Lisbon to Sintra: Train, Bus, Uber and Getting Around (2026)

Sintra is the most popular day trip from Lisbon, and getting there is easy. Getting around once you arrive is the tricky part. Here’s how to get from Lisbon to Sintra by train, car, Uber or tour, and how to get up to the palaces, including the new 2026 traffic rules.

Quick answer: take the train from Rossio station: about 40 minutes, every 20–30 minutes, for about €2 with a navegante card. In Sintra, use the 434 bus loop to the Moorish Castle and Pena (24-hour pass €13.50, which also covers the 435 to Regaleira and Monserrate), a tuk-tuk or a taxi. Don’t drive: parking is scarce and there are traffic restrictions.

Why the transport matters

Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of palaces and gardens spread over a steep, wooded hill. The town is small, the roads are narrow, and in summer tens of thousands of people try to reach the same few sights. The train from Lisbon is the easy part. The real planning is getting from the station up to Pena and back down again without losing an hour in a queue.

By train (best)

• From: Rossio station in central Lisbon (the neo-Manueline building near Restauradores). Trains also run from Oriente and Entrecampos on the same line.
• Time: about 40 minutes to Sintra, the last stop.
• Frequency: every 20 minutes at busy times, every 30 minutes early and late.
• Fare: about €2.05 with “zapping” credit on a navegante card (€0.50 for the card), or about €2.55 for a single ticket (€5.10 for a day return).
• Train and bus combo: CP’s Train and Bus day ticket, about €14, covers the Sintra line plus the 434 and 435 buses.
• Tickets: buy or top up at the machines in the station. Each person needs their own card.
• Tip: go early (before 9am) to beat the crowds, and sit on the left for countryside views.

More on tickets: Lisbon public transport.

Getting around Sintra

Sintra station is a 10–15 minute walk from the old town, and Pena Palace is a steep 50–60 minute climb above it.

The 434 and 435 buses

• 434: a loop from the station to the old town, the Moorish Castle and Pena, run by Scotturb, about every 15 minutes in season (shorter hours in winter). A single is about €4.55.
• 435: from the station to Quinta da Regaleira, Seteais and Monserrate.
• 24-hour pass: about €13.50 for adults, covering both lines. Children pay less, and under-4s ride free. Worth it if you’ll ride more than twice.
• Expect queues for the 434 in summer. Get on at the station, the first stop.

Tuk-tuks and taxis

Tuk-tuks wait in the old town: a single ride up to Pena is from about €30 for the vehicle, and guided tuk-tuk tours start around €45–50 per person. A taxi from the station to Pena costs about €12–16. With three or four people, a taxi or tuk-tuk can cost about the same as the bus.

Walking

Fit walkers can hike up from the old town to the Moorish Castle and Pena on marked forest paths, which takes about an hour and is shaded most of the way. Walking down is easier, and it’s a nice way to avoid the bus queue at the end of the day. Wear shoes with grip, as the paths get slippery after rain.

Inside Pena Park

A small shuttle (about €4.50 return) runs from the park entrance up to the palace itself, saving a steep 10–15 minute walk. The palace is usually open from 9:30am to 6:30pm, with last entry at 6pm.

By Uber or Bolt

About €25–40 from central Lisbon (more with surge pricing), taking 30–45 minutes. Since 8 July 2026, ride-hailing cars in Sintra can only pick up and drop off at 12 official zones, so you may need to walk a little. Coming back, demand is high in the late afternoon and prices can jump, so the train is often the better choice for the return.

By car

Possible, but we don’t recommend it. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena, and parking fills up early. The historic centre has been closed to most private cars since 2023, and since July 2026 tour coaches are banned from it too, so check the current rules before you set off. If you do drive, use the free Lourel car park outside town (540 spaces) and take the bus or a taxi in. The drive from Lisbon is about 30–40 minutes without traffic. See visiting Sintra and driving in Portugal.

On a tour

A tour solves the transport, the tickets and the timing, and often adds Cabo da Roca and Cascais. See the best Sintra tours, or book a private transfer.

Which option is right for you?

• On a budget: train plus the 434 bus, or train and walking.
• With kids or limited mobility: a private transfer, a tour or a taxi from the station.
• Short on time: a half-day tour from Lisbon.
• Want Cascais too: train out, bus to Cabo da Roca and Cascais, and train back.

A simple one-day plan by public transport

• 8:30: train from Rossio.
• 9:30: 434 bus up to Pena for an early timed slot. The Essential Visit ticket is about €20 and is for a set date and time; a park-only ticket is about €12.
• 12:00: walk or take the 434 to the Moorish Castle (about €12), then down to the old town for lunch.
• 14:30: Quinta da Regaleira (about €20, with a timed entry slot), a short walk or one 435 stop from the old town.
• 17:00: train back to Lisbon.

More detail in Sintra in one day.

Sintra to Cabo da Roca and Cascais

• Bus 1253: a loop from Sintra station via Cabo da Roca, about 45 minutes.
• Bus 1624: from Sintra (Portela) to Cabo da Roca (about 35 minutes) and on to Cascais.
• At Cabo da Roca: the clifftop and the monument are free to visit. The lighthouse opened to visitors in July 2026, from about €5, or €10 with the climb.
• From Cascais, the train back to Lisbon (Cais do Sodré) takes about 40 minutes, making a great loop. (The old 403 bus no longer runs.) In 2026, works mean some evening replacement buses between Cascais and Caxias, so check before you travel late.

When to go

Weekdays outside July and August are much calmer. Sintra is cooler and often mistier than Lisbon, so bring a layer even in summer. In winter, buses run shorter hours and the palaces close earlier, so start early and check times before you go.

FAQ

How long is the train from Lisbon to Sintra?

About 40 minutes from Rossio, with trains every 20 to 30 minutes.

Do I need to book Pena Palace tickets in advance?

Yes. Palace tickets are sold for a set date and time, so book online on the Parques de Sintra website.

Can you drive up to Pena Palace?

No. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena. Take the 434 bus, a taxi or a tuk-tuk.

Plan your Sintra day

See Sintra in one day, Sintra’s best photo spots and where to stay in Sintra.

From our sister blog: 5 things we wish someone told us before visiting Sintra on Sunset Travellers.

See also: the Cabo da Roca guide.

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