Lisbon to Porto Train: Stations, 2026 Fares and Which Train to Take
The Lisbon to Porto train is the easiest way to travel between Portugal’s two biggest cities. The fastest trains take under three hours, the seats are reserved, and a full-price ticket costs €28.05 to €49.90 in 2026, depending on the train and class. Booked early, it can cost a lot less. There are two kinds of train, two stations in Lisbon and a station in Porto that isn’t in the centre, so it’s worth knowing how it all works before you book.
Times and prices in this guide come from CP (Comboios de Portugal), the national rail company: its Lisbon–North timetable valid since 20 September 2026 and its fare tables valid from 1 January 2026. CP changes timetables several times a year, so check before you travel.
TL;DR
- Trains: the Alfa Pendular (about 2h50) or the cheaper Intercidades (about 3h15). Both are run by CP and both have reserved seats.
- Fares (2026): €35.70 on the Alfa and €28.05 on the Intercidades in standard class, one way. Promo fares start at €10.50 if you book at least 5 days ahead.
- In Lisbon: board at Santa Apolónia if you’re staying in the centre, or Oriente if you’re coming from the airport.
- In Porto: get off at Campanhã, Porto’s main station. It isn’t in the centre, so finish the trip with a 5-minute urban train to São Bento. It’s free with your train ticket within an hour of arriving.
- Book: on CP’s website or app, up to 60 days ahead. You don’t need a reseller.
- Bring food: the on-board bars keep closing because of staff strikes.
Alfa Pendular or Intercidades?
Both trains run on the same line, the Linha do Norte, and both stop at Coimbra-B, Aveiro and Vila Nova de Gaia on the way. The Alfa Pendular (AP) is CP’s fast tilting train, with a top speed of 220 km/h and fewer stops. The Intercidades (IC) is slower, because it stops at more towns along the way, like Vila Franca de Xira, Santarém and Espinho.
| Alfa Pendular | Intercidades | |
|---|---|---|
| Journey time, Santa Apolónia (Lisbon) to Campanhã (Porto) | about 2h50 | about 3h15 |
| Standard class, one way (2026) | €35.70 (Turística) | €28.05 (2nd class) |
| First class, one way (2026) | €49.90 (Conforto) | €41.50 (1st class) |
| Power sockets | at every seat | at some seats, shown when you book |
| Bar on board | yes, in carriage 3 | yes, a bar car |
| Free Wi-Fi | yes | yes |
| Bikes | no | yes |
So in standard class, the Alfa costs €7.65 more for a trip that’s about 25 minutes shorter. Both have reserved seats, toilets and a bar. If you’re travelling with a bike, take the Intercidades: on this route, only the IC trains carry bikes.
Which Lisbon station: Santa Apolónia or Oriente?
Most Lisbon to Porto trains start at Santa Apolónia and stop at Oriente about 9 minutes later. The fare is the same from either station, so pick the one that’s easier to reach.
- Santa Apolónia is on the river at the edge of Alfama, close to the old centre. It’s the end of the blue metro line, two stops from Baixa-Chiado. If you’re staying in Baixa, Chiado, Alfama or Graça, start here.
- Oriente is in Parque das Nações, in the east of the city. It’s on the red metro line, three stops from the airport (Aeroporto, Encarnação, Moscavide, Oriente). If you’re going straight from a flight to the train, go to Oriente.
If your ticket is from Oriente, you can also ride CP’s Lisbon urban trains to Oriente for free in the hour before your train leaves, from Santa Apolónia, Roma-Areeiro, Entrecampos or Sete Rios.
Two Alfa Pendulars a day in each direction run between Porto and the Algarve, and they don’t use Santa Apolónia. Heading north, they leave Oriente at 10:09 and 19:09. Heading south, the 05:40 and 14:40 from Porto stop at Oriente and Entrecampos, then carry on to Faro. If you’ve booked one of these, go to Oriente.
Lisbon to Porto train times (2026)
These are the direct trains from Lisbon to Porto Campanhã under CP’s timetable valid since 20 September 2026. Every train also stops at Vila Nova de Gaia–Devesas, 5 minutes before Campanhã.
