In April 2024, we will be arriving in Lisbon on the Norwegian Viva. I've booked a Gate1Travel tour of Portugal that starts in Porto that evening. So, I need to take either a train or plane. Here is what I see as our options:
Option 1: Uber or taxi to train station for 3 hour train ride to Porto. Then get to the tour provided hotel.
Option 2: NCL transfer to Lisbon airport for a flight to Porto. Then we could use Gate1 transfer to the hotel.
What would you suggest?
John
Depending slightly on which berth you use in Lisbon you can walk to Santa Apolonia station for the Porto train. I have berthed twice literally straight across the street from the station, but there are other berths a bit further down the Tagus. You would need to check far closer to the time what berth you are using.
By the time you have gone out to the airport, check in, flight time + transfer to hotel flight will be no faster. And the NCL transfer will only be at a certain time.
Train you can choose your time off the ship (if self disembarking) then straight to the station, and likely more frequent trains than flights.
Option 1, use the train. It will be much faster than flying by at least a couple of hours or more.
Reaffirming the train option.
Walk across the street if you're docked by Santa Apolónia train station or take taxi if docked further away.
The earliest you can buy train tickets is 60 days before departure.
Be aware that the train from Lisbon stops at Porto Campanhã station, if you want to go to the city center you'll have to transfer to the commuter train to São Bento station.
This is official the site for Portuguese train company:
https://www.cp.pt/sites/passageiros/en/train-times/Train-time-results
I wrote a trip report that has some photos of the inside of the AP train if you want to check it out scroll to the train photos.
https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/extended-trip-to-portugal-1711933/
Agree that the train would be the most convenient. As a note, we used the CP app to purchase our tickets and then have the electronic tickets readily available. In addition, coming into Porto, you can take an Uber from the Campanhã train station to your hotel. Uber and Bolt are reasonably priced in Portugal and you don’t have to change trains to go the Sao Bento train station.
Great responses and I thank you!! When we go I'll be 78 and my wife 74. She doesn't like dealing with stuff like changing trains. I checked and our hotel, Crowne Plaza Porto, is about 10 km from Porto Campanhã station, so taking Uber to get there should be easy and not expensive.
I just checked on the prices and 1st class train tickets are half of what airfare would be for the cheapest seats.
Thanks again! John
It will also be a very fast taxi/Uber ride, because both Campanhã station and your hotel are close to the ring road. Taking another train to Sao Bento would not help at all (quite the contrary), and the metro/light rail from Campanhã does not stop within easy walking distance from your hotel.
Take the train. From our apartment in Lisbon we took an early Uber to the train station for an early train to Porto (early Oct this year). Almost no traffic in the morning. A sleepy foggy three-hour train ride. We had reserved 2nd class seats but sat in the wrong car (but right seat numbers). Was no problem with the conductor and we actually had more room and less passengers. The train was only about 1/4 full. In Porto we took a taxi to our next apartment, as an Uber was not big enough for the six of us and luggage and we split up. No hassle and no problems.
@balso & @mchpp - Thanks for the additional advice/confirmation! I watched some YT videos this morning on the Alfa Pendular trains. I'm impressed and will book 1st class for our trip.
I'm curious how tall a suitcase can be to fit in the luggage storage at the end of the train car? On the video it showed a lock system for 1.50 Euros that I really like, but the space didn't look that tall.
John
