Trainlink
Porto, photographed for Wikimedia Commons
Scenic routes

The Douro Line

Lisbon · Coimbra · Porto · Peso da Régua

Timetable-checked:3 trains · 4h 55m on board
6-7 daysSuggested duration
4 stopsIconic cities
RelaxedCities & vineyards
Lower CO₂Than flying

“Tiles, students and a river of vineyards.”

Suggested
6-7 days
Stops
4
On board
4h 55m

Relaxed · Timetable-checked · Lower CO₂ than flying

Overview

Start in Lisbon's tiled hills, stop in the university city of Coimbra and then reach Porto at the mouth of the Douro. The journey ends upriver, among the terraced vineyards where port wine is made.

“From the Tagus to the Douro, by train.”

The route

  1. Lisbon, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsLisbon · 2 nightsTiled hills, trams and fado above the Tagus.
    CP - Comboios de PortugalAP09:00 → 10:45 · 1h 45mTimetable-checked
    AP · CP - Comboios de PortugalLisboa Santa Apolonia → Coimbra-B09:00 → 10:45
    1. Lisboa Santa ApoloniaDep 09:00
    2. Lisboa OrienteArr 09:08 · Dep 09:09
    3. Coimbra-BArr 10:45
  2. Coimbra, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsCoimbra · 1 nightOne of Europe's oldest universities, high above the river.
    FlixBus 102208:50 → 10:10 · 1h 20mTimetable-checked
    FlixBus 1022 · FlixBus-euCoimbra → Porto (TIC - Campanhã)08:50 → 10:10
    1. CoimbraDep 08:50
    2. Porto (TIC - Campanhã)Arr 10:10
  3. Porto, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsPorto · 2 nightsPort lodges, bridges and blue-tiled churches.
    CP - Comboios de PortugalIR09:30 → 11:20 · 1h 50mTimetable-checked
    IR · CP - Comboios de PortugalPorto Campanha → Regua09:30 → 11:20
    1. Porto CampanhaDep 09:30
    2. ErmesindeArr 09:40 · Dep 09:41
    3. ParedesArr 10:00 · Dep 10:01
    4. PenafielArr 10:05 · Dep 10:06
    5. CaideArr 10:13 · Dep 10:14
    6. LivracaoArr 10:22 · Dep 10:24
    7. Marco de CanavesesArr 10:29 · Dep 10:30
    8. MosteiroArr 10:44 · Dep 10:45
    9. AregosArr 10:50 · Dep 10:51
    10. ErmidaArr 10:58 · Dep 11:00
    11. RedeArr 11:09 · Dep 11:10
    12. ReguaArr 11:20
  4. Peso da Régua, photographed for Wikimedia CommonsPeso da Régua · 1 nightThe wine capital of the Douro valley.

Timetable-checked on 5 October 2026 for travel on 2026-10-06

Suggested tickets

Suggestions only. Trainlink doesn't sell tickets: check prices, coverage and reservation rules with the seller.

The experience

View by
Lisbon, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Lisbon - The city of seven hillsLisbon
Stay 2 nights in LisbonBooking.com

Rebuilt after the earthquake

An earthquake and tsunami destroyed much of Lisbon in 1755. The lower town, the Baixa, was rebuilt on a grid of elegant streets that runs down to a great riverside square. The medieval Alfama quarter survived on the hill above.

The age of discoveries

Ships sailed from Belém, just west of the centre, to open sea routes to Africa, Asia and Brazil. The carved Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower were built on the wealth they brought back.

Custard tarts and sardinesFood

Pastéis de nata, small custard tarts, are best warm from the oven with cinnamon on top. In summer grilled sardines are cooked in the streets.

Saints in JuneTraditions

Every June Lisbon celebrates its popular saints with street parties, music and the smell of grilling sardines. The biggest night is the eve of Saint Anthony's day.

Lisbon → Coimbra08:41 → 11:132h 32mdirectTimetable-checked

North into the hills

The main line follows the Tagus estuary out of Lisbon, then turns north through low hills and pine forests. Small towns and farmland line the route to the Mondego valley.

Coimbra, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Coimbra - The student cityCoimbra
Stay 1 night in CoimbraBooking.com

Portugal's first capital

Coimbra was the capital of Portugal in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and its first kings are buried here. The old town climbs steeply from the river Mondego to the university on the hilltop.

The university

The university moved here for good in the sixteenth century and fills the old royal palace. Its baroque library is lined with gilded wood and guarded by a colony of bats that eat the insects.

Roast suckling pigFood

The nearby Bairrada region is famous for roast suckling pig with a crisp skin. It is served with sparkling wine from the same area.

Students in blackTraditions

Students still wear long black capes, and every May they celebrate the end of the year with the Queima das Fitas, burning the ribbons of their faculties. Coimbra has its own style of fado, sung by men in student dress.

Coimbra → Porto08:20 → 10:522h 32mdirectTimetable-checked

Past the lagoons

The line runs north through farmland and past the lagoons of Aveiro, close to the Atlantic. It then crosses into the Porto suburbs high above the Douro.

Porto, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Porto - The city on the DouroPorto
Stay 2 nights in PortoBooking.com

The riverfront

Porto tumbles down a steep hillside to the Ribeira, a riverfront of colourful houses. A double-deck iron bridge spans the gorge to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the port wine lodges line the far bank.

Tiles and towers

Blue and white tiles cover church fronts across the city. In São Bento station, vast tiled panels tell the history of Portugal. The Clérigos Tower gives the best view over the rooftops.

Francesinha and portFood

The francesinha is a hearty sandwich of meats under melted cheese and a spicy sauce. Finish with a glass of port in one of the lodges across the river.

The night of Saint JohnTraditions

Every June the city stays up all night for the feast of Saint John, with fireworks over the river. Revellers tap each other on the head with soft plastic hammers.

Porto → Peso da Régua08:48 → 11:282h 40mdirectTimetable-checked

Up the Douro

East of Porto the line reaches the Douro and follows it closely upstream. The valley narrows between terraced hillsides of vines, with old wine estates by the water.

Peso da Régua, photographed for Wikimedia Commons Peso da Régua - Among the vineyardsPeso da Régua
Stay 1 night in Peso da RéguaBooking.com

Where port begins

Peso da Régua is the main town of the Alto Douro, one of the oldest demarcated wine regions in the world. The steep terraces around it were cut by hand over centuries and are now a World Heritage landscape.

Wine estates

The Douro Museum explains the region's wine and its history. Many wine estates, the quintas, welcome visitors for tastings, and river boats run between the villages.

Local winesFood

Beyond port, the valley makes excellent dry red and white wines. Pair them with roast kid or cured meats from the hills.

The harvestTraditions

The grape harvest runs through September. Some estates still tread grapes by foot in stone tanks, with music to keep the rhythm.

Practical info

Booking

Trainlink doesn't sell tickets. Check each leg with the operator or a retailer before you travel.

Reservations

Intercity trains on the main line include a reserved seat; regional trains up the Douro do not.

Where to sit

Heading up the Douro, sit on the right-hand side for the best views of the river.

Best time to travel

Late spring and the September grape harvest are the best times for the Douro.

Trainlink plans journeys; operators and retailers sell the tickets.