| Leaves Santa Apolónia (Lisbon) | Leaves Oriente (Lisbon) | Arrives Campanhã (Porto) | Train | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:30 | 06:39 | 09:43 | IC | Mon–Sat |
| 07:00 | 07:09 | 09:48 | AP | Daily |
| 08:00 | 08:09 | 10:55 | AP | Daily |
| 09:00 | 09:09 | 11:48 | AP | Mon–Sat |
| 09:30 | 09:39 | 12:43 | IC | Daily |
| – | 10:09 | 12:48 | AP (from Faro) | Daily |
| 11:30 | 11:39 | 14:43 | IC | Daily |
| 12:00 | 12:09 | 14:48 | AP | Mon–Sat, not on public holidays |
| 14:00 | 14:09 | 16:48 | AP | Daily |
| 15:30 | 15:39 | 18:43 | IC | Daily |
| 16:00 | 16:09 | 18:48 | AP | Sun–Fri |
| 16:30 | 16:39 | 19:43 | IC | Fridays |
| 17:00 | 17:09 | 19:48 | AP | Daily |
| 17:30 | 17:39 | 20:43 | IC | Daily |
| 18:00 | 18:09 | 20:48 | AP | Daily |
| – | 19:09 | 21:48 | AP (from Faro) | Daily |
| 19:30 | 19:39 | 22:43 | IC | Daily |
| 20:00 | 20:09 | 22:48 | AP | Sun–Fri |
| 22:30 | 22:39 | 01:43 | IC | Daily |
A few trains carry on past Campanhã to Braga or Guimarães, so the departure board may show one of those as the destination. Go by the departure time and train number on your ticket. The days shown are simplified: around public holidays, a few trains run on different days.
Porto to Lisbon train times (2026)
All Porto to Lisbon trains leave from Campanhã. None of them start at São Bento, so if you’re staying in the centre, give yourself time to get out to Campanhã first. Every train stops at Vila Nova de Gaia–Devesas 5 minutes after leaving Campanhã.
| Leaves Campanhã (Porto) | Arrives Oriente (Lisbon) | Arrives Santa Apolónia (Lisbon) | Train | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:40 | 08:23 | – (to Faro) | AP | Daily |
| 06:40 | 09:23 | 09:30 | AP | Daily |
| 06:45 | 09:53 | 10:00 | IC | Mon–Sat |
| 07:40 | 10:23 | 10:30 | AP | Mon–Sat |
| 08:45 | 11:53 | 12:00 | IC | Daily |
| 09:40 | 12:23 | 12:30 | AP | Mon–Sat |
| 10:45 | 13:53 | 14:00 | IC | Daily |
| 11:40 | 14:23 | 14:30 | AP | Daily, not on weekday public holidays |
| 12:45 | 15:53 | 16:00 | IC | Daily |
| 13:40 | 16:23 | 16:30 | AP | Daily |
| 14:40 | 17:23 | – (to Faro) | AP | Daily |
| 14:45 | 17:53 | 18:00 | IC | Daily |
| 16:40 | 19:23 | 19:30 | AP | Daily |
| 16:45 | 19:53 | 20:00 | IC | Sundays |
| 17:40 | 20:33 | 20:40 | AP | Sun–Fri |
| 17:45 | 20:53 | 21:00 | IC | Daily |
| 18:40 | 21:23 | 21:30 | AP | Daily |
| 19:45 | 22:53 | 23:00 | IC | Daily |
| 20:40 | 23:23 | 23:30 | AP | Sun–Fri |
Check the current timetable before you book. It’s a PDF covering all the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains north of Lisbon.
Lisbon to Porto train tickets: 2026 fares
These are CP’s full fares between Lisbon (Santa Apolónia or Oriente) and Porto Campanhã, valid from 1 January 2026.
| One way | Return | Half fare (one way) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfa Pendular, Turística | €35.70 | €64.50 | €18.00 |
| Alfa Pendular, Conforto | €49.90 | €90.00 | €25.00 |
| Intercidades, 2nd class | €28.05 | €50.50 | €14.50 |
| Intercidades, 1st class | €41.50 | €75.00 | €21.00 |
The return price includes CP’s 10% return discount. You get it when you buy both journeys together, in the same class, back to the station you started from. You can also mix an Alfa one way and an Intercidades the other, which costs €57.50 return in standard class.
Ways to pay less
- Promo fares. CP sells a limited number of cheaper seats on every Alfa Pendular and Intercidades. You have to book at least 5 days ahead, and the discount goes up to 65% if you book 8 days or more before you travel. CP’s reference price for the Intercidades from Lisbon to Porto is €10.50. Promo tickets can be exchanged but not refunded, and since 10 August 2026 they’re only sold online, in the CP app and at ticket machines. See Promo fares.
- Travelling as a group of 3 or 4 on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Buy the tickets together and CP’s TrainSharing discount takes 40% off for three people or 50% off for four, on the Alfa or the Intercidades. See TrainSharing fares.
- Under 26. Anyone aged 25 or under gets up to 25% off.
- 65 and over. Seniors pay half fare, whatever their nationality.
- Children. Children aged 4 to 12 pay half fare and get their own seat. Under-4s travel free if they sit on your lap.
- Flash sales. CP runs short promotions on the Alfa a few times a year. In October 2026, Lisbon to Porto went for as little as €7.50, booked at least 10 days ahead.
Discounts can’t be combined, so you can’t add the return discount to a Promo or senior fare. For age discounts, carry an official ID: CP checks it on board, and photos or scans of your passport aren’t accepted.
