Lisbon and Porto are the two largest cities in Portugal and arguably the two most popular tourist destinations in the country. If you’re currently planning a holiday in Portugal, then it’s likely that you’re considering these two cities as part of your trip. We’re here to make your planning stages of your holiday as stress-free as possible, so this post is dedicated to describing all the different ways of getting from Lisbon to Porto.
Flying from Lisbon to Porto
Flying is definitely the best way of getting from Lisbon to Porto if you’re running short on time and aren’t travelling on a budget. The flight time between the two cities is less than one hour so it’s an extremely convenient way of getting from one city to the next. The only downside to flying is that this is the priciest method of transport and you miss out on the spectacular views of the Portuguese countryside!
We recommend travelling overland between the two cities if you have the time, but if this isn’t possible for you then it’s ok, we understand. In terms of which airline to fly with, we recommend TAP, Portugal’s national airline. They offer competitive prices and are pretty great for a budget airline. If you decide to fly then make sure you check the fare prices for return fares as well as one-way — sometimes it’s cheaper to buy a return ticket even if you don’t use it! We also recommend using either Skyscanner or Adioso if you don’t mind which airline you fly with. Both of these websites allow you to find the cheapest flights by searching a whole range of date options, you can even search the fares for an entire month!
Taking the train from Lisbon to Porto
The train is our first option if ever we’re making the journey up from Lisbon to Porto and we highly recommend you take the time to experience this train ride.
It takes between two and a half to three hours and costs around €9.50 to take the train to Porto. The benefit of taking the train over flying is that the train takes you from city centre to city centre, so there’s no need to take a taxi or public transport to an out-of-town station. To book a ticket we recommend doing this through CP.pt, and you can view the train timetable here. Another option is using Eurail or Interrail to find a ticket (use Interrail if you’re a citizen of the EU and Eurail if you’re not). Both RailEurope and Eurail work best if you’re travelling for a few weeks minimum and plan on using a lot of trains, where their passes can save you a lot of money. However, if you’ll only be taking one train in Portugal then we recommend just getting it through CP.
There are 18 departures every day so you shouldn’t need to book much in advance unless you’re planning on travelling in July/August and even then, booking the day before should be fine.
Taking the bus from Lisbon to Porto
If you don’t fancy taking the train then the bus from Lisbon to Porto is another affordable alternative. There are two main bus companies we recommend taking: Internorte and Rede Expressos.
Both buses leave from the Lisbon Oriente bus station, which is also where you can pick up tickets if you want to book beforehand. The buses cost €18.50 if you book online.
Driving from Lisbon to Porto
If you’re renting a car for your time in Portugal then you’ll be pleased to know that it’s a fairly easy drive from Lisbon to Porto. The driving distance is roughly 270 kilometres and it should take you no more than three hours to drive it. The scenery throughout the drive is spectacular, winding past vineyards, orchards, mountains and the ocean.
The directions are easy to follow in Portugal and you should be provided with a GPS if you’re renting the car. The roads are in great condition and there’s only one toll road (E1/A1/IP1) close to Lisbon airport, which is quite easy to bypass. Just be aware that you’ll probably struggle to find parking spaces in both Lisbon and Porto if you decide to travel by car!
