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Lisbon Santa Apolonia, walking distance from the city centre. Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Fruchter. |
This page explains how to travel by train from Lisbon to other European cities, and how to buy tickets. Information updated for 2026.
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I just buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just buy a €35 point-to-point ticket online?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Lisbon to Porto from €9.50
Lisbon to Faro & the Algarve from €8
Lisbon to other destinations in Portugal
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Buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.
This sells tickets for Portuguese long-distance trains including Lisbon-Porto & Lisbon-Algarve. There are cheap advance-purchase fares if you book in advance, all tickets come with the necessary seat reservation included.
Booking usually opens 60 days before departure date. Click EN top right for English. Remember that Lisbon is Lisboa in Portuguese. You'll need passport numbers for all travellers. When registering, www.cp.pt won't accept UK-style postcodes so use 123456.
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Or buy at Omio.com (in €, £ or $), UK postcodes no problem.
Omio.com is currently the only other website currently connected to CP's system and authorised to sell CP tickets.
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Lisbon to Sintra & Cascais
Frequent local trains link Lisbon Rossio station with Sintra roughly every 15 minutes, journey time around 40 minutes.
Frequent local trains link Lisbon Cais do Sodre station with Cascais every 20 minutes or so, in around 40 minutes.
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Are you over 65?
CP give a 50% discount on Portuguese domestic train tickets to anyone over 65. Just say that you're over 65 and show your passport. The discount applies to full-flex full-price tickets only, not to cheap advance-purchase fares. You can book discounted full-flex tickets online at www.cp.pt by selecting Senior instead of Full-Price during the process.
Lisbon to Madrid from €33 & onwards to Alicante & Valencia
Option 1, Lisbon to Madrid in a day, the leisurely direct way
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You can travel from Lisbon to Madrid by daytime trains with 2 changes, as shown on the Madrid to Lisbon page.
It's cheap, comfortable, scenic, but not fast. A leisurely ride across Extremadura, look out for beautiful tiling on rural Portuguese stations.
Consider the more round-about journey with overnight stop in Porto shown in option 2 below. As each new section of the Madrid-Galicia high-speed line opens the Vigo-Madrid part of this journey gets faster. With the attractions of Porto as a stopover, you may well prefer that route.
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Lisbon-Madrid sleeper discontinued: The Lusitania Trenhotel was suspended in March 2020 due to Covid-19, Renfe did not want to reinstate it and it's been permanently discontinued. A direct fast daytime train may start in 2027 or 2028 when new lines are completed in both Spain & Portugal, but until the only link between Madrid & Lisbon is a 3-train combo by day, see the Madrid to Lisbon page.
Changing trains at Badajoz station. The single-coach Allan Railcar from Entroncamento has arrived at Badajoz on the right. The express from Badajoz to Madrid is on the left. Photo courtesy of Giles Baker.
Wonderful arid scenery on the Spanish plateau between Badajoz & Madrid. Photo courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
Option 2, Lisbon to Madrid with overnight stop in Porto - a round-about route, but with fast trains & a great stopover
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon Santa Apolonia to Porto Campanhã on any train you like, leaving Lisbon as late as 19:30.
The journey takes as little as 2h58, by 200 km/h tilting Alfa Pendular or comfortable 160 km/h Intercity train. There are regular departures through the day, by all means travel early and spend some time in Porto. More about Porto to Lisbon trains.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at either www.cp.pt or Omio.com and print them out.
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Stay overnight in Porto.
The Poviera Hotel is a small and very inexpensive hotel with good reviews directly opposite Campanhã station. The Oca Oriental Porto Hotel is also inexpensive, gets great reviews, a stone's throw from Campanhã station.
If you'd rather stay in the old town, my personal favourite is the Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel, immediately south of (and with unrivalled views of) Porto's iconic Ponte Luis I, a 12-minute 900m walk from São Bento station. Or there's the InterContinental Hotel, a 5-star converted monastery-cum-palace a stone's throw from the beautiful Sao Bento railway station. Or the cheaper PortoBay Teatro Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 08:13, arriving Vigo Guixar 11:35.
The fare is €16.25, fixed-price. 2nd class only.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
From Vigo Guixar it's an easy 10 minute 500m walk to Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE, leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 13:37, arriving Madrid Chamartin 17:37.
This runs daily except Saturdays, check Saturday times online.
