Travel information
Coimbra is halfway between Lisbon and Porto, which makes it one of the most popular stops between these two cities. Coimbra is actually closer to Porto – 137 kilometres / 85 miles south, as opposed to 200 kilometres / 124 miles north of the capital. Centered around its university, established in 1290, Coimbra is the most important city in Central Portugal, with a population of approximately 150 thousand people.
By train
There are frequent trains from Lisbon to Coimbra and onwards to Porto. The service is operated by CP. Choose the high-speed Alfa Pendular (AP) train, which runs every hour or so. The fastest train takes about two hours. Tickets can be booked on CP's website up to 60 days in advance, and cost from €24.
In Lisbon, trains leave from Santa Polónia and Oriente stations. Santa Polónia is the old central station, while Oriente is the modern station in Parque das Nações, close to the airport. You can get to both stations by metro (blue and red lines). You arrive at Coimbra-B station and should take a regional train to Coimbra station in the centre of town (this journey is included in your ticket).
Tickets and fares: www.cp.pt
By bus
The bus between Lisbon and Coimbra takes about two hours and 30 minutes. Buses run many times throughout the day, and the service is carried out by Rede Expressos/Renex.
In Lisbon, you can take the the bus to Coimbra at either Sete Rios bus terminal (metro's blue line) or Oriente station (metro's red line). From Coimbra bus terminal, you can walk about 10 minutes to the town centre or take a local bus.
Bus tickets are about €14 one way, and all trips can be booked on Rede Expressos' website up to 30 days in advance.
Tickets and schedules: www.rede-expressos.pt
By car
The journey from Lisbon to Coimbra takes about two hours on the A1 motorway. Tolls from Lisbon to Coimbra can be expensive. Expect to pay around €15 just in toll fares.
By plane
The closest airports to Coimbra are:
- Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (Oporto – 110 km)
- Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon – 210 km)
Due to its central location, Coimbra enjoys good transport connections, both to Lisbon and Oporto. Various airlines have regular flights to these cities. To travel to the main existing international airports in Portugal, you should consult the website Ana - Aeroportos de Portugal.
TAP Air Portugal has agreed to offer a discount to the participants who book their flight and buy their ticket exclusively through TAP Air Portugal’s website. For further information, please see here.
How to get to Coimbra from Lisbon Airport
You can get to Coimbra by train from the main stations of "Lisboa-Santa Apolónia" and "Lisboa-Oriente" (you can arrive there from the airport by bus, metro or taxi). The trip from Lisbon to "Coimbra-B" station takes under 2 hours.
By car, from the south (Lisbon) the recommended exit from A1 motorway is exit 12 for N341 toward Coimbra Sul/Taveiro/Alfarelos. Follow IC2 to Coimbra heading to IP3/Porto/Coimbra Norte/Viseu.
How to get to Coimbra from Oporto Airport
The trains leave "Porto-Campanhã" station (you can get there from the airport by bus, taxi or metro - use the direct purple metro line from the Sá Carneiro Airport). The trip from Oporto to "Coimbra-B" station takes under 1 hour if you take the "Alfa Pendular" or the "Intercidades" train.
By car, from the north (Porto) the recommended exit from A1 motorway is exit 13 to merge onto E801/IP3 toward Viseu/Coimbra Norte. Follow IC2 toward Coimbra/Lisboa and take the exit toward Coimbra Centro/Coimbra Este.
