Transportation modes - Portugal & Spain

No; we aren't being left high and dry. We just wanted to take the train, at least from Salamanca, rather than the bus transport being provided by the cruise line. Thanks for all of your help!

How will you have arrived at Barca d'Alva? You should be retracing some of your 'steps', if your purpose is to go to Madrid by public transport. You can certainly bus direct to Madrid from towns and cities in Portugal. If you are unable to find your way, come on back.

We will arrive on a river cruise ship.

When you get off the established (limited) train routes, a bus is going to be your best bet. The buses are nice and inexpensive so don't shy away from using them. Every bus station I went into in Spain had a small information kiosk with an English speaker to help you choose your route and buy a ticket. Hopefully it will be similar for Portugal. If it's not the case, visit a local travel agency in town. They will be able to book your travel easily (using a travel agent to book a bus isn't uncommon in Spain, I'd expect it to be the same in Portugal). Your other choice is commuter planes but the route is likely to be far less convenient. I'd expect to arrive sooner and much more cheaply by bus.

You surely are not being left high and dry there? I will be very surprised if you find public transport out of Barca d'Alva to Salamanca or any point in Spain. You can obviously connect by road, but public transport I doubt will run to suit the rare visitor who would wish to continue in that direction. It's a taxi, or someone unofficial, make your way to Guarda (again probably a taxi) for a bus with ALSA or you retrace your way as I said previously.

Thanks for the thanks.