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By Train in Lisbon

By Train

International trains from France and Spain and long-distance domestic trains from Porto and the north arrive at and depart from the Santa Apolónia station, on the riverfront to the east of Lisbon's center. One daily train runs to and from Paris; two daily trains run to and from Madrid; and there are frequent daily trains to and from Porto from 7 AM to midnight. Santa Apolónia station is connected to the metro network and links directly to Avenida da Liberdade. To reach the Rossío, change at Baixa-Chiado. Buses 9, 12, and 46 also run from outside Santa Apolónia to the center of town. Some long-distance and suburban trains stop at the Oriente station at the Parque das Nações, which is also connected to the metro system.

Electric commuter trains travel the entire Estoril Coast, with departures every 15-30 minutes from the waterfront Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon, a 10-minute walk west of the Praça do Comércio. The scenic trip to Estoril takes about 30 minutes, and four more stops along the seashore bring you to Cascais, at the end of the line. A one-way ticket to either costs EUR 1.30. Departures both ways are regular—every 15-30 minutes, 5:30 AM-2:30 AM. Buses 45 and 58 run between Cais do Sodré and the central Lisbon squares; Cais do Sodré metro station provides easy access, or, if you prefer, there's a taxi stand outside the station.

Local trains to Sintra and Queluz use the central Rossío station, an unmistakably neo-Manueline building that stands between Praça dos Restauradores and the Rossío itself. Trains run every 15 minutes to Queluz (a 20-minute trip) and on to Sintra (40 minutes total). The service operates 6 AM-2:40 AM, and one-way tickets cost EUR 1.10 to Queluz, EUR 1.30 to Sintra. For information, tickets, and platforms take the escalators through the station building to the top floor.

The new line that heads to the Algarve and points south crosses over the Rio Tejo via the Ponte 25 de Abril; services added included a bar, restaurant, and business services. Both the InterCidade and the Alfa Pendular trains leave from the Oriente station, with a stop at Entrecampos, for Faro, Algarve's capital. The Intercidades leaves Oriente three times a day: 8:21 AM, 1:21 PM, and 7:21 PM, with a stop exactly 10 minutes later at Entrecampos. The fare is EUR 14.50 for second class and EUR 19 for first class. The Alfa Pendular offers a comfort class with telefax, mobile phone, and laptop jack at your seat. It leaves Oriente once a day: 5:21 PM, with a stop at Entrecampos at 5:31 PM. The fare is EUR 19.50 second class and EUR 26 for comfort class. Both trains take around three hours to reach Faro.

The Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (CP) has general information lines that are really helpful only if you speak Portuguese. Your best bet is to check out the Web site.