Getting Around Portugal

Portugal occupies most of the western coast of the Iberian peninsula. Although it’s quite a bit smaller than neighboring countries, like Spain or France, the distance from top to bottom is still significant—traveling from Porto in the north to Faro in the south takes about five hours by car.

The largest airport in Portugal is Lisbon Airport (LIS). Porto and Faro also have international airports, although if you’re coming from outside Europe, you’ll probably have to fly into Lisbon first. Within Portugal, flying is a quick and comfortable way to get between the country’s major cities.

Driving around Portugal is easy, as the north-south highway network is pretty developed. However, on many highways, you will need to pay tolls electronically. Check with your rental company to see if their cars come pre-installed with toll passes; if not, you can buy a prepaid card to pay the tolls. Note that in some historic areas (like downtown Lisbon or Sintra) the roads are narrow and steep, making driving difficult.

Bus and train connections are also available in Portugal. It’s generally more common for passengers to buy tickets at the station, rather than booking in advance. For some shorter routes, you may need to buy tickets in cash onboard the vehicle.