Train from Ferrol to Lisbon? Cycles?

[hecate105]

I can find a Renfe Gypsyy train that goes from Ferrol (3 changes ) to Porto - but without knowing what type of train it is - I don't know if I can take my bicycle! If it is a regional train - it is fine (if there's room) but if it is a fast train I can't... But there is no information on Renfe site or seemingly on google!!
Can anyone enlighten me? It goes Ferrol/La Coruna/Vigo/Porto - which sounds like a wonderful route for looking out the window - especially as we will already of been Santander/Oviedo/Ferrol - on the lovely Feve train!!
Isuppose at some point I will have to actually get on my bicycle.....

 

[Camembert]

From Ferrol you have to take the bus to a Coruña (I do not know if there is a FEVE connection between both places)but there is a regional Renfe service between a Coruña and Vigo
There you have to change to another station where the Comboios Portuguêses (CP) Portuguese railways have their endstation . From there you can take the regional train to Porto

 

[Corned Beef]

On the Ferrol/La Coruna/Vigo part you can take a bike (assembled) but to avoid getting earache from the guard you are best to book one of the spaces on the train.

Don't know about the section south of Vigo but looks like the train is a Comboios de Portugal (CP) one - TrenCelta. This is what the CP site says about bikes on International trains. So pre-booking on both stages.

Bike and scooter transport

See the information about the carriage of bikes. Further details.

www.cp.pt

The transport of bicycles/scooters is free of charge, provided that they are dismantled and packed so that they can be transported as hand luggage.

Free transport of bicycles/scooters is also allowed, without being dismantled and packed, one per passenger with a maximum of 2 per train. Transport is subject to prior reservation of the bicycle space, when purchasing the passenger's ticket.

 

[hecate105]

Thanks folks! I got onto Renfe and found that we would have to dismantle the bikes on part of the route - which is impossible when you have 5 panniers as well!
So we are adapting......
Now - (all to avoid flying and causing pollution!!) we ferry to Santander - FEVE train along the coast in 2 day hops - to Ferrol. Day in Ferrol to explore - especially the 'pilgrim' places (we cycled here many years ago on our return Camino - but didn't get time to look around!) Hire car one way to Badajoz (not allowed to take it to Portugal!! thru but not to!) Then cycle like mad-people - as we will have only 3.5 days to get to Lisbon to meet up with our cycle buddies - then start the trip around Portugal!! I have also engineered (luckily I am the only competent navigator!!) that we will return from S Algarve via the Camino route from Huelves back up to Badajoz - a bit of the VdeP - yay! then hope to do some of the Coastal Portuguese on the way back up to Santander...... But I'm not planning that too much - time might go faster than my legs.....

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Hire car one way to Badajoz (not allowed to take it to Portugal!! thru but not to!) Then cycle like mad-people - as we will have only 3.5 days to get to Lisbon to meet up with our cycle buddies - then start the trip around Portugal!!

Here's another option:

You could think about taking the little green train from Badajoz to Entroncamento, with lots of connections to Lisbon--it runs twice a day, and you'd have no problem having a bike on that--the train isn't that heavily used...we know it well because it runs past our place. Recently upgraded to 2 runs a day, from 1. The little green train is two self-propelled cars that just do the mostly south-of-the-Tejo run from Entroncamento through to Badajoz. It's still the only Lisboa-Madrid rail connection possible, since they shut down the night train between the capitals at the beginning of the Covid restrictions.

(For others, this is a neat little train trip; you can visit some of the towns in the mid-section of the Nascente as documented by @jungleboy. )

Update: it looks as if a third option is possible, transferring at Abrantes rather than Entroncamento, as has been the usual. If youtook the evening train, the transfer in Abrantes would likely be simpler; it's a smaller station than Entroncamento and you'd get your "into Lisboa" space sooner. As you can see from the schedule screenshot below, it takes an hour longer because you're staying on regional trains, but it might be worth it.

Note: re prices shown, don't forget, if you're over 65, it's half-price.

CP - Comboios de Portugal

At CP - Comboios de Portugal, you can check train times and discounts and buy tickets online. Further details.

www.cp.pt

p.s. OR, if you were going to "cycle the works" originally, you could take this train as far as Barquinha, just one stop short of Entroncamento, and then you could "reverse-cycle" the Barquinha >> Lisboa section of the central Portuguese caminho...

 

[Corned Beef]

I got onto Renfe and found that we would have to dismantle the bikes on part of the route

That's odd as I've travelled from SdC to Vigo and SdC to Ferrol without dismantling. Is the issue the CP train from Vigo as you'd best ask Comboios de Portugal about that one. The only issue I had was not booking first.

