Railway roads in Portugal. Railway passenger transport

Review of railways in Portugal, how and where to buy tickets, prices and discounts.

Story

1844 – The creation of a railway network in Portugal begins.

In December 2008 railway transport Portugal began to fully comply with international service quality standards, and Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses received a certificate according to the ISO 9001 NP standard. CP is the first national railway company in Europe to receive this quality certificate.

Since June 2009 (Decree n.º 137-A/2009, dated June 12), CP becomes open joint stock company, 100% of whose shares belong to the state, and the name of the company, with "Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses"(Portugal Railways) changes to "Comboios de Portugal"(Trains of Portugal). What’s interesting is that when changing the name, logo and abbreviation C.P.- remained the same.

In addition to speed and comfort, railways Portugal offers travelers to enjoy wonderful views from the window: mountain gorges, lakes, ocean coast, mountain tunnels and much more. The railway tracks run through picturesque corners of the country, many of which you cannot see when traveling by bus or rented car. No wonder the company slogan: « The best place- window seat".

Tickets - where to buy and prices

Where to buy train tickets:

• Ticket office at the station;
• Ticket vending machines;
     Accepted payment: coins, banknotes and credit cards.
• On the official CP website;

Attention: You can buy tickets online on the CP website only on Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains!

Train ticket prices:

Information from the official website:
“Cashiers can provide you with all the necessary information about tickets and train schedules. If the ticket office is closed, look for a ticket vending machine. You can’t board the train without a ticket because they don’t sell tickets on board.”

The table below gives an idea of ​​ticket prices. It shows the cost of train tickets from Lisbon, departing from Oriente and Santa Apolonia stations.

	Alfa Pendular		Intercidades		Regional
Source:	Comboios de Portugal 2013
Albufeira	21,20	2h36	20,20	2h57	-	-
Braga	32,80	3h16	24,30	4h17	-	-
Porto	30,30	2h35	24,30	3h00	-	-
Tomar	-	-	-	-	9,55	1h53
Faro	22,20	3h00	21,20	3h20	-	-
Evora	-	-	12,20	1h35	-	-

These are not final prices; in Portugal there is a flexible system of discounts on trains. See below.

Discounts on rail travel

Children - 50%

Valid on trains:

Conditions: The discount is valid for children from 4 to 12 years old (inclusive).

Elderly people - 50%

Valid on trains: Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional, Interregional, Urbanos de Coimbra, Urbanos de Lisboa and Urbanos do Porto.

Conditions: The discount is valid for children from 4 to 12 years old (inclusive). Children under 4 years old (inclusive) can travel for free without occupying a separate seat.

Buying tickets in advance - up to 65%

Valid on trains: Alfa Pendular and Intercidades.

Conditions: when purchasing a ticket 7 days or less before the travel date. Valid on all trains long distance. Discounted tickets can be purchased online, at the box office or by calling the call-center 808 208 208.

Pets

Valid on trains: Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regionais, Interregionais, Urbanos de Coimbra, Urbanos de Lisboa and Urbanos do Porto.

Conditions: Transportation of an animal is free, provided that the transportation is carried out in a convenient and compact container that can be carried in your hands. Transporting a dog without a container is possible only with the purchase of the appropriate ticket. The dog must be muzzled and on a leash at all times, and be prepared to present a veterinary passport. To ensure the comfort of all customers, dogs are prohibited from occupying seats.

Guide dogs are transported free of charge.

Each passenger can carry only one pet.

Round-trip ticket - 10%

Valid on trains: Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional, Interregional and Urbanos de Coimbra.

Conditions: The discount is valid for distances from 91 km.

Youth card - 20%

Valid on trains: Intercidades, Regional e Interregional.

Conditions: The discount is valid on any day for distances of 100 km.

Family - 50%

Valid on trains: Alfa Pendular e Intercidades.

Conditions: Families from 3 to 9 people, one of whom must be an adult. Everyone must travel together: on the same day, on the same train, tickets must be of the same class of service and destination.

Travel on Saturdays, returning on Sundays before noon. Discounts are valid for tickets of any class of service.

Bicycles - free

Valid on trains: Regional, Interregional, Urbanos de Coimbra, Urbanos de Lisboa e Urbanos do Porto.

Conditions: Transportation of bicycles is free.

Trains in Portugal

Trains in Portugal are very clean and offer increased comfort and convenience for passengers. Even people with disabilities and people with disabilities will not experience any inconvenience if they use this type of transport.

Alfa Pendular

Designed for comfortable and safe travels, with ideal conditions for work and relaxation while traveling. Maximum speed 220 km/h.

Climate control, cafeteria, minibar, audio and video channels (in 1st grade), mother and child room, space for oversized luggage, toilets and places adapted for the disabled. All Alfa Pendular trains have free Wi-Fi.

