When traveling from Madrid to Portugal, regardless of whether your destination is Lisbon or Porto, you will probably have to go through Coimbra. The famous university town is worth a stop.
Why visit Coimbra?
Most of Coimbra’s attraction centers on its university, the soul of the city since the 13th century. Many of the most beautiful buildings in Coimbra are connected to the university.
The university also has its own version of Fado . Far from the sad style predominantly sung by women in Lisbon, Coimbra’s fado is humorous (erm, if you speak Portuguese!) And is sung by young male students.
There are also Roman ruins in nearby Conimbriga.
See also: Things to do in Coimbra
And then there’s the fact that it splits the journey well between Madrid and Portugal’s major cities (as well as between Lisbon and Porto ).
See also:
- How to get from Coimbra to Lisbon
- How to get from Coimbra to Porto
- Hotels in Coimbra
What is the best way to get from Madrid to Coimbra?
The train is the fastest and cheapest way to get from Madrid to Coimbra (seven hours compared to the ten it takes by bus), but there is only one trip each way per day and both are night trains.
Read more about Night trains in Spain
If you are traveling by train, it makes sense to visit Coimbra on the way from Portugal to Spain rather than the other way around, as the night train coming from Portugal leaves Coimbra at an ungodly hour of the night. However, if you are traveling from Madrid to Coimbra, you may prefer the bus.
There are no flights to Coimbra, but you could fly to Lisbon or Porto. Coimbra is then a good stopping point between these two cities.
Trains from Madrid to Coimbra
Trains from Coimbra to Madrid take around seven hours and cost 50 euros.
Stops from Madrid to Coimbra (and then to Lisbon)
In case you want to interrupt your journey even further, here are the train stops from Madrid to Coimbra and then to Lisbon on the Trenhotel 332 train route (with departure times). Be sure to check current train travel tables for up-to-date schedules.
In Spain
- Madrid Chamartin 21:50
- Avila 23:11
- Medina del Campo 00:11
- Salamanca 01:00
- Ciudad Rodrigo 02:07
- Fountains of Oñoro 02:30
In Portugal
Please note that there is a time zone change between Spain and Portugal.
- Vilar Formoso 01:50
- Watch 02:23
- Mangualde 03:25
- Coimbra (Coimbra B station) 04:54
- Pombal 05:22
- Truncation 06:06
- Lisbon East 07:22
- Lisbon Santa Apolonia 07:30
Stops from Coimbra to Madrid
With previous stops from Lisbon on the Trenhotel 335 train route (with departure times).
In Portugal
- Lisbon Santa Apolonia 21:18
- Lisbon East 21:27
- Junction 22:24
- Pombal 23:03
- Coimbra (Coimbra B station) 23:30
- Mangualde 00:49
- Watch 1:46
- Vilar Formoso 02:35
In Spain
Please note that there is a time zone change. Your watches go forward when you enter Spain.
- Fountains of Oñoro 03:40
- Ciudad Rodrigo 03:59
- Salamanca 04:56
- Medina del Campo 05:56
- Avila 06:40
- Madrid Chamartín 08:10
Madrid to Coimbra buses
The buses between Coimbra and Madrid are run by ALSA . The trip takes around 10 hours and costs 60 euros. At the time of writing, there is only one bus per day, leaving Madrid around 9 am (starting at Avenida de América bus station and passing through the main station (Estación del Sur) half an hour later. bus in Albergaria