Edit: I used the Regional Express/Media Distancia on that route but checking Renfe again, it may be they've withdrawn the slower trains that allows bikes without dismantling.

If you do decide to get on the bike, it's only 2 days from Ferrol to SdC and a further 2 days SdC to Vigo. Vigo is a killer getting in and out of, as some parts are so steep.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

That's odd as I've travelled from SdC to Vigo and SdC to Ferrol without dismantling. Is the issue the CP train from Vigo as you'd best ask Comboios de Portugal about that one. The only issue I had was not booking first.

In our experience on the CP train Vigo > Porto Campanha this spring, I didn't see anyone with bikes, but I suspect no-one would have cared. The train was nowhere near full; it was a small, old train, and pretty much an odd orphan not relating much (as far as seat quality, availability of café, anything else) to either the CP or the Renfe system. Run by CP but not really much acknowledged by them.

I get the feeling from local Portuguese press that this train is a bit of a holding pattern till they get the new high-speed running from Porto up through Galicia.

That may be years, though...

 

[Camembert]

On the Ferrol/La Coruna/Vigo part you can take a bike (assembled) but to avoid getting earache from the guard you are best to book one of the spaces on the train.

Don't know about the section south of Vigo but looks like the train is a Comboios de Portugal (CP) one - TrenCelta. This is what the CP site says about bikes on International trains. So pre-booking on both stages.

Bike and scooter transport

See the information about the carriage of bikes. Further details.

www.cp.pt

You are right , Comboios de Portugal has the service on the track Vigo to Porto. Tge railway track is smaller than the Spanish one so there are two railwaystations in Vigo about 15 minutes walk from each other

 

[hecate105]

Here's another option:

You could think about taking the little green train from Badajoz to Entroncamento, with lots of connections to Lisbon--it runs twice a day, and you'd have no problem having a bike on that--the train isn't that heavily used...we know it well because it runs past our place. Recently upgraded to 2 runs a day, from 1. The little green train is two self-propelled cars that just do the mostly south-of-the-Tejo run from Entroncamento through to Badajoz. It's still the only Lisboa-Madrid rail connection possible, since they shut down the night train between the capitals at the beginning of the Covid restrictions.

(For others, this is a neat little train trip; you can visit some of the towns in the mid-section of the Nascente as documented by @jungleboy. )

Update: it looks as if a third option is possible, transferring at Abrantes rather than Entroncamento, as has been the usual. If youtook the evening train, the transfer in Abrantes would likely be simpler; it's a smaller station than Entroncamento and you'd get your "into Lisboa" space sooner. As you can see from the schedule screenshot below, it takes an hour longer because you're staying on regional trains, but it might be worth it.

Note: re prices shown, don't forget, if you're over 65, it's half-price.

View attachment 143331

CP - Comboios de Portugal

At CP - Comboios de Portugal, you can check train times and discounts and buy tickets online. Further details.

www.cp.pt

p.s. OR, if you were going to "cycle the works" originally, you could take this train as far as Barquinha, just one stop short of Entroncamento, and then you could "reverse-cycle" the Barquinha >> Lisboa section of the central Portuguese caminho...

OH! Bless you Friend!! This looks much more manageable - I will look up the detail and see if we can book tickets. It would then be less than half as far to cycle (90 miles) - which is more than enough for me in 3 days!! Hopefully we could get on the evening train on the 4th april.....
Thank you so much!
And thanks to all who pitched in info and advice.
If you are walking/cycling in Devon - come and camp at ours - or at least pop in for a cuppa!!

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

OH! Bless you Friend!! This looks much more manageable - I will look up the detail and see if we can book tickets. It would then be less than half as far to cycle (90 miles) - which is more than enough for me in 3 days!! Hopefully we could get on the evening train on the 4th april.....
Thank you so much!
And thanks to all who pitched in info and advice.
If you are walking/cycling in Devon - come and camp at ours - or at least pop in for a cuppa!!

So glad this seems to work...don't forget about the time difference--Spain is an hour later than Portugal. This gets a bit confusing as you cross from Badajoz to Elvas, which I think is the first Portuguese stop on the line.

 

[hecate105]

I'm confused enough as it is - the clocks went forward last night here in uk - some do it automatically - others not - travelling thru Spain then Portugal - I shall not have a clue!! And then there's the language changes too - it doesn't help that we will be travelling from Lisbon with 2 Americans, a Thai and a German - joined by an American who lives in France later....!! Frazzled!!