Classes of service:

Ticket:

Intercidades (Intercity)

The service on board is aimed at leisure and travel, family, business and tourism. The main advantage of intercity trains connecting all major cities in Portugal is the quality of services.

Climate control, cafeteria, mini-bar, space for oversized luggage, toilets and places adapted for the disabled.

Classes of service: 1ª/high comfort and 2ª/tourist

Ticket: valid for a specific train. There is an indication of the carriage number and seat.

Regional

Regional trains connect nearby cities in one region.

Classes of service: 2ª / tourist

Ticket:

Urbanos de... (suburban)

Modern commuter trains, which have a lot of light, climate control and electronic information displays.

Classes of service: 2ª / tourist

Ticket: valid for one day per trip. You can take any place.

Since almost all trains in Portugal are equipped with air conditioning, the doors of the carriages close automatically after a short period of time after opening. This is done to save energy and improve the environmental friendliness and comfort of train cars. In order to open them, you need to press a button, both outside the train and inside.

Rail transport in Portugal is well developed. Excellent here high speed trains with soft seats, which are always clean and have air conditioning.

The railway network is quite extensive and covers all major cities throughout the country. You can download it here. Often these routes are duplicated by comfortable buses, so you can always choose different ways to travel. The main carrier is the company.

Portugal is a fairly small country and can be crossed from north to south in about six hours. If you have a seat by the window, you can admire beautiful views to the mountains and ocean.

Popular routes

High-speed trains. They follow the route Lisbon-Porto Braga and Porto Lisbon-Faro. There are first and second class carriages. There is free Wi-Fi in all carriages. There is a cafeteria and minibar, snacks and drinks are served by stewards.

In first class, they treat you to drinks, give you the latest newspapers, and have the opportunity to watch videos and listen to music. Some seats are equipped with tables. In the second class there are fewer services, but in terms of comfort they do not differ significantly.

Intercidades (IC)

There are first and second class carriages. They move at essentially the same speed as the AP, but make more stops. There is a cafeteria and minibar. There are practically no differences between the first and second class.

Regional®;

Only the second, that is, tourist class. Move short distances, connecting small towns. Also very comfortable trains.

Doors open on Portuguese trains
using a special button at the entrance and exit.

International trains in Portugal

Sud Expresso

These trains once connected Lisbon and Paris, but now they only run along the southern part legendary route. This is a night train that goes to spanish city Irun or French city Hendaye on the border with Spain.

Travel time: approximately 14 hours 30 minutes. Ticket price in second class: 69 €. Trains depart from Santa Apolonia Station.

In Irun and Hendaye it is possible to change to the TGV train to Paris.
Travel time: approximately 8 hours 30 minutes.

Lusitania

Night train from Lisbon to Madrid. Travel time: about 11 hours. Ticket price: 61 €. Trains depart from Santa Apolonia Station.

The train has: second class seating, a sleeper compartment for 4 people with a washbasin, a compartment for 1 or 2 people with a washbasin, a suite for 1 or 2 people, lockable with a key, with a bathroom.

Train tickets in Portugal

Train tickets are sold at ticket offices and vending machines at train stations. The machines accept coins, bills and cards. You can also buy a ticket on the official website. Tickets can be purchased 30 days before train departure.

There is almost no difference between AP and IC in comfort and speed, the difference in price is about 5 €.

AP and IC tickets are only valid for a specific train, carriage number and seat. Tickets for regional and commuter trains valid for 24 hours for one trip and any place.

• Children from 4 to 12: 50% discount
• Return tickets are cheaper
• Bicycles can be carried free of charge.

Portugal's railways meet international criteria for quality of service. The railway network began to form in the country in 1844. Today its density is 30 km per 1000 sq. km. The national company Comboios de Portugal is a monopolist in the Portuguese railway sector. It is the main carrier in the country's railways.

The territory of Portugal is not very large, and trains and buses are equally popular. It is more convenient and faster to get to some points by rail.

Trains in Portugal

The country's railway system is multi-stage, extensive and well developed. Urbano trains operate in densely populated suburbs. Regional trains move around the periphery, making stops at each station. The cost of tickets for commuter trains is comparable to the prices for Russian electric trains. Train tickets can be purchased from vending machines, ATMs and ticket offices located at train stations. Many people prefer to buy train tickets on the website of the state company Comboios de Portugal.

Used in the country high speed trains AP, IC intercity trains, regional and interregional R and IR trains. High-speed trains are divided into classes: 1st - Conforto, 2nd - Turistica. Upon purchase special ticket Bicycles are allowed. A safe and comfortable journey is guaranteed to customers who have purchased tickets for the Alfa Pendular train. It accelerates to 220 km/h. Portuguese trains have a high level of comfort. The total length of the country's railways is more than 2,500 km. There are three railway border crossings between Portugal and Spain. Basic international route passes through Walesa station, which is located in the north of the country.

