The Best Day Trips from Porto by Train

Porto is a brilliant base for day trips by train: one of Europe’s most scenic railway lines runs up the Douro Valley, and cheap suburban trains reach Braga, Guimarães and Aveiro in about an hour. Here are the best day trips from Porto by train.

Quick answer: take the scenic Douro line to Pinhão (about 2h20), urban trains to Braga (about 55 to 70 minutes) and Guimarães, and the train to Aveiro (40 minutes to 1h20). Coimbra is about an hour by Alfa Pendular, and Viana do Castelo about 1h–1h30.

Why go by train

You don’t need a car for most of northern Portugal’s highlights. Trains leave from the city centre, fares on the urban and regional lines are low, and you skip parking in old towns with narrow lanes. On the Douro line, the train is the main event: the track hugs the river for much of the way, so you see the valley without anyone having to drive the bends after a wine tasting.

The best day trips

The Douro Valley (Pinhão)

From São Bento, the Douro line follows the river through terraced vineyards. About 2h20 to Pinhão, with a river cruise and quinta tastings within walking distance. Sit on the right heading east. See the Douro without a tour.

• What you see: the line meets the river around Pala and then runs beside it through Peso da Régua to Pinhão. Pinhão station itself is decorated with blue-and-white tile panels of vineyard life.
• Line status: the section between Marco de Canaveses and Régua closed for tunnel works in November 2025 and reopened on 2 April 2026. Electrification work is still going on, and many journeys need a change of train at Marco or Caíde, so check your connection.
• Fares: a single from Porto to Pinhão usually costs about €10 to €15, depending on the train. Buy at the station or on cp.pt.
• Go further: the line carries on to Pocinho, about 3h20 from Porto. The stretch beyond Pinhão is arguably the prettiest, but it makes for a very long day.
• Historic train: CP runs a vintage train between Régua and Tua, stopping at Pinhão, on Saturdays and Sundays from 6 June to 18 October 2026, plus some Wednesdays in summer. This year it’s hauled by a 1960s diesel engine, because of weight limits on the line’s metal bridges. Tickets are about €60 for adults. Book on cp.pt.
• Time needed: a full day. See Pinhão.

Braga

Urban trains from São Bento take about 55 to 70 minutes, and a single costs about €3.60 in 2026. Faster Alfa Pendular trains from Campanhã cost much more. See Bom Jesus and its water-powered funicular, the cathedral and the old centre. See Braga and Guimarães.

The cathedral is Portugal’s oldest, and Bom Jesus do Monte, a hillside sanctuary with a zigzag Baroque stairway, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits a few kilometres outside the centre, so take a city bus or a taxi from town, then ride the funicular up (€2.50 one way in 2026) or climb the steps. Allow most of a day. See Bom Jesus do Monte.

Guimarães

Urban trains from São Bento take about 1h10 to 1h20 to the birthplace of Portugal, with its castle and medieval squares. A single is about €3.60.

The historic centre is a UNESCO site and is easy to see on foot: the castle, the Paço dos Duques de Bragança and the arcaded Largo da Oliveira. A cable car climbs to Penha hill for views; it reopened after long maintenance work in early 2026, but check it’s running before you go. Half a day is enough, so you can pair it with Braga if you start early.

Aveiro

About 40 minutes by Intercidades or Alfa Pendular from Campanhã, or about 1h10–1h20 by the cheaper urban train. Moliceiro boats, Art Nouveau and the striped houses of Costa Nova. See Aveiro.

The urban train costs about €3.95 each way and runs at least once an hour, while the fast trains cost about €13 to €16 and need a seat booking. Look out for the tiled old station building next to the modern one. Try ovos moles, the sweet egg-yolk treat in wafer shells. Costa Nova is a short bus or taxi ride away. See Costa Nova.

Coimbra

About an hour by fast train to Portugal’s old university town. See Coimbra.

Fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, on the edge of town. The old city-centre station closed in 2025. Since 10 September 2026 the Metrobus has run from Coimbra-B into the centre and up to Praça da República, or you can take a taxi. The main sight is the hilltop university with the Joanina Library, where entry is by timed ticket, so book ahead.

Viana do Castelo

About 1h–1h30 north along the coast to the Minho’s capital, with the Santa Luzia funicular and basilica. See Viana do Castelo.

The same Minho line continues to Valença on the Spanish border. Note that the international Celta service to Vigo uses a replacement bus between Valença and Vigo from April 2026 until about April 2027, so check the current arrangement before you plan a hop into Galicia. See Valença.

A sample day: the Douro line

• Morning: take an early direct train from São Bento. Direct trains are few, so check times the day before.
• Midday: lunch in Pinhão, then a one-hour river cruise from the waterfront.
• Afternoon: walk up to a quinta for a tasting (book ahead in harvest season, September to early October).
• Evening: catch the late-afternoon train back, arriving in Porto in time for dinner.

Tips

• Stations: São Bento (central) for urban and regional trains; Campanhã for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades.
• Tickets: urban trains use the Andante card or tickets from machines; book fast trains on cp.pt. See Porto public transport.
• The Douro line has only a few direct trains a day, so plan your return.
• Seats: urban and regional trains have no seat reservations, so arrive early on summer weekends.
• Strikes: check CP the day before. See the Portugal train guide.

FAQ

What is the best day trip from Porto by train?

The Douro line to Pinhão is the most scenic. For a cheap, easy trip, Braga or Guimarães by urban train is hard to beat.

Do you need to book trains from Porto in advance?

Not for urban and regional trains, which have no seat reservations. Book Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains, and the historic Douro train, on cp.pt.

Is the Douro line running in 2026?

Yes. The Marco de Canaveses to Régua section reopened on 2 April 2026, and trains run again from São Bento to Pocinho, though many need a change at Marco or Caíde.

More: the best day trips from Porto and the best tours in Porto.

See also: Guimarães.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.