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

Hi there,
Question on ticketing for CP.pt and getting on and off between towns.

I'm planning a trip this spring and plan to use trains and metros for most of my sightseeing. I plan to base out of Porto and travel to places like Braga, Barcelos, Viana do Castelo and Aveiro using the metro lines. For the metro, do I have to buy a ticket to a town like Aveiro or Viana (both are at the ends of their respective metro lines) and stay until I reach them? Or can I get off randomly along the way, explore a town on a whim and then get back on and carry on with another train going to the same original destination?

Similarly for the IC or regional trains, can I get on and off for towns along the way? I might fly into Lisbon and take the train to Porto. I may use the AP on the return back but could I take a local train that goes up the coast and could I get off for Caldas da Rainha for an hour or two get back on and get off again at São Martinho do Porto for an overnight, get back on the next morning then continue to Coimbra for a day or two then finally head all the way to Porto Campanha station. I'm thinking these stops need to be planned carefully and getting off before the final destination is a problem. In other words, all of these stops need to be considered separate tickets

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thank you,
Jeff

Posted by
238 posts

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

Posted by
1826 posts

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.

Posted by
34 posts

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.

Posted by
238 posts

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!

Posted by
238 posts

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.

Posted by
374 posts

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

Posted by
34 posts

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.

Posted by
34 posts

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!

Posted by
374 posts

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

Posted by
4 posts

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.