The Lisbon to Porto train is Portugal's busiest and most useful rail route, connecting the country's two largest cities city-centre to city-centre in as little as 2 hours 35 minutes. With 15 to 19 departures a day, no need to book weeks ahead outside peak season, and fares from as little as €16 with advance booking, it's comfortably the easiest way to link Portugal's two must-see cities.
Flying instead? See our honest train vs flight comparison before you book. Planning more of your trip? See our full Portugal trains guide.
Two train types run the Lisbon-Porto route. The Alfa Pendular (AP) is the faster, high-speed option, covering the roughly 332 km between the two cities in 2 hours 35 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes depending on the specific service, at speeds of up to 220 km/h.
A standard second-class (Turística) single ticket costs €35.70 based on 2026 CP fares, rising to €49.90 for first-class Conforto. The Intercidades (IC) is the more budget-friendly alternative, taking around 3 hours to 3 hours 23 minutes, with second-class fares at €28.05 and first-class fares at €41.50.
Both trains run roughly hourly to every two hours throughout the day, with around 15 to 19 total departures. CP Promo fares, released between 5 and 60 days before travel, can bring the price down significantly in second class. These Promo seats are limited, non-refundable and can sell out on popular departures.
In Lisbon, most Alfa Pendular and Intercidades services depart from Lisboa Santa Apolónia, the more central of the two main stations. Many services also call at Lisboa Oriente about 9 minutes later. Oriente is situated near the former Expo '98 site and has excellent metro connections.
In Porto, every long-distance train from Lisbon arrives at Porto Campanhã on the eastern edge of the city. Travellers heading to the historic centre can continue one additional stop, taking around 5 minutes, to Porto São Bento. This beautiful station is famous for its hand-painted azulejo tile murals and is located close to Porto's historic centre.
Official CP timetables and fares: Comboios de Portugal
Independent route guide: Seat61 Lisbon-Porto route guide
Age-based and group discounts apply to the full fare and generally do not stack with Promo fares. Always compare the available fares for your travel dates and book whichever option offers the better price.
Both Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains offer air-conditioned carriages, free Wi-Fi, a power socket at every seat and an onboard café-bar. On Alfa Pendular services, the café-bar is located in carriage 3.
The Alfa Pendular's tilting technology helps keep the ride smooth at high speeds. The route passes through Estremadura, near the university city of Coimbra, before approaching Porto through areas close to the Douro wine country, making the journey surprisingly scenic.
All passengers have reserved seating, so you will have an assigned space for the entire journey. Carriage numbering can initially be confusing: for example, carriage number 21 refers to the first carriage of second class rather than indicating that the train has 21 carriages.
In Lisbon, staying near Santa Apolónia or Oriente stations can minimise transfer hassle on departure day. Alfama is convenient for Santa Apolónia, while Parque das Nações is close to Oriente. Baixa-Chiado offers a more central base for sightseeing between train journeys.
In Porto, hotels around Ribeira and the historic centre are within a comfortable walk or short taxi ride of São Bento station after the short onward journey from Campanhã. Comparing accommodation in both cities well ahead of peak summer travel can help secure better rates while CP Promo fares are still available.