This high-speed air-conditioned AVE S106 has standard & comfort class, cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €22 in standard class or €44 in comfort class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, looking for as direct train with 0 changes.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto by Alfa Pendular.
Day 2, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express.
Above, the train crosses the Minho river which forms the border between Spain and Portugal.
Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE. Above right, comfort (1st) class seats an S106 AVE.
Controversial 2+3 seating in standard (2nd) class on an S106 AVE. Photos in this section courtesy of @SimplyRailway
Scenery between Vigo and Madrid, south of Ourense.
Scenery between Vigo and Madrid, not far from Madrid.
Option 3, Lisbon to Madrid with overnight stop in Vigo - same route as option 2, but overnight stop in Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This is a fast Alfa Pendular train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means book an earlier train for more time in Porto.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at www.omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
From Vigo Guixar it's an easy 10 minute 500m walk to Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE with a choice of departure:
Leave Vigo Urzaiz at 06:00 Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 09:50.
Leave Vigo Urzaiz at 13:37 daily except Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 17:37.
Leave Vigo Urzaiz at 17:25 daily, arriving Madrid Chamartin 21:20.
The high-speed AVE trains have comfortable seating in standard & comfort class, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
There's also an Avlo train, leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 09:44 every day, arriving Madrid Chamartin 14:08, but this is a lo-cost service with no catering, standard class only, baggage fees apply for larger bags.
Fares start at €22 in standard class or €44 in comfort class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, looking for as direct train with 0 changes.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Lisbon to Barcelona from €78
Option 1, Lisbon to Barcelona in a day
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Step 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown here, on the earlier departure.
You leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 daily, change Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
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Step 2, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave Madrid Atocha at 21:07, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:59.
On Saturdays (or any day of the week if you like), leave Madrid Atocha at 20:27, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:48.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
There are also competing Iryo trains between Madrid & Barcelona & lo-cost Ouigo & Avlo trains from just €7, see the Madrid to Barcelona page.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Step 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid using a 3-train combo. Above, changing trains at Badajoz station. The single-coach Allan Railcar from Entroncamento has arrived at Badajoz. The express from Badajoz to Madrid is on the left. Photo courtesy of Giles Baker.
Wonderful arid scenery on the Spanish plateau between Badajoz & Madrid. Photo courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
Step 2, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by high-speed AVE. Above, an AVE (type S103) to Barcelona at Madrid Atocha. See virtual tour
Scenery from the high-speed AVE between Barcelona & Madrid. Courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com.
Option 2, Lisbon to Barcelona with an overnight stop in Madrid
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown in detail here, with a choice of departure:
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 every day, change Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 12:30 daily except Saturdays, change Entroncamento & Badajoz, arriving Madrid Atocha 22:04.
Book this as shown here. Booking opens up to 60 days ahead.
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Stay overnight in Madrid.
The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid Atocha to Barcelona Sants in as little as 2h30 on any high-speed AVE you like, they leave almost every hour.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
There are also competing Iryo trains between Madrid & Barcelona & lo-cost Ouigo & Avlo trains from just €7, see the Madrid to Barcelona page.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 3, Lisbon to Barcelona with overnight stop in Porto - a round-about route, but with fast trains & a great stopover
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon Santa Apolonia to Porto Campanhã on any train you like, you can leave Lisbon as late as 19:30.
The journey takes as little as 2h58, by 200 km/h tilting Alfa Pendular or comfortable 160 km/h Intercity train. There are regular departures through the day, by all means travel early and spend some time in Porto. More about Porto to Lisbon trains.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at either www.cp.pt or Omio.com and print them out.
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Stay overnight in Porto.
The Poviera Hotel is a small and very inexpensive hotel with good reviews directly opposite Campanhã station. The Oca Oriental Porto Hotel is also inexpensive, gets great reviews, a stone's throw from Campanhã station.
If you'd rather stay in the old town, my personal favourite is the Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel, immediately south of (and with unrivalled views of) Porto's iconic Ponte Luis I, a 12-minute 900m walk from São Bento station. Or there's the InterContinental Hotel, a 5-star converted monastery-cum-palace a stone's throw from the beautiful Sao Bento railway station. Or the cheaper PortoBay Teatro Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 08:13, arriving Vigo Guixar 11:35.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
From Vigo Guixar it's an easy 10 minute 500m walk to Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 13:37 daily except Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 17:37.
