Getting from Madrid to Lisbon – your options between the two capitals

by Cristina | May 8th, 2009

plane Visiting both Spain and Portugal during a vacation is something plenty of tourists like to do. Madrid and Lisbon are on many traveler’s to-do-lists and thankfully it’s very easy (and quite cheap) to get from one capital to another.

Summary

If the vacation is planned ahead, the plane is the cheapest way to get between Madrid and Lisbon but if you decide to travel on the spur of the moment, you might want to choose the bus or rent a car.

By plane

Both capitals are served by airports and there are plenty of carriers offering flights between Madrid and Lisbon. Madrid’s airport is easily accessible by either bus or metro, while Lisbon’s airport is located very close to the city (just 4 miles from the city) so getting from the airport to the hotel is an easy task.

The best part is the possibility to choose a low-cost carrier (EasyJet) and, of course, the regular airlines. The flight takes 1h 10 min – 1 h 20 min. there are numerous flights per day (2 offered by EasyJet).

The prices vary according the carrier, class, when you are flying and when you are booking. If you want to choose the low-cost carrier and book the flight about 6 weeks in advance, expect to pay as low as €35.48 per person, one way, including all taxes. The RT flight can be as cheap as €66.97 per person, including all taxes.

Other companies serving the two cities include TAP Portugal, Iberia, Vueling Airlines and Spanair. Prices can be as low as €51 per person, RT, including taxes for an economy class ticket but it does depend on whether you are willing to travel on early morning flights or not.

By train

There’s a night train connecting Madrid to Lisbon. The train departs from Chamartin train station at 10:25 p.m. and arrives in Lisbon Estacion Oriente at 7:30 a.m. (Lisbon time). It also stops at Lisbon Santa Apolonia station 11 minutes later. So it takes about 10 hours to travel by train between Madrid and Lisbon. The train is available year round.

The ticket price ranges between €73 and €191 per person, one way, depending on the type of seat and class.

>>the schedule can be found here

By bus

Avanza Bus runs a service between the two capitals. There are two departures daily: one at 12:00 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. The journey takes about 8 h 30 min. The ticket price is €50.70 per person, one way. Discounts are available for seniors and children under 12.

Note: make sure to look for “Lisboa” in the drop down list .

By car

Renting a car is a good idea if you prefer to have freedom and want to travel by road. The driving distance between Madrid and Lisbon is 629 km and the journey takes about 6 h 20 min.

You’ll be taking A-42, exit on M-40 ring road, then drive on A-5, A-6, A-2 and IP7. The last 4 roads are toll roads.

Here’s a map to help with the directions:

madrid-to-lisbon-map