Interior of Gare do Oriente in Lisbon, showing Santiago Calatrava's steel and glass canopy

Gare do Oriente, one of the two possible Lisbon arrival points depending on which onward CP connection you end up booking.

Photo: Susanne Nilsson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Madrid to Lisbon by Train

An international route between Spain and Portugal.

Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30

Duration: 9h 37m – 11h 30m
Price from: 55 EUR
Distance: 737 km
Operators: RenfeCP - Comboios de Portugal
Frequency: No single sold-through service - realistically one workable same-day combination in each direction (2-3 trains via Badajoz and Entroncamento), assembled from separately-booked Renfe and CP legs

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What makes Madrid to Lisbon different

The original Madrid-Lisbon railway line opened in 1881 - by several measures, including scheduled journey time, the two capitals are less well connected by rail today than they were that year.
Renfe's overnight Trenhotel Lusitania sleeper, the last direct train linking the two capitals, was pulled in March 2020 and has not been restored as of 2026, despite a 2025 push from the Portuguese Assembly calling on CP and Renfe to relaunch it.
A genuine high-speed link is targeted for around 2030 (a roughly 5-hour journey on new conventional track) with a sub-3-hour high-speed service not expected until 2034 - and Spanish and Portuguese press have already reported the 2030 milestone slipping.

Madrid station

Departs from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha (officially Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes, renamed in 2021 to honor the Spanish novelist), Madrid's main long-distance terminus - the Badajoz-bound Alvia/Intercity service leaves from the modern platforms, not the landmark 19th-century train-shed-turned-tropical-garden most visitors photograph.

Lisbon station

Depending on which combination of trains you end up on, you'll arrive at either Lisboa Santa Apolonia or Gare do Oriente - Santiago Calatrava's steel-and-glass station built for Expo '98, which won the Brunel Award for large new-build stations shortly after opening in May 1998. Check which station is actually printed on your final CP ticket.

Train vs. other options

With no direct train and a realistic rail journey of 9.5-11.5+ hours across separately-booked legs, road transport dominates this pairing: direct coaches from Alsa, FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus and others average under 6 hours, and by some estimates over 90% of travelers between Spain and Portugal's capitals now go by road rather than rail - a striking figure for two EU capitals of this size.

Booking tips

There's no through-ticket: book the Renfe leg (Madrid to Badajoz) and the CP legs (on to Entroncamento, then Lisbon) separately, on separate websites - a delay on the first leg isn't protected by the second booking.
Direct coaches (Alsa, FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus and others) average under 6 hours city-center to city-center, well under the 9.5-11.5 hour multi-leg train combination - compare both before assuming the train is the practical option.
For the Entroncamento-to-Lisbon leg, seat reservations can usually be sorted with the conductor on the incoming Portuguese train or at the Entroncamento ticket counter on arrival, since there are frequent onward departures and reservations rarely sell out on that specific short hop.

Good to know: This isn't a bookable 'route' in the normal sense: you're combining a Renfe ticket (Madrid-Badajoz) with separate CP tickets for the Portuguese legs, on two different booking systems, with no protection if the first train runs late and you miss the connection.

While you're in Lisbon

Yellow Tram 28 running through the narrow streets of Alfama in Lisbon

Tram 28 winding through Alfama, Lisbon's oldest district.

Photo: Gerd Eichmann / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lisbon's compact, hilly center puts a UNESCO-listed monastery, a 16th-century river tower, and one of Europe's most photographed tram routes within a single day's walk of Santa Apolonia station.

Full Lisbon travel guide →

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct train from Madrid to Lisbon?

No. Renfe's overnight Trenhotel Lusitania, the last direct train between the two capitals, was withdrawn in March 2020 and has not been restored as of 2026. The realistic rail option today is a same-day combination of 2-3 trains via Badajoz and Entroncamento.

How long does it take to get from Madrid to Lisbon by train?

Combining Renfe and CP services via Badajoz and Entroncamento typically takes somewhere around 9.5 to 11.5 hours including connection time, depending on which trains line up.

Is it faster to take the bus from Madrid to Lisbon?

For most travelers, yes. Direct coaches average under 6 hours point-to-point, versus 9.5+ hours for the multi-leg train combination.