Hello;
we will be in portugal for 5 weeks in aug/sept.
we already have itinerary and reservations and are locked in (meeting others in different places) to these waypoints.
from what i can tell, it look like bus is the best way to travel between the following destinations
lisbon to nazare
nazare- porto
coimbra - evora
evora -lagos
lagos- lisbon
the only link that train appears best is
porto - coimbra
Is my info correct?
Buses are more direct for all of those connections, as summarized in Rick Steves Portugal, but train service is also available as a back-up plan. Bus schedules are generally available online through various operators but after departing Lisbon I'd also confirm locally as you arrive in each town.
Personally, I would hire a car, particularly if you want to explore the Algarve and Nazare areas. Driving isn’t difficult in Portugal. You don’t need a car in Lisbon.
The bus is probably easier, yes If you love trains, you can still take one from Nazare to Porto, but it will involve a few changes. You'd need to get a local bus or taxi to nearby Valado and take the train on from there. Travel time probably isn't much more than a bus just with changes. The direct bus is of course much simpler, but some of us don't care for long bus rides.
The bus station in Coimbra is a good 10-15 minutes walk from the center of town, whereas the small Coimbra station (not bigger Coimbra-B) is at the edge of the old town so very convenient. The regional train actually isn't that bad between Porto and Coimbra - I took a couple of trains in this region in May, and although they do make a lot of stops, the trains I was on weren't crowded and I had a few seats to myself. There are a few regional trains that go directly from Porto Campanha station to Coimbra without the change in Coimbra-B. (take a short train ride from Sao Bento to Campanha). There are faster trains between Porto Campanha and Coimbra-B, but then you still need to change to get to the smaller Coimbra station, as the fast trains stop only at Coimbra-B.
I agree with Jennifer about renting a car for a portion of your stay. The bus service in the Algarve is infrequent and may not get you everywhere you want to go. And driving in the Algarve and the silver coast area (Nazare) is very easy and the roads are good.
There is also good train service between Lagos and Lisbon, and, if you purchase ahead of time, very inexpensive. The trains in Portugal are quite comfortable. I would use them over a bus whenever possible.
Thanks to all of you for your helpful responses.
I promised my partner i wouldnt rent a car this time, for any part of the trip; so we're back to traveling pub trans.
looks like buses except for porto-coimbra and lagos-lisbon
The wisdom and grace of fellow travelers is so inspiring ; thanks again
