Taking the train from Lisbon to Madrid is a slow journey - but the stopovers (and views) make it special
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Loading... - Pedro Santos
- 26 Apr 2023
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Traveling from Lisbon to Madrid by train is far from a rapid journey. And that’s the whole point © Getty
Our slow travel series explores how you can take more mindful journeys by train, boat, bus or bike – with tips on how to reach your no-fly destination, and what to see and do along the way. We asked Austin Bush to report on his decidedly non-express train journey from Lisbon to Madrid. In the good old days, Lisbon and Madrid used to be linked by a direct, overnight train: board in Lisbon at night and the next morning, wake up in Madrid.
Unfortunately, the pandemic did away with this route – yet it still remains possible to travel between these two dynamic cities by rail. While the current route is not as direct or convenient as the late overnight train, if you’ve got time and a desire to explore, the journey allows views of the charming Portuguese countryside, plus a layover in a little-visited Spanish city.
Lisbon to Entroncamento
Although it’s not immediately apparent on the ticket, the Portuguese leg of the trip is not direct, and requires a transfer in the rail junction town of Entroncamento. I board a train that departs from Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia station at 7:45am – a commuter train, which means no assigned seating nor cafe car (I make sure to eat at the station before boarding). We depart, and the train hugs the left bank of the Tagus River, which narrows as we head north, the landscape shifting from industrial-feeling suburbs outside Lisbon to marshy fields after an hour or so. Around Vale de Figueira, the view changes to rolling hills, oak trees and the occasional vineyard estate. Pulling into Entroncamento around two hours later, I only have a few minutes to transfer to my next train. Read More…
