Getting Around Portugal
By Car
If you have access to your own transport, you should take every opportunity to find out more about this delightful country. The main road systems (estradas) are excellent, but be prepared to be overtaken at great speed. As many towns are not accessible by train and some only reached by bus with difficulty, a car driver really has an advantage, especially if you fancy visiting places off the beaten track. For serious drivers, maps are available, such as the Michelin guides and AA maps, and are easy enough to follow. As most towns possess at least one hotel and half a dozen bars, stopping off places pose no problems, and make travelling a lot easier. On the main estradas there are similar eating places to our own motorway cafes, except you have to grapple your way to the bar if there is a coachload in, and few serve main meals. Away from the busy estradas and city centres of jamming car horns, driving around exploring non-tourist areas can add a real bonus to your stay.
By Bus
Bus and rail travel is rather primitive at times, but transport usually runs on time and efficiently, and can be extremely good fun and an attractive way to see a lot of the country.
Unless you live in a remote country village, your local buses will be frequent, and within the larger cities, cover almost every inch of the ground you may need to visit. You can pay as you get on, stating your destination, or you can buy a book of tickets which cover a certain value of journey. In Lisbon, for example, there is a system of zonas, where all journeys within a given zone will be worth one ticket, the next zone two tickets and so on. As you board you have to clip your tickets in a little machine - just watch the person in front of you. For extended use of buses a variety of passes are available which also give travel on trams and elevators, plus admission to certain venues. The same applies to the Underground (metro) in Lisbon and Oporto . Bus tickets and passes are available from little kiosks dotted around the city. The Lisbon Card gives you access to all transport, plus free entry to museums and shopping discounts.
Longer bus/coach journeys leave from the bus station (rodoviaria nacional or terminal de camionagem). You can buy tickets beforehand, but can usually only get singles. Travel is much cheaper than in the UK, and on longer trips a few brief stops are made at bus stations for loo/food. The express coaches (camionetas) thundering between the South, Lisbon, Oporto, Braga, are as streamlined as any in the UK, with hostess service on many. Night journeys are frequent.
By Train
Most trains are impressive, huge, silver-coloured affairs, the steps of which are incredibly difficult to mount, so do get someone to help you if you have luggage. The network is still small at the moment, and lines to some of the country regions, especially the Alentejo, are scarce, making it rather difficult to reach an exact destination. The popular destinations of Lisbon, Oporto and Faro are adequately covered by a choice of ordinary or express trains, with an expanding range of modern, sleek vehicles. The express from the south to Lisbon costs approximately £10. The new express link between Lisbon and Oporto is very similar. There is a train from the south to Lisbon which travels through the night, taking about seven hours - quite an adventure, but extremely tiring.
You may choose, instead, to travel on the new Faro-Lisbon Alfa Pendular train, which crosses the Vasco de Gama bridge into Lisbon, and takes around 4 hours 20 minutes. High-speed trains now also link Lisbon with Oporto and the north.
Children under 4 travel free on Portuguese railways, and there are good discounts for those aged 4-12, students and the over-65s. First class travel is around 40% more expensive, but most people use second class. Travelling with a bicycle on trains is difficult and many trains will not accommodate them at peak times.
The website for the Portuguese Railway is: www.cp.pt
By Cycle
Cycling is a great way to tour Portugal, but potentially also a dangerous one! Remember that Portuguese roads and drivers can make life on the move hazardous, unless you choose your routes with caution and cycle at unsociable hours. You may be viewed with an air of bemusement in smaller villages, as this is a rare form of transport in Portugal. Cars may honk at you in good-natured acknowledgement.
