Portugal Without a Car: A Car-Free Travel Guide

You don’t need a car to have a great trip to Portugal. Its main cities are walkable with good public transport, fast trains link Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, and buses and tours reach the rest. Here’s how to travel around Portugal without a car.

Quick answer: base yourself in Lisbon and Porto, which are easy by metro, tram and train. Take trains between cities and to Sintra, Cascais, Coimbra, Aveiro, Braga and the Douro. Use buses for Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos, and tours for wine country and coastlines. In the Algarve, pick a walkable town like Lagos or Tavira.

A car-free route

1. Lisbon (3 to 4 days), with day trips by train to Sintra and Cascais. See day trips from Lisbon by train.
2. Train to Porto, stopping in Coimbra if you like. See the Coimbra day trip.
3. Porto (3 days), with the train to the Douro or Braga. See day trips from Porto by train.
4. Train to the Algarve via Lisbon, then stay in Lagos or Tavira. See getting around the Algarve.

See 2 weeks in Portugal by train.

Where a car really helps

• The Alentejo and its villages.
• The Costa Vicentina beaches.
• The Azores and Madeira: or use tours and taxis.
• The Douro quintas: or join a tour.

Car-free tips

• Book tours for hard-to-reach places. See Lisbon tours and Porto tours.
• Ride-hailing is cheap for short gaps. See Uber vs Bolt vs taxi.
• Pack light: cobbles and stairs are tough with big suitcases.

More: the train guide, Portugal by bus and first time in Portugal.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.