Getting Around Portugal: Trains, Trams, Buses and Driving

Portugal is easy to travel around: fast trains link the main cities, Lisbon and Porto have good metro systems and coaches fill most gaps. Here's how each option works, from the moment you land.

From the airport to the city

• Lisbon: the airport is close to the centre. The red metro line starts at the terminal, and you can change to other lines to reach Baixa or the riverside. Airport shuttle buses, taxis and ride apps are also available; follow the signs to the official taxi rank or the ride-app pick-up point.
• Porto: metro line E (violet) runs from the airport to the city centre in around half an hour, with taxis and ride apps as alternatives.
• Faro: local buses link the airport with Faro town, its train station and the coach station, from where you can continue along the Algarve. Taxis and ride apps are handy if you're heading straight to a resort.
• Madeira and the Azores: airport buses run to the main towns, but many visitors pick up a rental car on arrival.

Trains

The national rail operator, CP (Comboios de Portugal), runs several types of train. Alfa Pendular is the fastest, linking Braga, Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon and the Algarve, followed by Intercidades, then regional and urban services. Tickets for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades include a reserved seat and can be bought online or in the CP app; book a few days ahead for weekends and summer.

Lisbon has several main stations: Oriente and Santa Apolónia for long-distance trains, Rossio for Sintra and Cais do Sodré for the coastal line to Cascais. In Porto, long-distance trains use Campanhã, while São Bento serves urban and regional lines, including the scenic Douro line. Lisbon to Porto takes around three hours, and Lisbon to the Algarve roughly three to four.

Metro, trams and ride apps in the cities

Lisbon has four metro lines, a fleet of trams including the historic Tram 28 and the modern 15E to Belém, plus funiculars and the Santa Justa Lift to tackle the hills. Ferries cross the Tagus to Cacilhas for views back over the city. Buy a reusable travel card from a metro machine and load single trips or a day pass; tickets bought on board trams and funiculars cost more.

Porto runs a light-rail metro and uses the rechargeable Andante card, priced by zone, which you validate on every journey. Heritage trams follow the river towards the ocean, and the Guindais funicular saves a steep climb from Ribeira.

Licensed taxis are metered, and Uber and Bolt operate in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and other larger towns. Ride apps are especially useful late at night and when Lisbon's hills defeat tired legs.

Buses and coaches

Intercity coaches are comfortable and reach places the railway doesn't, including Óbidos, Nazaré and many Algarve and Alentejo towns. Rede Expressos is the main national network, and Lisbon's Sete Rios and Oriente terminals are the main departure points. In smaller towns, local buses can be infrequent, especially on Sundays and public holidays, so check return times before you set off.

Driving and car rental

Portugal drives on the right. A car makes sense for the Alentejo, the Douro Valley, quieter Algarve beaches and the islands, but not for central Lisbon or Porto, where streets are narrow and parking is scarce.

• Some motorways have toll booths, while others, including the A22 across the Algarve, use electronic tolls only. Ask your rental company about a toll device when you collect the car.
• Expect plenty of roundabouts and confident local drivers.
• On Madeira, roads are steep and winding with many tunnels, so allow extra time.
• For the Azores, flights connect the islands, while ferry links are more limited and partly seasonal.

Stay connected in Portugal

Getting around runs on data: live maps through Lisbon's lanes, real-time metro and coach times, CP e-tickets, ride apps at midnight and toll information on the road. HelloSIM eSIMs are data-only, so keep your home SIM in place for texts such as bank security codes. Scan the QR code from your confirmation email at home, and the line connects after you touch down in Lisbon, Porto or Faro. If you're continuing by road or rail into Spain, a regional Europe plan covers both legs.