Portugal Without a Car: A Car-Free Travel Guide

You don’t need a car to have a great trip to Portugal. Its main cities are walkable with good public transport, fast trains link Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, and buses and tours reach the rest. Here’s how to travel around Portugal without a car, with a sample route, journey times and tips.

Quick answer: base yourself in Lisbon and Porto, which are easy by metro, tram and train. Take trains between cities and to Sintra, Cascais, Coimbra, Aveiro, Braga and the Douro. Use buses for Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos, and tours for wine country and coastlines. In the Algarve, pick a walkable town like Lagos or Tavira.

Why go car-free

Parking in Lisbon and Porto is hard to find and expensive, the old centres are full of narrow one-way streets, and some motorways have tolls. Without a car you skip all of that, and trains are comfortable and usually good value. You lose some freedom in rural areas, but a mix of trains, buses and the odd tour covers most first trips.

How the network works

• Trains: the national operator is CP. The fast Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains link Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto and the Algarve and need a seat reservation, which comes with your ticket. Book on the CP website or app, where advance fares are often cheaper. Suburban trains to Sintra, Cascais, Braga and Aveiro are turn-up-and-go. See the train guide.
• Long-distance buses: Rede Expressos and FlixBus cover towns the trains miss, such as Fátima, Nazaré and Évora. Book ahead in summer.
• Regional buses: express buses run from Lisbon’s Campo Grande to Óbidos in about an hour, with fewer departures at weekends.

From the airports

Both main airports are on the metro. In Lisbon, the red line runs from the airport into the city, with changes for the centre. In Porto, the violet metro line goes from the airport to the city centre. In the Algarve, Faro airport has city buses into Faro, where you can pick up trains and coaches along the coast. See Lisbon airport to the city centre.

A car-free route

1. Lisbon (3 to 4 days), with day trips by train to Sintra and Cascais. Both take about 40 minutes, from Rossio and Cais do Sodré stations. See day trips from Lisbon by train.
2. Train to Porto, stopping in Coimbra if you like. Lisbon to Porto takes about three hours on the fastest trains, and Coimbra is roughly halfway. Fast trains stop at Coimbra-B, outside the centre, so allow time for the short link into town. See the Coimbra day trip.
3. Porto (3 days), with the train to the Douro or Braga. Braga is about an hour away, and the scenic Douro line reaches Pinhão in about two and a half hours. See day trips from Porto by train.
4. Train to the Algarve via Lisbon, then stay in Lagos or Tavira. Lisbon to Faro takes around three hours or a little more. For Lagos you usually change at Tunes onto the slower regional line. See getting around the Algarve.

See 2 weeks in Portugal by train.

Shorter trips

With only a week, skip the Algarve and split your time between Lisbon and Porto, with one or two day trips from each. With ten days, add the Algarve at the end and fly home from Faro so you don’t have to go back to Lisbon.

Getting around in the cities

• Lisbon: metro, trams, buses and ferries. Buy a reusable navegante card at a metro station and load it with credit, which saves money over single tickets. The Santa Justa lift and the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars have been closed since September 2025, so plan to walk or take a bus up the steepest hills. The Graça funicular reopened in April 2026. See Lisbon public transport.
• Porto: the metro runs from the airport into the centre, and the old centre is compact enough to walk, though it is very hilly. The Guindais funicular has been suspended since July 2026.
• Algarve towns: Lagos, Tavira and Faro all have stations close to the centre. Albufeira’s station is a few kilometres outside town, so you will need a bus or taxi from there. The whole Algarve line has been electric since July 2026, with some direct regional trains between Lagos and Vila Real de Santo António. Local Vamus buses link the resorts.

Where a car really helps

• The Alentejo and its villages.
• The Costa Vicentina beaches.
• The Azores and Madeira: or use tours and taxis.
• The Douro quintas: or join a tour.

A good middle ground is to travel by train and rent a car for just one or two days in the region where you need it. Hiring in a town like Lagos or Évora is usually easier than driving out of Lisbon or Porto. See car rental in Portugal.

Luggage and accessibility

Trains have space for suitcases at the ends of carriages and above the seats, and coaches put big bags in the hold. Old town streets are cobbled and steep, so a backpack or a small case with good wheels makes life easier. If you need help boarding, CP runs an assistance service that you can book ahead.

Car-free tips

• Book tours for hard-to-reach places. See Lisbon tours and Porto tours.
• Ride-hailing is cheap for short gaps. See Uber vs Bolt vs taxi.
• Pack light: cobbles and stairs are tough with big suitcases.
• Check Sunday timetables: rural buses can be sparse or absent at weekends and on public holidays.
• Watch for strikes: rail strikes happen from time to time, so check the news before travel days.

FAQ

Can you travel around Portugal without a car?

Yes. Trains link Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto and the Algarve, and buses reach most other towns. You only really miss out on rural areas like the Alentejo villages and the wilder coast.

Can you get to Sintra without a car?

Yes. Trains leave Lisbon’s Rossio station regularly and take about 40 minutes. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena Palace anyway, so the train and local buses are the easiest way.

How do you see the Douro Valley without a car?

Take the train from Porto along the river to Péso da Régua or Pinhão, or join a day tour that includes wine tastings. See the Douro Valley without a tour.

Is the Algarve doable without a car?

Yes, if you stay in a town with a station such as Lagos, Tavira or Faro. Use trains, Vamus buses and boat trips to get around.

More: the train guide, Portugal by bus and first time in Portugal.

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