HOW TO GET TO COIMBRA

If travelling from outside the Iberian Peninsula, you will probably fly to Lisbon or Oporto, from where there are good train connections to Coimbra.

Rail travel from both Lisbon and Oporto is regular, fast and reliable provided you take the Alfa Pendular or Intercidades services.

WHAT AIRPORT TO CHOOSE?

Coimbra is 130km away from Oporto and 206km from Lisbon. Train connections between Lisbon and Oporto are equally good (Coimbra is one of the stops of the Lisbon to Oporto line). Thus, our advice is to chose based on the flights available.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FROM Lisbon AIRPORT TO Coimbra

1. Once you arrive at Lisbon Airport you should go to the railway station "Gare do Oriente". You can:
   
   
   • Take the metro (about 15 minutes and costs 1.9 euros). The Oriente station is the third stop after Airport station.
   • Take a taxi (about 10 minutes and should cost 5-8 euros). Both the airport and Oriente station lie to the north east of the town centre.
   
   
2. "Gare do Oriente" can be slightly confusing due to the lack of signs. You arrive at the ground floor. You can buy the tickets on the 1st floor. The train-lines are on the 2nd floor. Once you arrive you go to the 1st floor, search for the stairs that lead to lines 1 and 2. In front of those stairs (still on the 1st floor) there is a ticket office where you can buy your ticket. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket, consult schedules, etc. on the green ATM-like machines on the side of the ticket office. Tickets can also be bought online or in any ATM machine, but this is only advisable if you know your departure time in advance.


3. What type of ticket to buy? You should buy a ticket for an Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train to Coimbra. The cost depends on the type of ticket you buy and range from 16.5 euros (Intercidades, 2nd class) and 32,5 euros (Alfa Pendular, 1st class). If you chose Alfa and buy a first class ticket you can have a meal while you travel. Other than that there isn't much difference between first and second class.


4. You can consult the schedules here: www.cp.pt. The Alfa and Intercidades services are punctual and reliable. Travel times range from 1h:30m to 2h00m (approximately).


5. Get off the train when you arrive at Coimbra B (the main railway station). You can take another train for Coimbra A station (downton railway station) on the same ticket. However, you can also get off at Coimbra B station and take a taxi to your hotel (approximately 5 euros).

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FROM Oporto AIRPORT TO Coimbra

1. Once you arrive at Oporto airport take the Tram-train to the Campanhã railway station (line E). You should buy a Z4 ticket (4 zones) which costs 1,8 euros. The travel takes, roughly, 30 minutes. You can download the timetable from this address.


2. Once you arrive at Campanhã you should buy a ticket for an Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train to Coimbra. The cost depends on the type of ticket you buy and range from 11.5 euros (Intercidades, 2nd class) and 21,5 euros (Alfa Pendular, 1st class). If you chose Alfa and buy a first class ticket you can have a meal while you travel. Other than that there isn't much difference between first and second class. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office or on the green ATM-like machines at the railway station. Tickets can also be bought online or in any ATM machine, but this is only advisable if you know your departure time in advance.


3. You can consult the schedules here: www.cp.pt. The Alfa and Intercidades services are punctual and reliable. Travel time is, roughly, 1h00m.


4. Get off the train when you arrive at Coimbra B (the main railway station). You can take another train for Coimbra A station (downton railway station) on the same ticket. However, you can also get off at Coimbra B station and take a taxi to your hotel (approximately 5 euros).

ABOUT COIMBRA

Coimbra is a city in Coimbra Municipality in Portugal. It served as the country's capital during the First Dynasty (12th Century) and remains home to the University of Coimbra, the first academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world and one of the first in Europe.

The city proper has a population of more than 100,000. However, over 430,000 people live in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Coimbra, comprising 16 municipalities and spreading over 3,372 km2. It is the seat of the Centro region, as well as of the District of Coimbra and the Baixo Mondego subregion. Like most university cities, Coimbra is home to many students from elsewhere, including thousands of international students.

Coimbra is one of the most important urban centers of Portugal after the much larger Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metropolitan Area. Coimbra plays a role as the chief urban centre of the central part of the country. The city contains important archeological remains of structures dating from the time when it was the Roman town of Aeminium, such as its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus, as well as from the period when it served as the capital of Portugal (from 1139 to about 1260). In the Late Middle-Ages, declining as the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre with the foundation of the University of Coimbra in 1290. The university attracts visitors from around the world due to its monumental buildings and history, making the city an important touristic destination.



(Coimbra's location within Portugal)