The high-speed AVE train has standard & comfort class, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €22 in standard class or €44 in comfort class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, looking for as direct train with 0 changes.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Transfer from Madrid Chamartin to Madrid Atocha by local train.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE, leaving Madrid Atocha at 20:05 daily except Saturdays arriving Barcelona Sants 22:42.
The high-speed AVE has standard & comfort class, cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto by Alfa Pendular.
Day 2, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express.
Above, the train crosses the Minho river which forms the border between Spain and Portugal.
Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE. Above right, comfort (1st) class seats an S106 AVE.
Controversial 2+3 seating in standard (2nd) class on an S106 AVE. Photos in this section courtesy of @SimplyRailway
Scenery between Vigo and Madrid, south of Ourense.
Scenery between Vigo and Madrid, not far from Madrid.
Option 4, Lisbon to Barcelona with overnight stop in Vigo - same route as option 3, but overnight stop in Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This is a fast Alfa Pendular train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means book an earlier train for more time in Porto.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Check times & buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at www.omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
2nd class only, air-conditioned. You can check Lisbon-Porto-Vigo train times at www.cp.pt or www.omio.com, either using the journey planner or searching for the PDF-format Lisbon-Porto-Vigo Celta timetable.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
Vigo Guixar is an easy 10 minute 500m walk from Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to Madrid by AVE with a choice of departure:
Leave Vigo Urzaiz at 06:00 Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 09:50.
Leave Vigo Urzaiz at 13:37 daily except Saturdays, arriving Madrid Chamartin 17:37.
The high-speed AVE S106 has standard & comfort class, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €22 in standard class or €44 in comfort class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, looking for as direct train with 0 changes.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
If you left Vigo at 06:00, leave Madrid Atocha at 12:27 arriving Barcelona Sants 15:44.
If you left Vigo at 13:37, leave Madrid Atocha at 19:34, arriving Barcelona Sants 22:55.
The high-speed AVE has standard & comfort class, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, looking for as direct train with 0 changes. Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies significantly. You print your own ticket.
Lisbon to Burgos, Valladolid, San Sebastian from €38
By daytime trains with overnight stop in Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This is a fast Alfa Pendular train with cafe-bar.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Check times & buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at Omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy at the station or buy at www.omio.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to San Sebastian with a choice of departure:
Early departure, 3 times a week
Leave Vigo Guixar at 07:48 on Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays for Vitoria/Gasteiz, arriving 16:24.
The comfortable air-conditioned Alvia train has a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats.
An Intercity train provides a guaranteed connection, leaving Vitoria/Gasteiz 16:45, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe station) 18:35.
Mid-morning departure, every day
Travel from Vigo to Madrid by Avlo, leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 09:44 every day, arriving Madrid Chamartin 14:08.
Lo-cost Avlo trains are one-class only, no catering, check baggage allowance as there may be extra fees to pay.
Travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 17:37, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe) 22:52.
The Alvia train has standard & comfort class and a cafe-bar.
Fares start at €23 in standard class (2nd class) or €29 in comfort class (1st class). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.omio.com, www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You can also book at Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com, in €, much more fiddly to use, rejects some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If taking the mid-morning departure, you should treat Vigo-Madrid & Madrid-San Sebastian as separate bookings.
Lisbon to Seville, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada
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Step 1, travel from Lisbon Oriente to Faro by train in around 3h20.
There are a 5 departures every day by comfortable InterCity or Alfa Pendular train, all with cafe-bar.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at Omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket. Do not book on any other site, no other site can do the necessary reservation or sell the cheaper advance tickets.
In Faro, the Eva bus station (terminal rodoviário) used by Alsa is a 4-minute 280m walk from Faro station.
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Step 2, travel from Faro to Seville by bus.
Several companies operate this route, including Alsa, Damas, Iberobus & EuroLines.
Buses typically leave at 08:20, 10:30, 16:00, 16:45, 17:45 & 18:00, but it varies by day. Journey time 2h30 to 3h15.
I recommend Alsa (Alsa-Rede Express) as their buses stop at Seville Plaza de Armas (for Seville city centre) then continue to Seville Santa Justa for easy bus-train connections. Their Seville Santa Justa stop is outside the main station entrance next to McDonalds.
Fare €17-€21 each way, depending on operator.
