I have no easy means to check or update so please confirm through sources given below. Reduced local bus service is in operation.
COVILHÃ (pop.37,000, urban area 55,000) is a city of Northeastern Portugal. It is not in the Algarve - I was visiting! The city is about 175 miles / 278 km by road from Lisbon and 132 miles /212 km from Porto.
If you are not planning to spend time in Lisbon, you will need to
get from the Airport to LISBOA ORIENTE station. This is now very
simple using the Lisbon metro (subway) - trains run to
Oriente station every few minutes from 0630 until 0100 every
night. The journey takes about 5 minutes. There is also city bus
744 to Oriente.
City bus details at http://www.carris.pt/
If you are planning to spend time in Lisbon, all trains to Covilhã
start from the city centre SANTA APOLÓNIA station. Check all
details and buy your intercity tickets at www.cp.pt
From Lisbon Santa Apolónia there are three direct Intercity trains
each day. Departures at 0815, 1315 and 1915. One way ticket
without discount €17,85 second class, €25,25 1st class. Return
journeys to Lisbon leave Covilhã at 0753, 1453 and 1853.
These also stop at Lisbon Oriente (much closer to the airport) 9
minutes after leaving Santa Apolónia. Journey time Lisbon Santa
Apolónia <> Covilhã about 3hrs 27
minutes. Reservation is required. You can buy a ticket at the last
minute, but if the train is full you will have to wait until the
next one.
There are also two or three connections daily using regional
trains, sometimes changing en route at Entroncamento. These trains
take one or even two hours longer than the Intercity trains, but
are cheaper. Allow plenty of time to purchase a ticket as the
ticket machines for regional trains at some stations are no longer
in service. You may have to wait in line at the staffed ticket
office. Tickets for regional trains can now be purchased on line.
Train times are subject to change around major public holidays, for example Easter, Christmas and New Year. Check official timetables carefully when making your reservations.
Reservations for train trips in Portugal can only be made up to a MAXIMUM of 60 days in advance. You can reserve on line at www.cp.pt and print your own ticket. A big discount is available on many trains for tickets purchased more than 8 days in advance. DO NOT use RailEurope etc as they cannot issue the required seat reservation for which you will pay extra.
You will probably need to make your way from the airport to the
SETE RIOS bus terminal. This is about 3 miles/5km from the airport
and is linked to it by the underground metro line. Take any train
to the end of the line at São Sebastião then change to the Blue
Line for a two stop ride to Jardim Zoológico station, which is
adjacent to Sete Rios. Trains run every few minutes from 0630
daily. The journey will take around 25 minutes and cost €2.
The direct Aerobus service between the airport and Sete Rios is no longer operating.
For your bus options from elsewhere in the city check the city
bus website at http://www.carris.pt/
Consult the long distance bus website www.rede-expressos.pt for Lisbon - Covilhã times, remember it's LISBOA on the timetable search. One-way fare is currently €16,50 and the journey takes about 3 hrs 25 minutes. There are currently eight journeys each way daily. Extra journeys operate in both directions on Friday and Sunday evenings during University terms. Two journeys each day also stop at Lisbon Oriente bus station which is much closer to the airport.
Tickets can be purchased up to 30 days in advance.
There is no direct route by train. Travel by IC train from Porto
Campanhã to Entroncamento and change there. Shortest journey time
is 5 hours 18 minutes, other journeys around 6 hours. That does
compare badly with the coach (bus) services which take a more
direct route.
One way 2nd class ticket around €28,00 by most trains but prices
vary according to which train(s) you use. Details and ticket
purchase at www.cp.pt
There is a metro connection between Porto Airport and Campanhã
station, takes about 35 minutes and costs €2,60. Service runs
daily from 0606 weekdays, 0557 weekends and holidays until 0042
every day, with trains currently about every 15 minutes weekdays
between about 0700 - 2000, at other times there are two or three
trains an hour. You may need to change trains at Trindad station.
Reservations for train trips in Portugal can only be made up to a MAXIMUM of 60 days in advance. You can reserve on line and print your own ticket. A big discount is available on many trains for tickets purchased more than 8 days in advance. DO NOT use RailEurope etc as they cannot issue the required seat reservation for which you will pay extra.
These leave from Porto (Campo 24 Agosto Bus Station) journey time
is 3hrs to 3hrs 30 minutes. There are currently about eight direct
journeys every day, plus a couple more with a change en route.
One way ticket is €17,50 Tickets for all journeys can be purchased
in advance at the Rede Expressos website www.rede-expressos.pt
The Campo 24 de Agosto bus terminal is a short distance outside
Porto city centre, about two minutes walk from the Campo 24 de
Agosto metro station (same line as for the Campanhã railway
station) and is served by numerous city bus routes.
The old city and some of the University campus is on top of a
tall hill. The railway and bus stations are 1.5km away down in
valley below. It is a VERY steep hill.
The Bus Station in Covilha is signposted and marked on timetables
and maps as the Central de Camionagem. It is located in the
'Alameda de Europa' down below the old city and University. It is
about 500 metres from the railway station.
Map link https://www.rede-expressos.pt/pointsofsales
select Covilhã from the list.
Once you are up in the old city it is walkable. You cannot drive
around there anyway! The city and suburbs have a network of six
weekday bus routes operated under the banner 'Transportes Urbanos
de Covilhã. Website timetable information is only in Portuguese. These local buses
stop outside the main bus station and also go up to the old city
on the hill which is steeply uphill from the modern town.
I do not know if a bus stops at the railway station. There is no
obvious indication in the timetables and there is no route map to
consult.
The main routes run about every 30 - 60 minutes on weekdays until
about 2000hrs. For weekday evening also weekend / holiday service
see below. Many bus times are marked Apenas no Inverno (runs in winter only)
or Apenas no Verão (runs in summertime only, basically
during school summer holidays) so take care to look at the correct
times.
Only three routes operate at late on weekday evenings, or at
weekends and on public holidays. For weekday evening also weekend
and holiday service, find routes N1, N2 and N3 at the bottom of
the page.
There is a zonal fare system with cash fares of either €1,30 and
€1,45 according to distance. Various weekly, monthly and
multi-ride tickets are available offering discounts of up to 50%
on those fares.
The stadium of SC Covilhã (the Complexo Desportivo de Covilhã) is
within walking distance of the city centre. Only one bus route
passes by and not at times convenient for most matches. SC Covilhã
currently play in the Second Division of the Portuguese League in
front of 400 - 500 fans..
If you have any comments or updates for this page, I will be
pleased to receive them by email.
For more about Covilhã as a city, please see this article in
Wikipedia.
I take no responsibility for any inconvenience caused as a result of later changes to times etc. This page is for general guidance only and you must check details before making commitments and decisions!
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