Lisboa Santa Apolonia, the 1865 terminus where most Porto Alfa Pendular and Intercidades services end.
Photo: Nicky Boogaard / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Porto to Lisbon by Train
A domestic route within Portugal.
Reviewed by Eurotraintrip on 2026-07-30
- Duration
- 2h 35m – 2h 50m
- Price from
- 16 EUR
- Distance
- 332 km
- Operators
- CP Alfa PendularCP Intercidades
- Frequency
- 15-19 combined Alfa Pendular and Intercidades departures a day from Porto Campanha
Compare and book Porto–Lisbon tickets
Check pricesWhat makes Porto to Lisbon different
- CP's tilting Alfa Pendular trainsets - built by Italy's Fiat Ferroviaria and derived from the Pendolino ETR 480, able to tilt up to 8 degrees through curves - entered commercial service on this exact Lisbon-Porto route on 1 July 1999.
- Porto Campanha, this route's starting point, opened on 21 May 1875 - making it one of Portugal's oldest working stations, even though its plainer, functional look is usually overshadowed by the tiled Sao Bento a few minutes away by connecting train.
- Several Porto-Lisbon services call at 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 it opened in May 1998 - some Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains stop there before, or instead of, terminating at Santa Apolonia.
Porto station
Departs from Porto Campanha, opened in 1875 and today the city's main long-distance hub - its entrance features tile artworks depicting historical scenes, and it sits on the Porto Metro's A, B, E and F lines, plus as the eastern terminus of line C.
Lisbon station
Most services terminate at Lisboa Santa Apolonia, built in 1865 on the site of the old Santa Apolonia convent - architect Angel Arribas Ugarte's neoclassical, U-shaped design has a central nave 117 metres long, and the station sits on the Blue Line metro a short walk from Alfama.
Train vs. other options
There's no meaningful scheduled flight market between Porto and Lisbon given the distance, and the realistic non-rail alternative is driving the A1 motorway or an intercity coach, both close to 3 hours excluding traffic - without the ability to walk around or work that the train allows, and with motorway tolls and Porto's tight, hilly old-town parking added on once you arrive.
Booking tips
- Book online 5-8+ days ahead for CP's 'Promo' fares - the discount depends on how early you book rather than a flat percentage, and Promo seats are the ones that run out first.
- If the fastest Alfa Pendular's cheap Promo fares are sold out for your preferred time, check Intercidades on the same route: it's slower but often still has Promo seats left when Alfa Pendular doesn't.
- Reservations are compulsory on both Alfa Pendular and Intercidades - there's no unreserved or walk-on ticket, so there's no last-minute 'standing room' fallback fare.
Good to know: Your CP ticket is sold for one specific Lisbon station - Santa Apolonia or Oriente - and that's not interchangeable: you can't board at the other one on the same ticket, so check which station is actually printed on the booking before arranging a hotel or onward transport.
While you're in Lisbon
Tram 28 winding through Alfama, Lisbon's oldest district.
Photo: Gerd Eichmann / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Lisbon rises in tiers from the Tagus riverfront - ride the rattling Tram 28 through Alfama's oldest lanes, then head out to Belem for the custard tarts that share their name with the 16th-century tower next door.
Full Lisbon travel guide →Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Porto to Lisbon?
Alfa Pendular, the faster of CP's two services, covers it in around 2 hours 35-50 minutes. Intercidades, which makes more stops, takes closer to 3 hours.
Which Lisbon station does the train from Porto arrive at?
Most Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains from Porto Campanha call at Gare do Oriente and terminate at Lisboa Santa Apolonia - but your CP ticket is issued for one specific station, so check it before planning onward transport.
How much does the Porto to Lisbon train cost?
CP's advance 'Promo' fares start from around 16 EUR when booked far enough ahead; full-price Alfa Pendular tickets run significantly higher, and both trains require a paid seat reservation.