Buy tickets at Omio.com, this sells tickets for all these operators. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, take a train from Seville Santa Justa to Cordoba, Malaga, Granada or wherever.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or Omio.com though for short hops you may as well buy when you get there at the station.
Step 1, take a train from Lisbon to Faro. Above, an Intercity train to Faro about to leave Lisbon Oriente.
Step 2, take a bus from Faro to Seville. Above, an Alsa-Rede Express bus at Faro Eva bus station, next to the Eva Senses Hotel & 2 minutes walk from Faro station.
The bus crosses the Guadiana river, which forms the border between Spain and Portugal at this point.
An Alsa bus at its stop outside Seville Santa Justa station.
Lisbon to Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña
Option 1, Lisbon to Vigo & Santiago de Compostela with overnight stop in Porto
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon Santa Apolonia to Porto Campanhã on any train you like, you can leave Lisbon as late as 19:30.
The journey takes as little as 2h58, by 200 km/h tilting Alfa Pendular or comfortable 160 km/h Intercity train. There are regular departures through the day, by all means travel early and spend some time in Porto. More about Porto to Lisbon trains.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at either www.cp.pt or www.omio.com and print them out or show them on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Porto.
The Poviera Hotel is a small and very inexpensive hotel with good reviews directly opposite Campanhã station. The Oca Oriental Porto Hotel is also inexpensive, gets great reviews, a stone's throw from Campanhã station.
If you'd rather stay in the old town, my personal favourite is the Vincci Ponte de Ferro Hotel, immediately south of (and with unrivalled views of) Porto's iconic Ponte Luis I, a 12-minute 900m walk from São Bento station. Or there's the InterContinental Hotel, a 5-star converted monastery-cum-palace a stone's throw from the beautiful Sao Bento railway station. Or the cheaper PortoBay Teatro Hotel.
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Day 2, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 08:13, arriving Vigo Guixar 11:35.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela or A Coruña.
There are slow regional trains from Vigo Guixar every few hours via the classic line, or hourly fast Media Distancia trains from Vigo Urzaiz on the high-speed line. It's a 10-minute 500m walk from Vigo Guixar to Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
Check times and buy tickets at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or Spanish Railways www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly, rejects some overseas payment cards).
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies. I'd allow at least an hour in Vigo between trains.
Option 2, Lisbon to Vigo & Santiago de Compostela with overnight stop in Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This is a fast Alfa Pendular train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means book an earlier train for more time in Porto.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares, book ahead for these.
Check times & buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at www.omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
The fare is €16.25 fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
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Day 2, take any train you like from Vigo to Santiago de Compostela or A Coruña.
There are regional trains from Vigo Guixar every few hours on the classic line, or hourly fast Media Distancia trains from Vigo Urzaiz on the high-speed line.
It's a 10-minute 500m walk from Vigo Guixar to Vigo Urzaiz, see how to walk between stations using the halo lift.
Buy tickets at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or Spanish Railways www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly, rejects some overseas payment cards).
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies. I'd allow at least an hour in Vigo between trains.
The Celta regional express between Vigo & Porto, seen here at Vigo Guixar. Below, the Minho river forms the border between Spain and Portugal.
Lisbon to Andorra
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Steps 1 & 2, travel from Lisbon to Madrid, stay overnight, then travel from Madrid to Barcelona, as shown above.
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Step 3, travel from Barcelona to Andorra by bus. There are then 6 or 7 buses every day from Barcelona Sants station to Andorra La Vella, capital of Andorra, journey time 3 hours, fare around €29. Buy bus tickets at www.autocarsnadal.com.
Lisbon to London
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For travel between Lisbon & London in either direction, see the London to Portugal page.
Lisbon to Paris
Option 1, Lisbon to Paris via Madrid & Barcelona
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown in detail here.
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 every day, change at Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
Book this as shown here. Booking opens up to 60 days ahead.
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Day 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave Madrid Atocha at 21:07, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:59.
On Saturdays, leave Madrid Atocha at 20:27, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:48.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or Spanish Railways www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards). You print your ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Paris by TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 09:26, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 16:12.
The impressive TGV Duplex is a 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck high-speed train with 1st & 2nd class, café-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views. In Barcelona there's a brief X-ray baggage check to access the platforms.
