The azulejo-tiled main hall of Sao Bento station in Porto, a short hop from where Alfa Pendular trains actually terminate.
Photo: Concierge.2C / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Lisbon to Porto by Train
A domestic route within Portugal.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 2h 35m – 3h 10m
- Price from
- 16 EUR
- Distance
- 332 km
- Operators
- CP Alfa PendularCP Intercidades
- Frequency
- Around 35-40 trains a day combined — the busiest domestic line in Portugal
Compare and book Lisbon–Porto tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Lisbon to Porto different
- Unlike Madrid-Barcelona's four competing operators, this route is run entirely by CP, Portugal's state railway — no low-cost or foreign competitor has entered Lisbon-Porto, so there's no Ouigo/iryo-style price war on fares here.
- The Linha do Norte this train runs on opened in 1877 (fully connected 1878) as Portugal's original main line, which is why Alfa Pendular tops out around 220 km/h rather than the 300 km/h of Spain's purpose-built AVE tracks.
- A dedicated new Porto-Lisboa high-speed line is under construction in phases (first section targeted for 2028-2030), which would eventually cut the trip to about 1h19m — until then, Alfa Pendular shares the century-old Linha do Norte with slower regional and freight traffic.
Lisbon station
Departs from Lisboa Santa Apolonia, the city's oldest station (opened 1865), on the Tagus riverfront in central Lisbon, connected to the Blue Line metro. Not every Porto-bound departure starts here — some begin at Gare do Oriente instead, so check your specific ticket.
Porto station
Arrives at Porto Campanha, the city's main long-distance station, about 2km east of the historic center; a short suburban train hop connects on to Sao Bento, the century-old city-center station famous for its 20,000-tile azulejo entrance hall — most Alfa Pendular services terminate at Campanha, not Sao Bento.
Train vs. other options
There's little scheduled flight competition on this specific city pair given the short distance, so the real alternative is driving the A1 motorway (roughly 3 hours with tolls) or the intercity bus (also around 3-3.5 hours) — the train's roughly 2h35m-2h50m city-center-to-city-center time beats both without highway tolls or a hunt for parking.
Booking tips
- Book online 5-8+ days ahead for CP's 'Promo' fares — discounts scale with how early you book, up to 65% off inside the 60-day booking window.
- Promo fares are a limited seat allocation per train, not a percentage discount — once they're gone, only pricier Normal fares remain, and Promo tickets are non-refundable (date/time changes only).
- Alfa Pendular seats are always reserved, so your ticket guarantees a specific seat regardless of how full the train looks when you book.
Good to know: CP's cheapest fares are a fixed number of Promo seats per departure rather than a blanket discount — the same train can show a 16 EUR Promo fare and a 35+ EUR full fare side by side depending on how many Promo seats are left, and once sold out they don't reappear even if you change your search dates.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Lisbon to Porto?
The fastest Alfa Pendular services take around 2 hours 35 minutes. Intercidades and other departures with more stops can take up to roughly 3 hours 10 minutes.
How much does the train from Lisbon to Porto cost?
Cheapest advance 'Promo' fares start from around 16 EUR, but standard Alfa Pendular fares run closer to 35 EUR — book at least 5-8 days ahead for the lower prices.
Which train company runs Lisbon to Porto?
Only CP (Comboios de Portugal), Portugal's national operator — unlike Spain's AVE corridors, there's no competing low-cost operator on this route.