Most riders on our tours will be flying in and out of either Lisbon, Porto or Faro.
Below is some general information on travel arrangements and a form to complete if you would like us to book bus or train tickets for you.
Keep scrolling down for details of arrangements and travel options for specific tours (arranged in alphabetical order).
Please note that the details shown are of the best bus and train connections, showing departure and arrival times and duration. There may be other services but these will either be earlier, later, slower or with more changes!
Timetables & advanced booking
Please note: The details below are for advertised timetables at the time of writing (February 2020). It is possible times may change although unlikely – times for Lisbon-Evora have been the same for several years.
Also please be aware that it is not possible to book tickets for either the bus or train until 4-6 weeks before departure. If you look online for bus services too far in advance, you might get a reply saying none are available – this doesn’t mean there is no service, just that it can’t be booked yet!
Cost & booking
Bus/train tickets to and from the start/finish point of your tour are included in the price. These are normally from/to the nearest city with an international airport.
We can buy tickets for you and send them by email. Alternatively, if you want stay flexible and not be committed to a particular service, we can refund relevant tickets at the start of the tour.
If you want us to book tickets, please use the form below giving as much information as possible. We need passport numbers for each person travelling as we can’t book tickets without them. (We only need the number, nothing else.)
Arrival information & timetables
The sections below give information on getting to/from various airports and train/bus stations. There are also notes and times for specific tours.
LISBON – TRAIN & BUS STATIONS
Airport connections
Lisbon’s Portela airport (LIS) is about 6km north of the centre. It’s about a 30-40 minute journey by public transport or 20 minutes by car (taxi) in normal traffic. For general information about getting to/from Lisbon Airport – see here.
Trains – getting to/from the station
Most long-distance trains start and end at Lisboa Oriente, which is also the closest railway station to the airport. It’s about an 8-minute journey by metro (subway) – the airport is at the end of the red (Vermelha) line and it’s only three stops to Oriente.
If you take a taxi, it’s about a six or seven minute trip in normal traffic and should cost no more than €6. For more information about taxis see here.
Click on the metro map for more information and prices.
Bus – getting to/from the station
Buses operated by Flixbus leave from Oriente, just a short distance from the Metro station and mainline railway.
Buses run by Portuguese firm Rede Expressos start and end at Sete Rios bus station. There is no easy way of getting here from the airport by metro. Taxis take at least 10-15 minutes and should cost from €7 (including luggage). However, taxi drivers have a reputation for overcharging so check the price before departure.
To get to Sete Rios from central Lisbon, take the blue (azul) line from Rossio metro station to Jardim Zoologico. With the zoo behind you, cross the big highway and go under the overpass/flyover – the bus station is on the left.
PORTO – TRAIN & BUS STATIONS
Airport connections
Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO) airport is about 12km north of the city centre but connected via a metro (subway) system with services running every 20-30 minutes depending on the time of day. There are also regular buses, airport shuttle services and taxis – for more information, click here.
Taking the metro will cost about €2 and take 35 minutes. A taxi will be €20-25 and generally slightly quicker but not much.
Trains – getting to/from the station
Trains leave from Porto Campanhã station, which is about 2km east of the historic centre. Campanhã is connected to four of the metro lines serving the city.
To get there direct from the airport on the metro takes around 50 minutes (including walking to/from metro) and involves one change. See the metro journey planner for details.
Bus – getting to/from the station
Buses for Guarda leave from the Rede Expressos depot at Campo 24 de Agosto, which is also on the metro (24 Agosto station). If coming direct from the airport it’s a journey of about 40 minutes (including walking to/from metro) with one change.
BORDER CASTLES & SOUTHERN EXPLORER – OUTWARD
Lisbon to Évora
Trains to and from Évora also call at Entrecampos and Sete Rios stations – which are easier to get to from central Lisbon.
If coming from the centre, the easiest option is to take the blue (azul) line from Rossio metro station to Jardim Zoologico, which is only 250m from Sete Rios railway station. (With the zoo behind you, cross the big highway and go under the overpass/flyover. Keep going straight ahead, the railway station is on the left-hand side of the street.)
Sundays
All services are 1hr 30 unless stated otherwise.
Train: 09.52-11.26 (1hr 34). Add 8 or 12 minutes to departure time if catching train from Entrecampos or Sete Rios stations.
Bus – Rede Expressos: 08.00, 09.30, 12.00.
Bus – Flixbus: 08.00, 09.00, 10.30, 12.00, 13.00.
Other days
Train: 07.02-08.42 (1hr 40), 09.02-10.35 (1hr 33), 17.02-18.35 (1hr 33), 19.02-20.35 (1hr 33).
Bus – Rede Expressos: As above, also 13.45-15.15, 15.00-16.40 (1hr 40), 17.00-18.30, 18.00-19.30, 19.30-21.00.
Bus – Flixbus: As above, also 15.30, 16.15, 17.00, 18.30, 19.30.
BORDER CASTLES – RETURN
Évora to Lisbon
Monday-Saturday
All services are 1hr 30 unless stated otherwise.
