Portugal
FIP Information
In Portugal, FIP 50 tickets and FIP Coupons can be used on the majority of the rail network. The state railway company CP operates most lines in Portugal — FIP is generally well usable here, with a few caveats. High-speed services require a reservation and in the Lisbon urban area there are ticket barriers at some stations.
The private operator Fertagus runs the R line between Lisbon Roma-Areeiro and Setúbal. This route is unfortunately not valid with FIP. In the CP journey planner Fertagus trains do not appear; on Google Maps they are visible under the line name Setúbal.
Interesting
Portugal does not have a particularly dense rail network. Rail traffic is concentrated on the main axis connecting Braga, Porto, Lisbon and Faro, and on the Lisbon and Porto urban areas. Several lines have been closed in recent decades, leaving many towns (for example Mora and Monsaraz) without rail service.
Long-distance services use modern tilting trains and locomotive-hauled coaches with comfortable seats; both offer onboard comfort features and catering. Regional services are mainly operated by single- and double-deck multiple units which are showing some years of service.
From personal experience there are occasional delays; these often result from single-track sections or waiting for connecting passengers from long-distance trains. Unfortunately, these delays are neither displayed online nor on board of the trains themselves — delays are only visible on the station and platform displays.
In the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas there is a dense clockface timetable for regional and commuter trains (Comboios Urbanos). Apart from that, you should definitely check the journey times of the trains when planning your trip. This is due to gaps in the timetable and restrictions on the edges of the day. Because reservations are mandatory on certain long-distance categories (AP and IC), early booking is recommended.
Particularly recommended stations to visit:
- Porto São Bento: famous for its ornate azulejo tile panels in the concourse.
- Lisboa Oriente: a spacious station notable for its impressive roof structure.
Arrival and Border Points
Spain
There are currently only very few connections between Spain and Portugal. For example, travelling from Madrid to Lisbon requires multiple changes, including at the Spanish border in Badajoz, and long journey times on regional trains. FIP tickets / FIP Coupons from the CP and a Renfe ticket for the Spanish section are required for the journey.
There is also the Celta service from Vigo to Porto. A special FIP Global fare applies on the entire route (see CP – Celta).
Work is underway on a continuous high-speed connection between Lisbon and Madrid.
