How long is the train from Lisbon to Porto?

About 3 hours on the Alfa Pendular and about 3 hours 20 minutes on the Intercidades. Both are direct.

Do I need to book the Lisbon to Porto train in advance?

It is a good idea. Every ticket includes a reserved seat, so popular trains can sell out, and the cheapest promo fares are only sold up to 5 days before departure. Booking opens 60 days ahead.

Which Lisbon station does the train to Porto leave from?

Most trains leave from Santa Apolónia and stop at Oriente about 9 minutes later. You can board at either.

Which Porto station should I get off at?

Trains arrive at Campanhã. From there, take the free connecting suburban train to São Bento, in the city center, which takes about 4 minutes.

Is the train better than flying from Lisbon to Porto?

For most travelers, yes. The flight is about an hour, but with transfers and security it is no faster than the train, which goes from city center to city center.

Is 1st class worth it on the Alfa Pendular?

It is quieter and has more space, for a small extra cost. Both classes have Wi-Fi, power sockets and access to the café-bar.

Lisbon to Porto Train: Times & Tickets

by Portugal Getaways Team

Updated November 2026 • 5 min read

✈️ THE SHORT VERSION

The train is the easiest way to travel from Lisbon to Porto. The Alfa Pendular takes about 3 hours and the Intercidades about 3 hours 20 minutes, with direct trains every hour or two from Lisbon Santa Apolónia and Oriente to Porto Campanhã. Every ticket includes a reserved seat, booking opens 60 days ahead, and a free connecting train takes you from Campanhã to São Bento in the city center.

This guide covers the two types of train, stations, tickets, classes and on-board tips, and how the train compares with the bus, the car and a flight.

Lisbon to Porto at a Glance

	Details
Fastest train	Alfa Pendular, about 3 hours
Other direct train	Intercidades, about 3 hours 20 minutes
Frequency	Roughly every hour or two in each direction
Lisbon stations	Santa Apolónia, then Oriente about 9 minutes later
Porto station	Campanhã, with a free 4-minute connection to São Bento
Tickets	Comboios de Portugal (cp.pt), the CP app or station ticket offices
Booking opens	60 days before travel; every ticket includes a seat

Alfa Pendular or Intercidades?

Comboios de Portugal (CP), the national rail company, runs two kinds of direct train between Lisbon and Porto. Both have 1st and 2nd class and a café-bar.

	Alfa Pendular (AP)	Intercidades (IC)
Journey time	About 3 hours	About 3 hours 20 minutes
Train	Faster tilting train	Standard intercity train
Wi-Fi	Free	Not always available
Power sockets	At every seat	At some 1st-class seats only
Café-bar	Yes	Yes
Best for	Comfort and the shortest journey	A slightly cheaper ticket

Our view: take the Alfa Pendular if the times suit you. The extra comfort and the power socket at every seat make a real difference on a 3-hour trip. 1st class is quieter and has more space for a small extra cost.

A suburban train travels through Lisbon with the historic Águas Livres Aqueduct rising behind the railway, combining the city’s transport network with one of its major engineering landmarks. — Train Passing the Águas Livres Aqueduct, Lisbon, Portugal

Stations in Lisbon and Porto

In Lisbon, most trains leave from Santa Apolónia, by the river near Alfama, and stop at Oriente, in the Parque das Nações district, about 9 minutes later. Choose the one closest to your hotel: Santa Apolónia is more central, and Oriente has a metro station and easy taxi access.

In Porto, long-distance trains arrive at Campanhã, about 2.5 km from the old town. Your train ticket includes a free suburban train to São Bento, in the heart of the city, valid for an hour after you arrive. Trains to São Bento run every 5 to 15 minutes and take about 4 minutes. For the return journey, allow at least 20 minutes at Campanhã to change.

Close view of the ornate Neo-Manueline façade of Rossio Railway Station in central Lisbon, featuring carved stone details, arched windows and its distinctive historic architecture. — Rossio Railway Station, Lisbon, Portugal

How to Book Tickets

Where: on the Comboios de Portugal website (cp.pt), the CP app, at ticket machines or at station ticket offices.
When: booking opens 60 days before travel. Discounted promo fares are sold from 60 days up to 5 days before departure, so book early if you want the lowest fare.
Seats: every ticket includes a reserved seat, and the seat number is printed on your ticket.
Rail passes: Interrail and Eurail pass holders still need a seat reservation, which has to be made at a CP station in Portugal.
Resellers: some websites sell CP tickets with an added fee. Buying from CP directly is the simplest option.

Tips for the Journey

Sit on the left when traveling north from Lisbon for the view of the Douro River and the iron Maria Pia Bridge as you arrive in Porto.
Luggage: there are racks at the end of each car and above the seats. There is no luggage check-in, so keep your bags with you.
Food and drink: both trains have a café-bar, but bringing your own water and snacks is a good idea.
Arrive early: be at the station 15 to 20 minutes before departure to find your platform and car.
Mind the hills: Porto is steep. If your hotel is uphill from São Bento, a short taxi ride saves a tiring walk with bags.

Statue of King José I on the Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) in Lisbon, Portugal — D. José I Statue, Praça do Comércio, Lisbon, Portugal

Train, Bus, Car or Flight?

	Time	Good to know
Train (Alfa Pendular)	About 3 hours	City center to city center, reserved seats, the easiest option
Bus	From about 3 hours 15 minutes	Many departures a day; buses leave from Sete Rios, Oriente and Lisbon Airport
Car	Just under 3 hours	On the A1 motorway, with tolls; parking is hard in both cities
Flight	About 1 hour in the air	With airport transfers and security, no faster than the train

Choose the train for most trips. Choose the car only if you want to stop along the way, for example in Óbidos, Nazaré, Fátima or Coimbra. Choose the bus if the train times do not suit you.

A traveler with luggage walks beside a red and silver train at Lisbon’s Oriente Station, beneath the station’s distinctive modern steel-and-glass canopy. — Oriente Station, Lisbon, Portugal

Make the Journey Part of a Trip

Lisbon and Porto pair well on a first trip to Portugal. Three or four nights in each city is a good balance, and the train between them is an easy half-day.

🚆 PORTUGAL BY TRAIN: TOP DUO

Seven nights in Porto and Lisbon, with flights, the train between the two cities in the highest class available, and airport and station transfers.

See the package →

More train packages

🚆 Portugal by Train: City Highlights 🚆 Portugal by Train: Lisbon, Porto, Algarve & Évora 🎁 All train packages

Plan both cities

🗺️ Lisbon Itinerary: The Perfect 3, 4 & 5-Day Plan 🗺️ Porto Itinerary Guide: How to Spend 6 Days 🗺️ Portugal Itinerary 7 Days: Two Routes

Plan it your way

Custom Your Trip

Tell our local travel advisors which towns, dates and experiences you want and we build the Lisbon and Porto trip around you, trains included.

Start your custom trip →

Limited time