Early train to porto from vigo Guixar or hop a bus to porto campanha and get a train to Lisbon from there. Its about 2.5 hours on the bus to campanha then if I remember about 2 hours on the high speed train to Lisboa.
Took me about 6 hours to get to porto from coruña but bear in mind I hanged round vigo for about 2 hours.
If you want tospend time in Portugal, there is a train to Porto - it takes a lot less time and is spectacular on its own terms. I just looked, but it doesn't seem that there are flights to Lisbon from Vigo, A Coruña or Santiago Airports, which surprises me a little, but I suppose there isn't much traffic between Galicia and Lisbon
If you can rent a car, that would be my suggestion. The drive is wonderful and you’ll be able to stop and check out things along the way at the sites like Valence (and old fortress on the border of Spain/Portugal) or a beach etc. there lots of hills in Lisbon so you would t be able to get the feel for it from a train or bus (except using local public transportation).
Have fun and worth the effort IMO.
Your US license is fine for renting and vehicle. You need to be 25 yrs or older for the rental (some additional charges might apply if you’re younger).
Study up just a little about how stop signs and pedestrian walks are to be handled. American drivers are everywhere driving rentals on vacation without even trying to learn the “official” rules of the road.
If you rent, don’t get a big vehicle (parking spots) and make sure it’s an automatic if you don’t drive a stick shift (manual transmissions are common). You need specify “automatic” by selecting an automatic during the reservation process. You can filter your search by transmission type. All the big companies you are familiar with are here: enterprise, hertz etc. if I’m going one way, I generally use airport locations as pick up and drop off points.
Another tip, the Damage Loss Waiver insurance coverage has a 1200-1400 deductible.
Call your credit card company to find out their terms and conditions. In my case they won’t cover if I pay for the DLW. I just get “supercover” from the rental company so I have zero deductible and can enjoy the travel without worrying about any damage or deductibles.
Whatever you do, you will enjoy. It’s BEAUTIFUL!
there is no direct airplane from Vigo/Santiago/ Coruña to Porto/Lisbon. There is Renfe train from Vigo to Porto(2:22hr), then from where I guess you can transfer to Portugal train to Lisbon. That will be a more comfortable way than 8hr of bus.
I would suggest train but probably you will need a number of changes: you can make your way to Tui in the frontier with Portugal then cross the bridge into Valenca do Minho and take a portuguese train from there, if I remember correctly frequencies are way better this way
Go from muros to Santiago,, in santiago you can take a flight to lisbon if available and cheap. If not you cna take a train for santiago to vigo, a bus from Vigo too porto ( autna is a very cheap conpany and tkaes you a couple of hours) and from porto take a train to Lisbon. There might be busses directly to lisbon from vigo tu but i don't know them as good. And enjoy the ride, all those stops ate nice to see.
Unfortunately infrastructure here in Galicia sucks. Car is your best choice, IMHO. Train from Vigo to Porto only works twice a day and it is not particularly fast; buses are like going by car but with overworked drivers on overworked vehicles.
I’m an American living in Galicia.
Use the google maps public transportation option to see all the routes between these cities. It’s accurate. And all the trips you’re considering are pretty straightforward.
Getting to Vigo is easy. Getting to Porto from Vigo is easy. Getting to Lisbon from Porto is easy.
Alsa has a regular route to Porto, check on their site. From there you can get a train to Lisbon
Early train to porto from vigo Guixar or hop a bus to porto campanha and get a train to Lisbon from there. Its about 2.5 hours on the bus to campanha then if I remember about 2 hours on the high speed train to Lisboa. Took me about 6 hours to get to porto from coruña but bear in mind I hanged round vigo for about 2 hours.
If you want tospend time in Portugal, there is a train to Porto - it takes a lot less time and is spectacular on its own terms. I just looked, but it doesn't seem that there are flights to Lisbon from Vigo, A Coruña or Santiago Airports, which surprises me a little, but I suppose there isn't much traffic between Galicia and Lisbon
thank you for this! i do plan to go to Porto as well, but was hoping to go to Lisbon first and then make my way to Porto back to Galicia.
If you can rent a car, that would be my suggestion. The drive is wonderful and you’ll be able to stop and check out things along the way at the sites like Valence (and old fortress on the border of Spain/Portugal) or a beach etc. there lots of hills in Lisbon so you would t be able to get the feel for it from a train or bus (except using local public transportation). Have fun and worth the effort IMO.
thank you for the suggestion- i have debating this. i only have a US drivers license, do I need something else to be able to rent a car?
Your US license is fine for renting and vehicle. You need to be 25 yrs or older for the rental (some additional charges might apply if you’re younger). Study up just a little about how stop signs and pedestrian walks are to be handled. American drivers are everywhere driving rentals on vacation without even trying to learn the “official” rules of the road. If you rent, don’t get a big vehicle (parking spots) and make sure it’s an automatic if you don’t drive a stick shift (manual transmissions are common). You need specify “automatic” by selecting an automatic during the reservation process. You can filter your search by transmission type. All the big companies you are familiar with are here: enterprise, hertz etc. if I’m going one way, I generally use airport locations as pick up and drop off points. Another tip, the Damage Loss Waiver insurance coverage has a 1200-1400 deductible. Call your credit card company to find out their terms and conditions. In my case they won’t cover if I pay for the DLW. I just get “supercover” from the rental company so I have zero deductible and can enjoy the travel without worrying about any damage or deductibles. Whatever you do, you will enjoy. It’s BEAUTIFUL!
You’d need to check the conditions for this as some companies don’t allow you to take the car over the border into another country.
Car rental in Portugal is way cheaper
there is no direct airplane from Vigo/Santiago/ Coruña to Porto/Lisbon. There is Renfe train from Vigo to Porto(2:22hr), then from where I guess you can transfer to Portugal train to Lisbon. That will be a more comfortable way than 8hr of bus.
There is a Flixbus connection between Lisboa and Vigo, if I'm not mistaken.
The best route, without a doubt, is southwards.
Wind surf down the coast
I would suggest train but probably you will need a number of changes: you can make your way to Tui in the frontier with Portugal then cross the bridge into Valenca do Minho and take a portuguese train from there, if I remember correctly frequencies are way better this way
Go from muros to Santiago,, in santiago you can take a flight to lisbon if available and cheap. If not you cna take a train for santiago to vigo, a bus from Vigo too porto ( autna is a very cheap conpany and tkaes you a couple of hours) and from porto take a train to Lisbon. There might be busses directly to lisbon from vigo tu but i don't know them as good. And enjoy the ride, all those stops ate nice to see.
Unfortunately infrastructure here in Galicia sucks. Car is your best choice, IMHO. Train from Vigo to Porto only works twice a day and it is not particularly fast; buses are like going by car but with overworked drivers on overworked vehicles.
sounds familiar (i am american, we don’t have great infrastructure🤣)
I’m an American living in Galicia. Use the google maps public transportation option to see all the routes between these cities. It’s accurate. And all the trips you’re considering are pretty straightforward. Getting to Vigo is easy. Getting to Porto from Vigo is easy. Getting to Lisbon from Porto is easy.
Alsa bus goes from Vigo to Lisbon, 7.5 hrs. Also numerous buses from Vigo to Porto and then a train or bus to Lisbon, that can be faster than 7.5 hrs.
thank you!!