I want to do a day train trip from Porto to Pinhao in the Douro Valley next May. Does anyone know if it is easy to get a taxi to nearby vineyards such as Quinta do Vallardo?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
1423 posts
When I was there in mid-October 2023, a taxi was not readily available and I ended up asking my waiter in the restaurant I had lunch at to call one for me. It may be different now, but that was my experience in 2023. My experience actually ended up to be fun and a story to tell later. Here is an excerpt from my trip report:
“ Here’s where my difficulties getting around the Douro without a rental car comes in to play. I looked everywhere in Pinhao for a taxi and none were to be found, so I walked back to the restaurant and asked them to call me a taxi/ride. You know how in films you see tourists being offered rides from a “friend” “cousin” “colleague.” Well, pretty much that is how I got my ride. I’m not joking, Alex from LBV Restaurant called his friend, Ricardo, who arrived in 10 minutes and he and his friend drove me to the Quinta. We had a wonderful conversation on the short trip and I arranged for them to transport me to the Regua train station the following morning. Now normally, I would be a bit concerned with getting some random dude give me a ride, but for some reason, I felt perfectly safe probably because the young man at the restaurant seemed very professional and responsible and so did his friends. His friends were starting up a business very much like what Uber or Lyft does - giving rides to tourists. They also said they manage several BnBs in the area. I was FINE.”
Posted by
OP
30 posts
Thanks for this - great initiative from both you and the enterprising young men!
Can you please tell me the name of the restaurant, and I might see if your helpful waiter is still there? Or maybe by now his friends have got their business model working. According to my guidebook, there are two Quinta 10-15 minutes walk away, and that one is 25 minutes, so I could always walk!! But a taxi would be better……
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1824 posts
The two times I’ve traveled to Pinhão, there were taxis waiting for every train. I think we had to wait one time for the taxi to take its passengers to their hotel then return. But they did return.
If you Google Taxis Pinhão Portugal, three companies and phone numbers come up.