From Lisbon to Sintra by train

There is no holiday long enough to see all the beauty of Lisbon. Still, many people choose to leave the city for a visit to fairytale Sintra. Is that worth it? Well, that’s hard to say, because there are so many wonderful things to do and see in both Lisbon and Sintra. If you like exuberant palaces with unique architecture and lush gardens, then Sintra is definitely a must. Also if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Lisbon for a bit in the cool forest. And it’s very easy to reach by train for just a few euros.

Serra de Sintra

The Serra de Sintra is a mountain range northwest of Lisbon. The historic village of Sintra is located in the heart of the mountains and is famous for the many palaces and other monuments that you can visit. Because it is a mountain range, it is a lot of climbing and descending, both in the village and at the surrounding palaces. The highest point is called Cruz Alta, is 528 meters high and is located in the Parque da Pena, the most famous landmark of Sintra.

Two direct trains

From Lisbon, you can travel daily to Sintra with two direct trains from Comboios de Portugal. One train departs from Oriente station, not far from the airport. The direct route takes you to Sintra in just over three quarters of an hour, making no less than sixteen stops. This also includes some stops in Lisbon, so you can also get on at Braco de Prata, Roma – Areeiro, Entrecampos, Sete Rios and Benfica stations.

The other direct line departs from the center of Lisbon, at the Rossio station. With thirteen stops, this route is slightly faster. It will take you to Sintra in less than forty minutes. Here, the other stations in Lisbon are only Campolide and Benfica.

You pay €2,40 for both routes, so for less than five euros you can go there and back to Sintra. There are enough trains in a day to be able to board without a reservation. If you don’t want to wait at the station, check the departure times at Comboios de Portugal in advance. There you can also check if there are any known disruptions.

Arrival in Sintra

The train station in Sintra is close enough to the centre to continue on foot. Near the station is the nice Café Saudade. It is recommended to get to Sintra early, so this is a perfect place to start the day with breakfast. They offer it up to 12 noon.

From the station to the historic centre, it is just over a 10-minute walk. Along the road you will already come across beautiful views and unusual constructions. Street stalls along the way sell souvenirs, jewellery, LPs, illustrations and other Portuguese products.

Don’t feel like walking? You will find plenty of transport options outside the station. From here, buses depart from Scotturb, which cover two routes in Sintra. In addition, taxi and tuk-tuk drivers await train passengers in the morning to take them to the various sights. Please note, these will be much less cheap than the train and bus!

The historic centre of Sintra

In the centre you can visit the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, taste the famous pastries of Sintra at the various pastelerias, ask for information at the Posto de Turismo and start the Vila Sassetti walk to the Palácio da Pena or Castelo de Mouros. You can also board the two Scotturb buses here. Don’t want to go to the historic centre, but only directly to the sights around Sintra? Then it is advisable to make your choice of transport to those sighs straight away at the train station.

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