Train tickets

The cost of travel is largely determined by the degree of comfort. Passengers purchase tickets at ticket offices, ticket machines and on the website www.cp.pt. If there is no ticket office at the station, you can buy tickets from the ticket inspector on the train.

Portugal has main and secondary routes and trains of different categories, from low-speed to high-speed. The gradation is based on the degree of comfort, distance between end points and speed. Alfa Pendular trains belong to the highest category. They are the fastest and most convenient. The lines along which Alfa trains travel start in the north of Portugal and go to southern point. Express routes pass through all major settlements countries including Lisbon, Coimbra, Aveiro, etc.

Portugal can be proud of its simple and comfortable railway system, which connects remote parts of the country with comfortable and modern trains. As popular as buses and road transport, railways have the advantage of speed.

PORTUGAL RAILWAYS NOW

The Portuguese railway system is located at high level, although it is not very large. The comfort of the trains pleasantly surprises those who use them for the first time to travel around the country. Disabled people will be able to move around Portugal without any problems with all comforts.

Types of trains

Urbano(suburban trains) Has only second class service (tourist). The trains themselves are modern electric trains with climate control and information boards. The ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can take any available seat. Regional(regional) These trains connect nearby cities in the same region, which also only have second class service. The ticket is valid for 24 hours and you can take any available seat. Intercidades(intercity) Trains connecting major cities in Portugal are equipped with everything necessary for traveling in comfort. Cafeteria, air conditioning, toilets. The trains have two classes - tourist and high comfort. The ticket is valid for a specific train, the carriage and seat are indicated. Alfa Pendular(high-speed trains) Comfortable, safe and very fast trains accelerate to 220 km/h. Air conditioning system, cafe, space for oversized luggage, mother and child room, free wi-fi, in first class you can watch TV shows and films. Trains with two classes of service, tickets are valid for a specific train, the carriage and seat are indicated.

WHERE CAN I BUY A TICKET

Cash desk at the station Vending machine at the station ATM Website Comboios de Portugal Current prices and train departure times can also be found at official website Portuguese railway.

STATIONS IN LISBON

HISTORY OF RAILWAYS IN PORTUGAL

​Almost until the end of the 19th century, passenger transportation and cargo delivery were carried out primarily by sea. In 1844, the Minister of the Interior, António Bernardo da Costa Cabral, decided to add railways to the poor transport system. The first project, which provided for a railway connection between Lisbon and Porto, did not seem interesting to the Portuguese government. He foreshadowed great expenses, and the connection between the two largest cities the country was well established and across the sea. The next idea was much closer to implementation. The railway to Spain seemed very promising, but the difficult political situation suspended any work in this direction.

​As a result, it was decided to begin work on creating a railway network that would help develop important areas of the Portuguese economy, for example, connecting the capital with Alentejo, where grain was supplied. In 1852, the Ministry of Public Works, Trade and Production appeared. It is engaged in major national projects, which include the development of railways. On October 28, 1856, the inauguration of the railway section between Lisbon and Carregado took place, which became the birthday of the entire railway system in Portugal. The first train consisted of 14 carriages and two locomotives and bore the name of the royal heir - “D. Luis”.

​From this moment on, the development of railways became much more active. Already in 1963 the road reached the border with Spain. The development of the northern direction begins. On May 1, 1865, Lisbon Santa Apolonia Station, one of the most important stations in the country, opens. Ten years later, the railway also entered the Spanish region of Galicia. There were minor difficulties with this, since the Portuguese engineers initially chose a gauge size of 1435 mm, although Spain was already using a gauge of 1668 mm. Therefore, the Portuguese later changed their gauge to the “Iberian” one. In 1891, Lisbon received another famous station - Rossio. Built according to the design of the architect José Luis Monteiro, until 1957 it bore the proud name – Central Station (Estação Central). In November 1897, Sud-Express appeared - railway communication between Lisbon and St. Petersburg.

​The course of development of all transport system Portugal changed with the outbreak of the First World War, especially with respect to the railways. The shortage of coal leads to the need to heat locomotives with wood, many companies go bankrupt and are absorbed by others. But large companies who cope with the crisis and continue to develop the railway network. In 1926, the Cascais Line was electrified, which gave rise to the emergence of electric trains. The Second World War hindered progress even more. Fuel problems are becoming global. Coal, firewood, fuel oil - the government is trying to find the most economical solution. But even after the end of the war, it is not possible to get out of the crisis immediately, although Portugal has an advantage over other European countries, since their railways were not damaged by direct military action.