The train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees with views of 2,784m Mt Canigou, after Perpignan it passes the Fort de Salses and colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France. Look out for Béziers cathedral on the left. It then speeds along the Rhône Valley towards Paris.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Lisbon to Paris via Vigo & San Sebastian
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This fast Alfa Pendular train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means book an earlier train for more time in Porto.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Check times & buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at www.omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to San Sebastian on one of these two departures:
Early departure, 3 times a week
Leave Vigo Guixar at 07:48 on Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays for Vitoria/Gasteiz, arriving 16:24.
The comfortable air-conditioned Alvia train has a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats.
An Intercity train provides a guaranteed connection, leaving Vitoria/Gasteiz 16:45, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe station) 18:35.
Mid-morning departure, every day
Travel from Vigo to Madrid by Avlo, leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 09:44 every day, arriving Madrid Chamartin 14:08.
Lo-cost Avlo trains are one-class only, no catering, check baggage allowance as there may be extra fees to pay.
Travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 17:37, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe) 22:52.
The Alvia train has standard & comfort class and a cafe-bar.
Fares start at €23 in standard class (2nd class) or €29 in comfort class (1st class). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In San Sebastian, it's an easy 10-minute walk from San Sebastian Renfe station to San Sebastian Amara station, see walking route.
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Stay overnight in San Sebastian.
The Pension Regil is close to the old town with great reviews, 10 minutes walk from the Renfe station, 7 minutes walk from the Amara Euskotren station. If you want something in the old town itself, try the Pension Garibai or Pension Alameda. If you want to push the boat out, San Sebastian's most venerable hotel (which I can recommend personally, having stayed there) is the Hotel de Londres y Inglaterra, on the sea front.
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Day 3, travel from San Sebastian to Hendaye by Euskotren, leaving San Sebastian Amara at 08:15. These metro trains run every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes, buy a ticket at the station with cash or card and hop on the next train. Check times at www.euskotren.eus.
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Day 3, travel from Hendaye to Paris by TGV Duplex Océane, leaving Hendaye daily at 09:33, arriving Paris Montparnasse 14:17.
The impressive 300 km/h (186 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex Océane has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets for the TGV at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Lisbon to Biarritz, Lourdes, Bordeaux
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Porto, leaving Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 14:00, arriving Porto Campanhã 16:58.
This fast Alfa Pendular train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. By all means book an earlier train for more time in Porto.
Fares start at €9.50 in 2nd class or €22.50 in 1st class. These are limited-availability promo fares.
Buy tickets at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in €) or at www.omio.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $).
Booking opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Porto to Vigo by Celta regional express, leaving Porto Campanhã at 19:10, arriving Vigo Guixar 22:34.
The fare is €16.25, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com, or buy at the station.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vigo.
The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near Vigo Guixar with great reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Vigo to San Sebastian on one of these two departures:
Early departure, 3 times a week
Leave Vigo Guixar at 07:48 on Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays for Vitoria/Gasteiz, arriving 16:24.
The comfortable air-conditioned Alvia train has a cafe-bar and power sockets at all seats.
An Intercity train provides a guaranteed connection, leaving Vitoria/Gasteiz 16:45, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe station) 18:35.
Mid-morning departure, every day
Travel from Vigo to Madrid by Avlo, leaving Vigo Urzaiz at 09:44 every day, arriving Madrid Chamartin 14:08.
Lo-cost Avlo trains are one-class only, no catering, check baggage allowance as there may be extra fees to pay.
Travel from Madrid to San Sebastian by Alvia, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 17:37, arriving San Sebastian (Renfe) 22:52.
The Alvia train has standard & comfort class and a cafe-bar.
Fares start at €23 in standard class (2nd class) or €29 in comfort class (1st class). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
In San Sebastian, it's an easy 10-minute walk from San Sebastian Renfe station to San Sebastian Amara station, see walking route.
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Stay overnight in San Sebastian.
The Pension Regil is close to the old town with great reviews, 10 minutes walk from the Renfe station, 7 minutes walk from the Amara Euskotren station. If you want something in the old town itself, try the Pension Garibai or Pension Alameda. If you want to push the boat out, San Sebastian's most venerable hotel (which I can recommend personally, having stayed there) is the Hotel de Londres y Inglaterra, on the sea front.
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Day 3, travel from San Sebastian to Hendaye by Euskotren, leaving San Sebastian Amara at 08:15. These metro trains run every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes, buy a ticket at the station with cash or card and hop on the next train. Check times at www.euskotren.eus.
