We are traveling to Portugal in a couple weeks and planned to use trains for part of the trip (Lisbon to Sintra, Lisbon to Porto with a stop in Coimbra). We just got notice of "likely traffic disruptions 4/28/25 and after." Has anyone experienced such strikes and can you explain what to expect? I get the impression that this isn't a complete stoppage. Instead, random trains may be cancelled and that you won't know which until the last minute. We can probably use a taxi or ride share to Sintra, but Coimbra/Porto will be more complicated, especially since we were planning to store luggage in lockers at the Coimbra train station while we toured. Also, I expect alternative transportation will be harder to get because everyone will be doing that.
Posted by
The States
98 posts
In July 2023, there were strikes similar to these going on. We only experienced one issue. We planned to daytrip from Porto to Braga by train. When we showed up at the station, the time we had chosen was cancelled due to the strike. We killed time at a nearby cafe and took the next train out, which was about an hour later. I had the CP app, and it provided no information on cancelled trains. We only got the information by physically going to the station.
Posted by
Chicago
3514 posts
I had the CP app, and it provided no information on cancelled trains.
This was my experience in March 2024. The app did not update in real time, which is unfortunate. I was waiting for a train that never came and announcements at the station were in Portuguese only.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
This is the kind of information I'm looking for, although it's not encouraging. Unfortunately, we have timed tickets that don't leave a lot of room for delays. I'm hoping this gets resolved by the time we get there, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope.
Posted by
Chicago
3514 posts
Train strikes are stressful. I’ve had to work around several of them in the last few years. I’ve always gotten where I needed to go, just not the way originally planned.
Maybe look into some bus options as a backup plan, just in case.
Good luck!!
P.S. There might be some helpful info. here on threads discussing previous strikes:
https://search.ricksteves.com/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=train+strikes+portugal&button=
Posted by
1 posts
I tried to book a ticket from Entroncamento to Lisbon Oriente station for 7th May online but kept getting error messages so I went to the ticket office in Entroncamento only to be told the Intercity Trains on that route were cancelled because of strikes on the 7th and 8th May. I was able to purchase a slower regional alternative for the 7th but I do not feel confident.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1498 posts
helsharmer
I have never taken the bus to coimbra, but you should be able to find that pretty easily as an option in case your train is affected by a strike.
Also, when I asked Google, it says that you can store your luggage at the nearby: https://luggagehero.com/coimbra/
Good luck.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thanks for the helpful info. My dilemma is, it sounds like we won't know if the train is cancelled until the last minute. I'll have to find out the location of a nearby bus station and whether switching modes of transportation at that time is feasible. Or we could cancel the train and just rely on the bus I guess. Gotta do some more research.
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1895 posts
Train strikes have become commonplace in recent years. The good news is that a lot of times the strikes are settled before they occur. The other posters detailed some of the bad news.
If you want to chuck the train idea and go with the bus, Flixbus and Gypsyy both have buses between major cities. I’ve used them both and they were both good.
Posted by
Chicago
3514 posts
My dilemma is, it sounds like we won't know if the train is cancelled
until the last minute. I'll have to find out the location of a nearby
bus station and whether switching modes of transportation at that time
is feasible. Or we could cancel the train and just rely on the bus I
guess.
You could buy both train and bus tickets. That way you’ll already have the bus tickets if you need them. That’s probably what I would do. I like to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.
Posted by
2 posts
i am here now in Portugal on a Rick Steve’s tour right now. when tour ends my husband i have a train ticket back to Lisbon on May 28. i got the notice they will be on strike. The bus tickets are cheap. keep your train ticket and get a bus ticket. if the strike does not occur it’s a small amount to lose on bus. From experience with Italy train strikes, i don’t trust my train here to go. the bus driver for our tour told us to use Rede Expressos. They are the best quality he said. i just got our tix easily online. Good luck! You will LOVE Portugal.