Train: 07.06, 09.06, 16.57-18.36 (1hr 39), 19.06.
Bus – Rede Expressos: 06.00 (1hr 45), 07.00, 07.30, 09.00 (1hr 40), 10.15, 13.00, 14.00, 15.00 (1hr 45), 16.00 (1hr 45).
Bus – Flixbus: 07.30, 08.45, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 14.30, 15.45, 16.45, 18.00, 19.30.
Sunday
Train: 09.06, 16.57-18.36 (1hr 39), 19.06.
Bus: 06.00-07.45 (1hr 45), 07.00, 09.00-10.40 (1hr 40), 10.15, 13.00, 14.00, 14.45, 16.00-17.45 (1hr 45).
Bus – Flixbus: 07.30, 08.45, 10.00, 11.00, 12.00, 14.30, 15.45, 16.45, 18.00, 19.30.
EASTERN FRONTIER & HISTORIC HEARTLAND – OUTWARD
Lisbon to Guarda
Direct trains to and from Guarda start/finish at Lisboa Santa Apolonia station, which is near the waterfront in the Alfama district, due east of the castle. Santa Apolonia is only three stops from Rossio metro station, at the end of the blue (azul) line – so a lot more convenient for central Lisbon.
Trains from Santa Apolonia leave 9 minutes before the departure time given below for Oriente, which is the nearest station for the airport.
Sunday
Train: 08.23-12.57 (4hr 34 – direct).
Bus: 08.00-12.00 (4hr), 09.30-13.45 (4hr 20) and 10.30-14.50 (4hr 20).
Other days
Train: 07.39-12.15 (4hr 36 – 1 change), 08.23-12.57 (4hr 34 – direct), 10.09-16.00 (5hr 51 – 1 change), 12.39-17.15 (4hr 36 – 1 change), 13.23-17.42 (4hr 19 – direct).
Bus – Rede Expressos: 08.00-12.00 (4hr), 09.30-13.45 (4hr 15), 10.30-14.50 (4hr 20), 13.15-17.15 (4hr), 14.00-18.00 (4hr), 15.30-19.50 (4hr 20), 16.30-12.30 (4hr), plus a number of later ones.
Bus-Flixbus: 08.00, 10.00, 11.00, 13.00, 18.00 – all services are 3hr 30.
Porto to Guarda
Buses are much quicker than trains for getting from Porto to Guarda but I’ve given train times for your information.
Sunday
Train: 06.40-11.51 (5hr 11 – change at Coimbra) and 10.45-14.58 (4hr 13 – change at Pampilhosa).
Bus – Rede Expressos: 08.00-10.40 (2hr 40), 08.30-11.25 (2hr 55), 09.30-12.25 (2hr 55) 10.00-12.55 (2hr 55), 11.00-13.15 (2hr 15) and 14.00-16.15 (2hr 15).
Bus – Flixbus: 09.30-12.40 (3hr 10) – leaves from outside city’s Tourist Information Office.
Other days
Train: 07.40-11.51 (4hr 11 – change at Coimbra), 10.45-14.58 (4hr 13 – change at Pampilhosa), 12.45-16.51 (4hr 6 – change at Coimbra), 14.45-19.19 (4hr 34 – change at Pampilhosa).
Bus – Rede Expressos: 08.00-10.40 (2hr 40), 08.30-11.25 (2hr 55), 10.00-12.55 (2hr 55), 14.15-16.55 (2hr 40), 16.00-18.55 (2hr 55), 18.15-21.10 (2hr 55) and 20.15-22.55 (2hr 40).
Bus – Flixbus: 09.30-12.40 (3hr 10) – leaves from outside city’s Tourist Information Office.
EASTERN FRONTIER – RETURN
To be completed
Elvas to Lisbon
Sunday: Train: Bus: Other days: Train: Bus:
HISTORIC HEARTLAND – RETURN
Direct buses to Lisbon leave from Caldas da Rainha – which is about 10km (15-minute drive) from the tour’s finish point at Foz do Arelho.
For any riders departing on the Friday at the end of the tour, we will either take you to Caldas or arrange a taxi.
Weekdays & Saturdays
All journeys below take 1hr and 10 minutes, arriving at Sete Rios bus station.
Bus departure times: 07.00, 07.20, 07.30, 08.35, 09.35, 10.00, 10.30, 10.50, 11.50, 13.00, 13.05, 13.50, 14.20, 15.00, 15.30, 15.45, 16.35, 17.10, 17.50, 18.50, 19.20, 20.00, 20.20, 20.50 etc.
Sundays
Bus departure times: 07.20, 07.30, 08.35, 09.35, 10.00, 10.30, 10.50, 11.50, 13.00, 13.50, 14.20, 15.00, 15.30, 16.35, 17.30, 17.50, 18.50, 19.20, 20.00, 20.20, 20.50 etc.
SOUTHERN EXPLORER – RETURN
Carvoeiro to Faro
Sunday: Train: Bus: Other days: Train: Bus:
Carvoeiro to Lisbon
Sunday: Train: Bus: Other days: Train: Bus:
Pedal Portugal 