Europe with Bike – Portugal
The railways in Portugal offer frequent regular links between the major cities. Portuguese Railways (CP) operates 2,603 km of broad gauge services and appears to be more cyclist-friendly than Spanish Railways. This is not difficult. Most trains take bicycles, including the high speed trains, although in the latter case the bikes need to be bagged. There is an excellent map of the system available at http://bit.ly/1Kd8RZD. The website is www.cp.pt.
Getting to Portugal from the UK using surface transport
In a word, difficult.
Take the Brittany Line ferry to Bilbao or Santander.
Take a coach (long-distance bus) to Vigo (10 hours).
Take a train to Oporto. There is no guarantee of good connections.
Take a ferry and train or Eurostar to Paris and then take a daytime TGV to Irun on the Spanish border.
Option 1: Take the Sud Expresso to Lisbon (about 12 hours). Like their Iberian counterparts in Spain, CP allows you to transport two bicycles packed in bike bags as long as you book the whole compartment. To quote the CP regulations: ‘Two bikes may be carried in each compartment (sleeping compartments only) so long as the compartment is taken by the one family and the bikes are properly packed and stored. Bikes are not charged for if you have an international ticket.’
Option 2: Cross the border by bicycle and take an overnight coach (long-distance bus) late in the evening to Vigo (15 hours). Take a train to Oporto. There is no guarantee of good connections.
European Bike Express
Bus operator Bike Express’s Atlantic route serves Western France and can drop you in Bayonne where you can take a local train to Hendaye and Irun (35-40 min) and follow the advice given in Option 2 above.
Domestic trains
High speed trains: Alfa Pendular
This is a high speed link from Braga in the north of Portugal to Faro in the south via Lisbon. To quote the regulations put out by the company: ‘Bikes can be taken on the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains so long as they have the wheels removed and are packed as luggage that is no larger than the individual luggage space per passenger in the luggage racks or under the seats.’
Intercidades (Inter City trains)
These trains connect the regional centres. The regulations concerning accompanied bicycles are the same as for the Alfa Pendular services quoted above.
Local, regional and urban trains
There are a number of branch lines. Any passenger can take a maximum of one bicycle on urban and regional trains at any time of day. However CP (the railway company) does not hold itself responsible for any damage caused by or to the bicycles. You must load and unload the bikes. Your bicycles should not block exits or disturb other passengers. As usual, bike riding is forbidden in stations, concourses, underpasses or bridges in stations. There is a snag, however: If the train is full you may not be able to take your bicycle. In theory, you should ask the conductor, but you probably know our feelings about this: It is easier to get forgiveness than permission. Put your bikes in the specially marked areas in the carriages on urban trains.
Tickets
Buying a ticket for trains in Portugal
CP also let you book tickets within Portugal for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains from Multibanco ATMs as well as railway station booking offices, travel agents (a list is available on the website) and ticket machines on stations. Bookings for domestic trains can be made online at www.cp.pt, after registration. The website is clear and easy to use in Portuguese and English. (Click on the partial Union Flag top right.)
Ships
It is possible to cross over to Spain in the southeastern corner of Portugal at Vila Real de Santo Antonio using the frequent ferry service to Ayamonte, but the Spanish rail system terminates in Huelva, 30 or 40 km away.
Diversions
We have no suggestions at the moment.
