I've been on both Omio and Rail Ninjas websites looking to book a one way train from Lisbon to Porto. I wanted to purchase seats facing the coast for the trip since it is supposed to be scenic. However, nowhere can I find the area to do a seat selection for Alfa Pendular. AI says I can do that but I can't figure it out, or at least prior to the payment section. Is it first come first serve and not possible to pick a seat? The comboisos website is a nightmare....whew! The seat map on "seat61" was helpful for the Alfa Pendular if I can get to a place to select a seat however even if I get to seat selection I don't know if the seats I want to select face west which would give the best view of the coast at times? Any advice?
Posted by
WA USA
1081 posts
Portugal's railway website (cp) also has a warning about Rail Ninjas and not to use them. Not an authorized provider. https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times/Alerts/unauthorised-sale-tickets
Seat 61 has some good information regarding this route. Omio is an official provider, however, I would recommend booking direct, if possible. I've had no issues booking via cp.
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/lisbon-to-porto-by-train.htm
I know that I have picked seats, but I don't remember what step of the process. But I did get to pick.
Posted by
USA
89 posts
You can pick seat before payment.
However train trip between Porto and Lisbon is not particularly scenic.
There are nice green coastal plains but nothing extra ordinary.
If you pick a seat facing West, you may sea ocean earlier in the trip for few minutes in this 3 hour journey.
And if you pick a seat facing East then you can see Tagus river just before Lisbon.
Train ride is bit rickety but functional.
Open Jaw between Lisbon and Porto with multi stop car ride between the two (self rental or driver hire) is the way to go.
CP website is useful for information and to get strikes/disruption alerts. Like so many things in Portugal, it has its own quirks though.
It will not take UK style characters in zip code which can be circumvented using any Lisbon hotel code.
I had no issue buying my own ticket but when I tried to add companions, it had issues accepting ID numbers that it needs to issue tickets (ticket counter has no such requirement and ticket was bought there in less than 2 minutes total as there was no line)
Posted by
Bay Harbor Islands , Florida
6 posts
We bought our tickets for the Alfa Pendular Lisbon trip to Porto and got to choose our seats. Having said that, I have to say we bought Comfort tickets. I'm not sure it works for the normal seats.