Porto train cost?
Alfa Pendular fares start around 25€ one way if booked a couple of weeks ahead, with the Intercidades service running several euros cheaper. Prices are fairly stable, so you don’t need to book months in advance.
Alfa Pendular or Intercidades — which should I take?
The Alfa Pendular is faster and more comfortable, with tilting carriages and a slightly higher price. The Intercidades takes about 40 extra minutes but costs less — a reasonable trade-off if your schedule is flexible.
Can you visit Lisbon and Porto without a car the whole way?
Yes, easily — both cities have compact, walkable centres with good metro and tram coverage, and the train stations connect straight into that network. No car is needed for the journey or for getting around once you arrive.
- from
- Lisbon
- To
- Porto
- Duration
- ~2h 55m
- Typical fare
- €25
- Frequency
- Roughly hourly direct departures
- How you travel
- Train