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Day 3, travel from Hendaye to Biarritz, Lourdes or Bordeaux by French train.
Check times and buy tickets at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Lisbon to Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw, Moscow
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Days 1 & 2, travel from Lisbon to Paris as shown above using whichever option you prefer.
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For Brussels, Amsterdam or Cologne, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord, then take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi (in 1h25, from €29), Amsterdam Centraal (in 3h20, from €35) or Cologne Hbf (in 3h25, from €35).
Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Book the Eurostar at www.thetrainline.com to keep all your bookings in one place, in €, £ or $, both easy to use, small booking fee, or book it at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
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For Frankfurt, transfer by metro or taxi to the Gare de l'Est, then take an ICE or TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de l'Est to Frankfurt in 3h45 from €39, booked at int.bahn.de, or you can use www.thetrainline.com for this leg of the journey too, keeping all your bookings in one place.
Also see this Lisbon-Frankfurt option via Marseille, which saves crossing Paris and might be nicer, even if slightly longer.
For Berlin, take high-speed trains as shown here, an overnight stop in Cologne or Mannheim may be necessary.
For Copenhagen, travel from Paris to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Cologne as shown here.
For Warsaw & Krakow, travel from Paris to Warsaw or Krakow as shown here.
Lisbon to Avignon, Marseille, Lyon, Cannes, Nice, Frankfurt
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown in detail here.
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 every day, change at Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
Book this as shown here. Booking opens up to 60 days ahead.
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Day 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave Madrid Atocha at 21:07, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:59.
On Saturdays, leave Madrid Atocha at 20:27, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:48.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or Spanish Railways www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards). You print your ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to France, leaving Barcelona Sants at 09:26, change at Narbonne, arriving Marseille St Charles 14:38.
Change at Marseille St Charles for Lyon, Cannes & Nice, arriving Nice Ville at 17:38.
Barcelona to Nimes is by TGV Duplex with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You'll get great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks just after Perpignan, flamingos on the lakes between Narbonne & Montpellier, and Béziers cathedral, see more about the journey here.
Nimes to Marseilles is by Intercité with refreshment trolley & free WiFi. Marseille to Cannes & Nice is by TER regional train.
Fares start at around €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee).
Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If you're only going as far as Marseille, you could spend the morning in Madrid then take the direct 13:25 AVE S100 to Avignon, Aix-en-Provence & Marseille, see the Trains from Madrid page.
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For Frankfurt, stay overnight in Marseille.
Inexpensive hotels with good reviews near Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
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Day 3 for Frankfurt & Germany
A direct TGV Duplex leaves Marseille St Charles at 08:12, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 16:00. Change for Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg.
Fares start at €39.99 in 2nd class or €69.99 in 1st class. Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Lisbon to Geneva & Switzerland
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown in detail here.
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 every day, change at Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
Book this as shown here. Booking opens up to 60 days ahead.
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Day 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave Madrid Atocha at 21:07, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:59.
On Saturdays, leave Madrid Atocha at 20:27, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:48.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.omio.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $) or Spanish Railways www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly to use, may reject some overseas payment cards). You print your ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Lyon by AVE, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:14, arriving Lyon Part Dieu 13:20.
This comfortable AVE S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Look out for the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses on the left after Perpignan, flamingos on the lakes between Narbonne & Montpelier, and Béziers cathedral on the left. More about the journey. Remember there's an X-ray bag check at Barcelona Sants.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee).
Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Lyon to Geneva by TER regional train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:38, arriving Geneva 16:35.
There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink. It's a lovely journey along the river Rhône and through the Jura.
Lyon to Geneva costs €33.40 in 2nd class, €50.80 in 1st class. Fixed-price, unlimited availability.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, take onwards trains from Geneva to anywhere in Switzerland.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch.
Lisbon to Genoa, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy
Option 1, via Lyon
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown here, on the earlier departure.
You leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 daily, change Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
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Day 1, travel from Madrid to Barcelona by AVE.
On Mondays-Fridays & Sundays, leave Madrid Atocha at 21:07, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:59.
On Saturdays (or any day of the week if you like), leave Madrid Atocha at 20:27, arriving Barcelona Sants 23:48.