Purchase instructions train tickets in Portugal.

At first, I was going to add some information on how to buy tickets through the official website of the Portuguese railway company, but, as I started to look into it, I realized that buying a train ticket is far from trivial. I present to your attention the result of my research.

Attention: Online, on the CP website, you can only buy tickets for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains!

1. If you are not familiar with Portuguese, click on the flag picture to select the English version of the site.

If you are going to buy train tickets, and not just look at the schedule, then I suggest you register on the site at this stage. You will need registration in any case, and by registering now, you will not have to fill out the search form a second time, since the site will not remember what was found.

Registration for purchasing train tickets

To register, click on myCP and select Register:

Information from the office website: A mobile phone is needed to facilitate future ticket purchases; you will not need to enter it again. After purchasing a ticket, you will receive a special purchase confirmation number and can use it as e-ticket(show the SMS to the controller on the train). Thus, you will do without printing out the ticket (PDF), which you will receive by email. But, as it turned out later, this is not entirely true, or I was just “lucky”.

1. In the first part, fill in personal information: full name, date of birth, gender, number of children, city, mobile phone, Postal code.

2. Add travel companions or children if you are traveling in a group (see discounts section).

3. Enter your email and create a password. After filling, click “next”.

You can skip the next screen, collecting data for market research. Click “next” and proceed to complete registration, where you will be asked to subscribe to various newsletters. The choice is yours whether you want to receive emails or not.

Once you have made your selection, click “Submit” to complete registration.

It would be interesting to look at the person who invented this “torture machine”. I caught myself thinking that the CP company did everything possible to complicate registration on its own website.

Schedule, prices and seat selection

Search and purchase

It is not necessary to buy tickets on the site; you can simply use the “Train times” tab.

To purchase tickets, click on the “Buy Tickets” button.

1. Select from the list or write the city and station of departure. If you arrive in Lisbon by plane, Oriente Station will be closest (5-7 minutes by metro). If you are coming from the center, then Santa Apolonia
2. Select your destination station.
3. Travel date.
4. Return date if you want to buy a return ticket.
5. Number of passengers. Choose at this stage, or you will have to start over.
6. Service class (first - Comfort or second - Tourist).

After making your selection, click “Submit” and proceed to selecting the train and travel time:

Train selection

Choose the train and schedule that is most convenient for you.

1. regular ticket price
2. ticket price with discount available now

The earlier you buy your tickets, the greater the discount. It is not fixed and depends on the date of purchase and the number of seats. To those who bought online tickets on the Russian Railways website, such a system should be familiar.

If you are traveling with a bicycle or in a wheelchair, check the appropriate boxes (below) and click “Continue”.

Passenger

If you have not registered or logged in, you will be presented with an authorization form.

How to register is described above. I didn't do this in advance, so after registering, I had to repeat the search and selection of the ticket. I don’t understand why the system doesn’t save either search results or previously selected stations and dates. Every time you have to start over.

Well, the lucky ones who took advantage of my advice will log in and move on to the next step:

1. Write your name as in your passport;
2. Select the type of document and enter its number;
3. Select the type of ticket: full ticket, children's, youth, etc.;
4. Choose full payment or discounted price (if purchased at least 5 days before the trip);
5. Any ticket entitles you to receive a voucher for a sightseeing tour. Here you can choose a tour from the city where you want;
6. At the same time as purchasing a ticket, you can rent a car from railway partners;
7. Click and recalculate the ticket price after the changes have been made;

Click Continue.

Now you have 10 minutes to complete your purchase; if you don’t have time, you’ll have to choose tickets again. Attention: Temporary blocking possible Money, in the amount of the cost of tickets, on the map! The blocking period depends on your bank and card.

Select seats, some with laptop sockets and/or tables. I prefer with a table, very convenient. You can put a laptop or a book on it, and if there are four of you eating, you can have a normal conversation while traveling.

When confirming, you will be asked again in a pop-up window if you are sure of your choice, since it will not be possible to return to this step. The selected location is indicated in grey. I encountered some glitches in the Firefox browser and was unable to change my seat and carriage. I hope you have better luck.

If you buy round-trip tickets, you will be promptly asked to select your return seats.

Payment

In the next window, select payment option (1): card, PayPal or Amex.

If you need a check for a company (2), then write the company name and taxpayer number. I don’t know how relevant this is for the Russian Federation. And lastly (3) - agree to the terms.

After clicking on the “Continue” button, you will need to enter payment information and so on.

I can’t show this to you, since I don’t need a ticket yet :-), but I will definitely correct this omission.

the site wishes you a happy journey!

Details 1411 Published: October 22, 2013 Last updated: October 29, 2018