Trains on Camino Portuguese

[Mormon]

I'm starting the Caminho on March 2, 2018. I know that the alburgue in Alpriate will still be closed for the winter. I'm 67 and my husband is 69. We're fit but we're not walking 33km a day for even one day. Especially not the first day.

My plan is to walk either to Santa Iria or Povoa and catch the train to Alverca for the night. The only information I can see on line says advanced reservations are required for the Lisboa to Porto lines. I'd like to be able to wait until that day, walk to whichever station we feel up to, and grab the next train since they seem to run frequently. This would also be my fall-back plan for any day where the albergue we need is still closed for the winter. Is this unrealistic? Thanks for your help.

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm starting the Caminho on March 2, 2018. I know that the alburgue in Alpriate will still be closed for the winter. I'm 67 and my husband is 69. We're fit but we're not walking 33km a day for even one day. Especially not the first day.

My plan is to walk either to Santa Iria or Povoa and catch the train to Alverca for the night. The only information I can see on line says advanced reservations are required for the Lisboa to Porto lines. I'd like to be able to wait until that day, walk to whichever station we feel up to, and grab the next train since they seem to run frequently. This would also be my fall-back plan for any day where the albergue we need is still closed for the winter. Is this unrealistic? Thanks for your help.

Hi, Mormon, Welcome to the forum. You should check back right before you leave, because the albergue in Alpriate has a facebook page that says they will reopen in March 2018. You should email the Via Lusitana, the group that runs the albergue. They speak excellent English. info@vialusitana.org. You never know.

But the train line you are talking about is the commuter line, which runs from Lisbon to Azambuja. There is a map here showing all the stops. https://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/3_viajar/0_servicos/lx/cp_metro.pdf

And the times:

https://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/timetables/lisbon-urban-trains.pdf

Bom caminho, Laurie

 

[Davie Blisters]

Welcome Mormon, all the trains I saw heading north in June were almost empty - really no need to pre-book.

Bom Caminho
Davie

 

[naplesdon]

Hi, Mormon, Welcome to the forum. You should check back right before you leave, because the albergue in Alpriate has a facebook page that says they will reopen in March 2018. You should email the Via Lusitana, the group that runs the albergue. They speak excellent English. info@vialusitana.org. You never know.

But the train line you are talking about is the commuter line, which runs from Lisbon to Azambuja. There is a map here showing all the stops. https://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/3_viajar/0_servicos/lx/cp_metro.pdf

And the times:

https://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/timetables/lisbon-urban-trains.pdf

Bom caminho, Laurie

Laurie, you are one of the special Camino angels. Your help is greatly appreciated even if no one tells you so.

 

[Mormon]

Thanks for the links. I did confirm with the Via Lusitania people that the albergue in Alpriate isn't going to open until March 12.

 

[Mormon]

Great. Thank you.

 

[jsalt]

I'd like to be able to wait until that day, walk to whichever station we feel up to, and grab the next train since they seem to run frequently.

Hi, yes, it’s possible. Just go into any station and buy a ticket for the next train.

I took a train once from Santarem to Vale de Figueira, as I wanted to shorten the long walk to Golega. But it then took a while for me to find the camino path! Nobody in the village knew where it was. Finally an old man pointed me in the right direction. Fortunately, I now have MapsMe on my phone. It was more fun though chatting to the villagers – I knew no Portuguese and they knew no English – because they were all so friendly and trying to help me. Lovely people.

The next day I walked from Golega to Vila Nova Barquina, and spent a lovely afternoon visiting the Almourol Castle, which is a bit further up the Rio Tejo. Next morning I walked into Entroncamento and got a train to Tomar. It’s all very easy, no problems.
Jill

 

[frida1]

For what it's worth, I took the train in 2015 and 2016 from Lisbon to Santarem, and another time from Lisbon to Tomar, and another time from Tomar to Aveiro. Tickets were always available on a walkup basis.

 

[HeidiL]

Yeah, and for the first stops out of Lisbon, you don't need to buy a ticket if you have money on your Lisbon travel card - the money is automagically (yes, I meant that spelling) deducted when you touch the card to the readers at the start and the end of the journey.

 

[PapaSmurf76]

Hi Mormon,
I took the train from Vila Franca de Xira to Azambuja in April. You just get a ticket before you get on if you don't already have a topped up card, they are commuter trains at least to Azambuja. There are three types of train just check cp.pt for details.

Try not to miss the stretches along the wetlands boardwalk a little after Alpriate.

Enjoyed the walk Azambuja to Porto de Muje too. There are options to stay at PdM so that may be a good days walk for you.


If you want to see what youre in for check out our Facebook page;
https://www.facebook.com/Jackie.Craig.Adventures/

And our you tube videos;
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6_LoreKUN6A9_ZUEQdJtBwpvdG4VUxTe

Any questions just ask

Bom Caminho, Craig