How To Reach Sintra

A gorgeous little town, only 25 km away from Lisbon, Sintra is a charming place that makes for a must-do day-trip for visitors coming to the capital city. Lisbon is the recommended stop-off point as it the city that is logistically the closest and best-connected city to get to Sintra. Visitors travelling from overseas would be required to fly in to Lisbon Airport as Sintra doesn't have its own local airport. From the capital, the best way to reach is via the hourly train service from any of Lisbon's main railway stations. Visitors can purchase tickets online and expect to reach under an hour. The other alternative involves using a tourist bus service, the recommended one being the 434 Bus Service, which takes visitors into Sintra from Lisbon and back. To learn more on the best ways to reach this stunning town, check out the guide below. 

The Lisbon Portela Airport, approximately 29 km away, is the closest major airport available. The airport is well-connected to most domestic and international destinations and has high daily flight frequencies. Sintra being a tiny town, doest not have an airport of its own and hence air travel to Lisbon is the fastest way to reach for international visitors. There are train and bus services available from Lisbon to get visitors to Sintra in the fastest and most efficient way possible. 

Another one of the best and most popular ways to get to Sintra is via road from Lisbon. The 434 Bus Route takes visitors from Lisbon into Sintra, around the most iconic sights in the town and back. The only drawback of driving down to Sintra is that there is limited to no parking, which is why using the bus or train service is highly recommended. Additionally, it works out cheaper to buy a day-ticket for the hop on hop off 434 or train service. 

The best way to get to Sintra is via rail, with Lisbon's Rossio Station offering direct trains every 30 minutes or so, with the frequency increasing over the weekend. The Oriente Station in Lisbon is also connected to Sintra Train Station. The station is only 1.5 km away from the city. The journey via train takes around 50 minutes on average, but offers visitors scenic views of the countryside. Tickets can be picked up online or in-person. There is normally no need to book tickets in advance as there are enough daily trains for all visitors to hop on. 

The recommended way to get around the town of Sintra is either to explore it by foot or to use the tourist bus services available like the 434 Bus Service. As the town is perfect for a day-trip, most visitors will not find many local transportation services owing to the small size of the town. The professional guided tours make it easy and affordable to explore the city. There will be many local guides trying to con unaware visitors, so it is recommended to do your research before agreeing to any tours.