How to book the train from Lisbon to Porto
Book directly with CP on its website, or in the CP app. Tickets go on sale 60 days before the travel date, and every ticket includes a reserved seat, so you’ll know your carriage and seat number when you board.
Resellers like Trainline and Omio sell the same CP tickets, but they add a booking fee.
There are no ticket gates at the stations. Find your train on the departures board, walk to the platform and look for your carriage number on the side of the train. The conductor checks tickets during the journey.
Because every seat is reserved, a train can sell out, and the cheap Promo seats go first. Saturday and public-holiday mornings are the busiest, and CP added extra Alfa Pendulars for them in July 2025. In 2025 the average Alfa Pendular was almost 90% full. If your dates are fixed, book as soon as you can.
Which side to sit on
The best view is at the very end of the trip from Lisbon: the train crosses the Douro on the Ponte de São João, and on the left-hand side you can see the old iron Maria Pia bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel’s company, and the river below. Coming from Porto, it’s on the right.
On board: food, Wi-Fi and luggage
- Food and drink: every Alfa Pendular and Intercidades on this route has a bar, selling coffee, drinks, snacks, sandwiches and light meals. On the Alfa, it’s in carriage 3, and a trolley also comes through every carriage twice per journey. But the bar staff have been striking on and off since 2025, including an open-ended strike from 31 August 2026, and on strike days the bar is closed. Bring your own food and water to be safe. You’re allowed to eat your own food on board.
- Wi-Fi: free on both trains.
- Power sockets: at every seat on the Alfa, in both classes. On the Intercidades, only some seats have one, and the booking page shows which.
- Luggage: each passenger can bring one bag for free, plus a handbag or laptop bag, as long as it fits in the rack above you or under your seat. Extra bags cost €6.50 each in 2026, charged on board. On the Alfa, there’s luggage space at the entrance to each carriage, and racks above the seats that take bags of about 30 × 45 cm.
- Left luggage: if you want to drop your bags before or after the trip, there are lockers at Campanhã, São Bento and Oriente, for up to 24 hours.
Arriving in Porto: Campanhã, Gaia and the centre
The last stop before Campanhã is Vila Nova de Gaia–Devesas. If you’re staying in Gaia, across the river from the old town, get off here.
Most people stay on to Porto Campanhã, the city’s main station. It’s about 2.5 km east of the centre, so you’ll want a train or the metro for the last stretch:
- Urban train to São Bento. São Bento is the tiled station right in the centre, about 5 minutes away. It’s free: your Alfa or Intercidades ticket to Campanhã also covers a CP urban train to São Bento within an hour of arriving. Show your ticket, printed or on your phone, if asked. Any urban train heading for São Bento will do, so check the departures board for the next one.
- Metro. Campanhã has its own metro station, served by lines A, B, C, E and F. It’s three stops to Bolhão and four to Trindade, which is handy if you’re staying around Bolhão or Aliados.
- Taxi or ride-hailing. With heavy bags, a taxi, Uber or Bolt is the easiest option.
For the metro, you’ll need an Andante card. A Z2 single costs €1.40 in 2026, plus €0.60 for the card itself. It covers the trip from Campanhã to Bolhão or Trindade and is valid for an hour.
It works the same way on the way back: your ticket from Campanhã covers the urban train from São Bento in the hour before your train leaves.
Campanhã is also where most of the Douro Valley trains leave from. If the valley is next on your list, our guide to the train from Porto to the Douro Valley has the times, fares and which side to sit on.
Delays and disruptions
Delays are common. In 2025 only 38% of Alfa Pendulars arrived within 5 minutes of the timetable, so don’t book a tight connection at Campanhã or Oriente, or a train that only just gets you to a flight. Before you travel, check CP’s notices for strikes or engineering work on the Linha do Norte, and turn on delay alerts in the CP app.
If a strike cancels your train, CP refunds Alfa Pendular and Intercidades tickets in full, but it doesn’t have to find you another way to travel. For delays CP is responsible for:
- Leaving more than 30 minutes late: you can choose not to travel and get a full refund. Ask within 30 days.
- Arriving 60 minutes or more late: you can claim the full ticket price back, unless it’s €4 or less. Ask the guard on board, or a ticket office within 2 hours of arriving, for a delay certificate.
Strikes don’t count as delays CP is responsible for, so they don’t qualify for this compensation.
Local tipAlways check for strikes before you travel. They can happen.
Is the train the best way from Lisbon to Porto?
For most people, yes. You go from the centre of one city to the centre of the other in about three hours, without airport security, and you can walk around, eat and work on the way. Take the Alfa if you want the fastest trip or a socket at every seat, the Intercidades if you want to save money or you’re travelling with a bike. Book with CP, as early as you can for the Promo fares, and remember that you’re getting off at Campanhã, not São Bento.
Once you’re in Porto, take a day for the beaches around Porto.