Trains in Portugal

[HolibobsinApril]

Has anyone travelled by train in Portugal? We are heading to the Algarve soon and were looking to maybe go to Lisbon on the train. We watched a few YouTube videos of the Algarve and the only one who mentioned the train said that the trains were really grim and unpleasant.

Does anyone have any info please?

Check out seat61.com. There's not much that man doesn't know about trains.

Agree with seat 61. Not been on trains in the algarve however went on a train in northern portugal a few years ago, from Braga to Porto and back and I recall it being not particularly fast but modern, pleasant and fairly cheap

We visited last year and the trains were pretty similar to U.K. trains in terms of cleanliness. Read into that what you will!

I travelled from Lisbon to Sintra by train. The station was lovely & clean, buying tickets at the counter was straightforward & the train itself was perfectly fine.

I would say they are on exactly the same level as UK trains.

I have travelled from the algarve to Lisbon and Porto several times. First class is very reasonable and an excellent service, especially if you go on the pendolino.

The trains along the algarve are a different matter, slow, uncomfortable and a bit tatty, also some of the stations are in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks. I know the trains in the UK are pretty awful so I didn't think it could be much worse. I suppose I was more worried about the people on the trains. I didn't know if we would get people begging etc.
We are staying a few minutes walk away from a train station so thought we could get a train into Lisbon for the day.

I have used trains in Portugal and found them very punctual and good value. The ones I have used have been of a better or equal standard to those of the uk.

I think the trains in Portugal are good but I don’t think trains are awful in the UK at all, surprised you think that OP.

One thing I would say is book your seats early. I didn't realise that if the train is full, you can't board, there is no standing as there is in UK. You book a specific seat so you know exactly where you are sitting. The trains are very clean, the inter city pendolino are modern.

I live in Lisbon - I think the trains are fine, not as modern as some of the UK ones but pretty comparable. Also much cheaper 😊 if it’s the Lisbon - Cascais train then that can be very busy and not always possible to get a seat, but that is mainly tourists.

Here's the timetable - cp.pt

I live in Portugal and use the trains a lot - clean, punctual and cheap. Just make sure they're not on strike!!

www.cp.pt

Also, not sure if this is true all over Pt but you have to go on the train at the time you paid for. We got caught out last year taking an earlier one!

Trains in portugal are absolutely fine - clean & punctual & cheap.

The underground is good too - it does have beggars but no more than the tube does

I went on a train from Lagos to Lisbon (maybe via somewhere else) and loved it, amazing coffee. Lagos has a nice new station I saw last summer.
Lisbon was brilliant -I loved it.

Portugal in general is a very safe and friendly country...you're more likely to be intimidated on the trains in the UK imo.