How to get from Lisbon to Sintra
How to get from Lisbon to Sintra in Portugal - Updated for 2025 with the latest times and costs.
The main options include car hire (taxi/Uber/car rental), train, group bus tour from Lisbon, private car tour (your own car and guide). There is no public bus service between Lisbon and Sintra, as surprising as that sounds.
The best way to get from Lisbon to Sintra really depends on your situation - how many in your group, day and time, and your specific needs. The cheapest method is train, with a single ticket costing €2.30 from Lisbon to Sintra.
Is Sintra in Lisbon?
Let's get this one out the way first, because it has been asked. No - Sintra is not in Lisbon the city. Sintra is near Lisbon - about 25km down the coast, or roughly 40 minutes by car. That said, Sintra is considered to be a town and municipality in the Greater Lisbon region.
How far is Sintra from Lisbon?
Sintra is 25km from Lisbon, about 40 minutes by car and train. Driving is quite simple. Rush hour can add time to the journey - expect it to take over an hour.
Car Rental - Expensive and Unsuitable for Sintra
To rent a car for a day in Lisbon, as of current 2022 prices, you will be lucky to pay less than €90. If you add on the costs of petrol or diesel, and the hassle of having to collect and return the vehicle from its location, which is normally near the airport.
Once you are in Sintra, it is very congested, the roads are small, and the one way system is a killer. In short - you attempt it at your own peril. That's before we get onto parking.
Parking in Sintra
Parking in Sintra can be a problem especially in summer and at weekends. You will probably need to leave it in one place, quite far out of town. You will still need some form of transport to get up the hill to see the Moorish Castle and the Pena Palace. The road is very steep and not suitable for walking unless you are very committed.
How much is a taxi from Lisbon to Sintra?
Taxi on the street and Uber might vary somewhat. As of the time of writing, you can get an Uber X (4 people) from Lisbon to Sintra for €20-€25 off-peak. Expect to add up to 30% during peak times. An Uber XL (6 people) is more like €40-€45 off-peak.
A regular taxi will probably work out more expensive, but not massively so - up to another 15%.
Lisbon to Sintra by Train
Trains leave from Rossio station about every 15-30 minutes, during the week, for Portela de Sintra station, and about every 30 minutes at weekends. The faster train takes a mere 37 minutes, while the slightly slower service takes 46 minutes. A ticket costs €2.30. The first train to Sintra from Lisbon departs at 5.40 AM and the final train from Sintra to Lisbon departs at 1 AM.
You can see train times, and access the Comboios de Portugal website in English here: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times.
You can buy tickets here: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/buy-tickets
You will probably want to travel from Lisboa - Rossio station to Portela de Sintra, so select those options from the initial screen.
Arriving at Sintra Train Station
The train station in Sintra is located roughly 1 km away from the main town, however it’s quite easy to walk, and relatively flat. If you don’t feel like walking, you can sometimes strike a deal with a tuk tuk driver, although they normally prefer to take you to see a palace or two. You can also take the 434 bus, which winds it way gently through town, covering all the main palaces and attractions. The Sintra bus route costs 5 euros for a single loop trip. Tickets are purchased from the driver, and be sure to have exact change.
Please note: during busy times the wait for the bus can be extremely long. Taxis can sometimes be available although at peak times they also get very busy.
Lisbon to Sintra by Bus
It's hard for the bus to compete with the efficiency - and price - of the train. That said, there is a service, the 35 bus line, which runs from Marquês de Pombal in Lisbon, to Sintra Train Station. The bus number is 35, and is called the 'Sintra Express'. Busses leave about every 4 hours. Tickets and timings can be found on the vimeca.pt website.
Local Taxi Numbers in Sintra
- táxis Mem Martins - 967 459 750
- Taxi Sintra - 967 459 750
- Taxigal - 961 532 938
- Táxis Massamá Queluz Monte Abraão - 962 854 607
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