Fares start at €17.05 in standard class or €68.05 in comfort class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
There are also competing Iryo trains between Madrid & Barcelona & lo-cost Ouigo & Avlo trains from just €7, see the Madrid to Barcelona page.
Booking for Spanish trains opens anything from 15 days to 9 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona.
The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, take the morning AVE from Barcelona to Lyon and the afternoon Frecciarossa to Milan, as explained here.
You leave Barcelona Sants at 08:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu (with time for lunch), arriving Milan Centrale 22:07.
The AVE and Frecciarossa both have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
There's great scenery on this trip, around the Pyrenees, across the south of France then through the Alps to Italy.
Book this as explained here.
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Stay overnight in Milan.
Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 3, next morning take a fast Frecciarossa from Milan to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples in just a few hours.
Option 2, via Marseille
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Madrid by 3-train combo as shown in detail here, with a choice of departure:
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 08:00 every day, change at Entroncamento, Badajoz & Merida, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:44.
Leave Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 12:30 daily except Saturdays, change at Entroncamento & Badajoz, arriving Madrid Atocha 22:04.
Book this as shown here. Booking opens up to 60 days ahead.
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Stay overnight in Madrid.
The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.
Spend the following morning in Madrid.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid to Marseille by AVE, leaving Madrid Atocha at 13:15, arriving Marseille St Charles 21:30.
This comfortable AVE S100 high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Look out for the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou on the left as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees, you'll pass the historic Fort de Salses by the tracks just after Perpignan, flamingos on the lakes between Narbonne & Montpellier, and Béziers cathedral. More about the journey.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, international credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas payment cards).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, but this may vary. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Marseille.
Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles & Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles. Marseille is a great place for a longer stopover, with the Vieux Port, Eglise Notre Dame de la Garde, and if you stay a day or two you can even take a ferry to the terrible Chateau d'If of Count of Monte Cristo fame, see the Marseille page.
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Step 3, travel from Marseille to Nice by TER regional train, leaving Marseille St Charles at 09:57, arriving Nice Ville 12:38.
There's lovely scenery along the Cote d'Azur between Toulon & Nice. By all means take an earlier train if you'd like a wander around Nice, the Promenade des Anglais is 15 minutes walk from the station.
The fare is €36.20 in 2nd class or €54.30 in 1st class, though promotional fares of €25 are sometimes available.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £, $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 4, travel from Nice to Ventimiglia by double-deck TER regional train, leaving Nice Ville at 13:19, arriving Ventimiglia 14:15.
The fare is €10.20, though cheaper promotional fares are sometimes available. 2nd class only.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Allow at least 45 minutes between trains in Ventimiglia.
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Step 5, travel from Ventimiglia to Milan by Intercity train, leaving Ventimiglia at 15:10, arriving Milan Centrale 19:03.
Change at Milan Centrale for a Frecciarossa to Verona, Venice, Florence or Rome. There's great scenery along the Ligurian coast.
Fares from Ventimiglia to Milan start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class.
Milan to Venice or Florence then starts at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. Milan to Rome starts at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.thetrainline.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
You'll find more about the journey from Nice to Milan, Venice, Florence or Rome on the Nice to Italy by train page.
Lisbon to Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Prague
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Day 1, travel from Lisbon to Geneva: Lisbon to Madrid, overnight stop in Madrid, Madrid to Marseille on day 2, overnight stop in Marseille, Marseille to Geneva on day 3, as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Geneva.
Hotels with good reviews near the station include Hotel Cornavin Genève, Hotel Les Arcades, ibis Styles Geneva Gare.
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Day 4 for Innsbruck, Salzburg & Vienna, travel from Geneva to Zurich HB by Swiss domestic train then from Zurich HB to Innsbruck, Salzburg or Vienna by smart Austrian railjet train through the wonderfully scenic Arlberg Pass, watch the Arlberg Pass Railjet video here.
Book from Geneva to anywhere in Austria at www.thetrainline.com or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at from €19.90 upwards and print your own ticket.
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Day 4 for Budapest, the 10:40 from Zurich HB goes direct to Budapest Keleti arriving late evening, to book Geneva to Budapest you'll need to split the booking into Geneva-Innsbruck & Innsbruck-Budapest, see the detailed advice on how to do that here.
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Day 4 for Munich, book a ticket from Geneva to Munich Hbf from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class at German Railways int.bahn.de.
Hotels in Lisbon
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & VPN
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com
is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.