Lisbon to Sintra: Train, Bus, Uber and Getting Around (2026)

Sintra is the most popular day trip from Lisbon, and getting there is easy. Getting around once you arrive is the tricky part. Here’s how to get from Lisbon to Sintra by train, car, Uber or tour, and how to get up to the palaces, including the new 2026 traffic rules.

Quick answer: take the train from Rossio station: about 40 minutes, every 20–30 minutes, for about €2 with a navegante card. In Sintra, use the 434 bus loop to the Moorish Castle and Pena (24-hour pass €13.50, which also covers the 435 to Regaleira and Monserrate), a tuk-tuk or a taxi. Don’t drive: parking is scarce and there are traffic restrictions.

By train (best)

• From: Rossio station in central Lisbon (the neo-Manueline building near Restauradores). Trains also run from Oriente and Entrecampos on the same line.
• Time: about 40 minutes to Sintra, the last stop.
• Frequency: every 20 minutes at busy times, every 30 minutes early and late.
• Fare: about €2.05 with “zapping” credit on a navegante card (€0.50 for the card), or about €2.30–2.55 for a single ticket.
• Tip: go early (before 9am) to beat the crowds, and sit on the left for countryside views.

More on tickets: Lisbon public transport.

Getting around Sintra

Sintra station is a 10–15 minute walk from the old town, and Pena Palace is a steep 50–60 minute climb above it.

The 434 and 435 buses

• 434: a loop from the station to the old town, the Moorish Castle and Pena, run by Scotturb, about every 15 minutes in season (shorter hours in winter). A single is about €4.55.
• 435: from the station to Quinta da Regaleira, Seteais and Monserrate.
• 24-hour pass: €13.50 for adults and €7.50 for children, covering both lines. Worth it if you’ll ride more than twice.
• Expect queues for the 434 in summer. Get on at the station, the first stop.

Tuk-tuks and taxis

Tuk-tuks wait in the old town: a single ride up to Pena is from about €30 for the vehicle, and guided tuk-tuk tours start around €45–50 per person. A taxi from the station to Pena costs about €12–16.

Inside Pena Park

A small shuttle runs from the park entrance up to the palace itself, saving a steep 10–15 minute walk.

By Uber or Bolt

About €25–40 from central Lisbon (more with surge pricing), taking 30–45 minutes. Since July 2026, ride-hailing cars in Sintra can only pick up and drop off at set zones, so you may need to walk a little.

By car

Possible, but we don’t recommend it. Private cars can’t drive up to Pena, the old town has restrictions, and parking fills up early. If you do drive, use the free Lourel car park outside town (540 spaces) and take the shuttle or a taxi in. See visiting Sintra and driving in Portugal.

On a tour

A tour solves the transport, the tickets and the timing, and often adds Cabo da Roca and Cascais. See the best Sintra tours, or book a private transfer.

Sintra to Cabo da Roca and Cascais

• Bus 1253: a loop from Sintra station via Cabo da Roca, about 45 minutes.
• Bus 1624: from Sintra (Portela) to Cabo da Roca (about 35 minutes) and on to Cascais.
• From Cascais, the train back to Lisbon (Cais do Sodré) takes about 40 minutes, making a great loop. (The old 403 bus no longer runs.)

Plan your Sintra day

See Sintra in one day, Sintra’s best photo spots and where to stay in Sintra.

From our sister blog: 5 things we wish someone told us before visiting Sintra on Sunset Travellers.

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