Getting on and off trains between Lisbon and Porto and for Porto region metro lines

Hello!

The names are:

• Viana do Castelo
• Aveiro

Writting the names as they are might help you on your search.

No metro to both this cities. Train, yes. Buses, yes. Metro, no.

Helena

I’m not certain about metro tickets in Porto but googling metro Porto should give you answers. As answered previously, the cities north of Porto are not covered on the metro.

For Caldas and São Martinho - they are not on the main train line between Lisbon and Porto. So, it would require a very small train that runs infrequently to get to these places via train. You could get off in Coimbra for a day or two - which I highly recommend. But, you will need two tickets - one Porto to Coimbra and another Coimbra to Lisbon. You may have better luck with buses to Caldas and São Martinho. Try looking at Rome2Rio for details on your options.

Hello Helena!

Thanks for the spelling corrections. Sometimes I copy paste from google, sometimes not, and you found the ones I did not. ;) My wife corrected my 3x yesterday when I said "viano". I'll get there.

In any case, I think I have my terminology cross wired here. For the Porto region I was talking about this network they are calling urban trains here: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how-to-travel/oporto-urban-trains and a map here: https://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/1_horarios/precos/pt/oporto-urban-trains-map.pdf

Its states that "The Oporto urban trains connect up with the International, Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, InterRegional and Regional trains at the main stations". I can take these urban trains north to Braga or south to Aveiro. I was wondering if this network allows you to get on and off along the way? Example: Can I buy a ticket for Aveiro but I jump off at Espinho, or do I have to plan ahead and buy explicit tickets for each stop? In other words must one buy a ticket for Campanha > Espinho then another for Espinho > Aveiro then a return from Aveiro > Campanha?

Another point where I am confused is that you can see a network of stops that goes all the way up to Povoa de Varzim and each station along the way is indicated by an "M". This line is not on the urban trains map above so I'm assuming that's the metro? Same question as above as well, can one buy the ticket for the line to PdV and get off and on along the way, or is it more like a train ticket. I'm used to the NYC subway (metro) where you pay a far and get off where you like, and pay a fare again when you get on again.

Kathryn, thanks for the notes about the slow train along the beach towns below Nazare.

Sorry for my pedantic, overly detailed questions :) just trying to plan way in advance.

Hi again!

To Póvoa the Varzim, it's the Metro. Yes, you can go in and out, as long as your ticket covers the time frame. But... I'm not sure about the time frame, and what I know is that in the milel you can visit the mall, because nothing else matters.

I mean, between one station and the other, you have a time frame, that I belive it's 1,5 hours in this case.

Forget about it, it's so difficult to explain! Get a metro towards Póvoa, leave it at "Vila do Conde", walk (well... it's plan...), visit the ancient monastery, see the ancient.. thing.... (ok, I don't know how to say it in english, but those things that used to carry water), and walk untill you see the ocean, walk again (by the ocean) and you will be at Caxinas, a fishing village, and walk a litle more you will be at Póvoa, that is very cosmopolitan, with a casino, etc. Than take the metro back. It's a nice day you can spend there!

Just in case you go to "Viana do Castelo", I would like to add that a delicious pastry named "bolas de berlim" can be found at a pastry shop named Natário. ~They are really good. Nothing to worry, just ask someone where is Natário. Or... follow the lines.

Might need to check and see if there is a place to store your luggage depending on if you are stopping between accommodations.

Hi
Generally, you can only get on and of a train if you have a pass.
Locals buy monthly passes that allow for unlimited travel within the covered zone for the specific pass.
Tourists usually buy weekly pass or individual tickets.
Not all lines have have the same tickets/pass however you may purchase a card like Lisboa Viagem or Navegante in which you can load multiple modes of transport and zones ( urban only).
The train and the subway are separate companies.
cp.pt is the national train.
metrolisboa.pt is the Lisbon subway.
metrodoporto.pt is the Porto subway.
Happy travels

Hello again Helena!

It sounds like the ancient thing is a Roman aqueduct. That will be nice to see as I am looking forward to Roman and Celtic history in the region. And I love your idea about leaving at Vila do Conde and walking! I will do that. Thank you for the suggestion of Natário. I will go there hopefully after I take surfing lessons! :)

Gail, good point about luggage!

Aulopone, thank you for the links. I thought that everything was under cp.pt! That's a big help.

I have a feeling this will be simpler to figure out once I get there on the ground! Thanks for all the feedback.

Aulopne, this answered my questions regarding the Metro in Porto: https://en.metrodoporto.pt/pages/397 Thanks again for the link!

Basically, I buy the Adante ticket I need for the trip I'm doing. I just plotted my trip from the Airport to Campanha station and its a Z4 for 2 euros. Full day and weekly options are available and I might explore that too.

p.s. Lovely Metro route map here: https://en.metrodoporto.pt/uploads/document/file/371/MAPA_DE_REDE_2019.pdf

Easy!

Hi
Glad the info helps and I'm adding to the previous info.
The subway in Porto is light rail ( you can step up to enter) mostly above ground, Lisbon is a raised platform subway completely underground.

I'll relate a experience that I had on the train from Porto to Braga: it was in the summer time and I took the urban train between the two cities - unfortunately there was no seating room and barely any standing room. City workers and beach goers packed the train like sardines in a can. On my following trip between those two cities I took the Alfa Pendular train which has assigned seating only (no standing), it was more expensive but i was comfortably seated in my own assigned seat and it took half the time than the urban train. It was definitely worth it for the comfort, ease of travel and time saved.

I suggest that you take a close look to the Campanha train station because it has 5 double sided platforms( for intercity trains, AP, etc) that are only accessible through a tunnel from the main station building ( where a display informs, train, direction and platform - however if you're not familiar with the set up by the time you get to the platform the train may have left).

In Lisbon some of the lines like Lisboa - Cascais have express trains (rapido) and trains that only travel part of the line and return to the departing station in order to alleviate passenger loads from the regular trains ( you'll see it at the 3 platform stations - the middle platform is for the partial trip train).
Happy travels

Use the OMIO app. Works great for busses and trains. We used it for both for Lisbon to Nazare to Porto to Pinhao and return. Cheap and easy.