Porto is home to two train stations and the most popular is the Sao Bento Train Station which is popular among many tourists especially if you want to use Porto as part of a train vacation.
Though Estação de São Bento (São Bento Station) as it is known to the locals is just as beautiful as many other parts of Porto and is also perfect for catching a train from Porto down to the Algarve, or maybe carrying on your city break in Madrid.
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Porto Train Station
Porto Train Station like many city train stations has a fantastic central location and is ideal for a fun day out in the city discovering the best of Porto.
Also known by its full name of Porto Sao Bento Train Station it is famous (more on this below) for its beauty and history and we recommend arriving early for your train, therefore you can take some nice pictures as you wait.
We have created fun things to do in Porto post and in that article it includes a lot that you can access after arriving from Porto train station and how to do 2 days in Porto.
Or like many American friends of ours, Porto is a fantastic central train station for hopping on and then heading down to The Algarve, closer to Porto and heading to Lisbon or why not use Porto train station to create a train hopping holiday and visit Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, or other beautiful cities of Spain.
Meet Mariana
Mariana is a Portuguese Expat living in Yorkshire. She made the move from Porto in Northern Portugal to England when she married Jack in early 2023. On a visit back to Porto to visit family she spent 2 days exploring all the tourist hotspots of Porto including many hidden gems for the readers of Trip Meets Travel.
Have You Heard Of The Infamous Sao Bento Train Station?
It’s not your average train station and a train station you would expect when traveling. Instead, it is beautiful and loaded with Portuguese history.
The Estacao de Sao Bento was built at the beginning of the IX where an old convent laid.
On top of offering convenient transportation, this train station is known for its beautiful architecture – both on the outside and inside.
When you enter the building, you can find a hall whose walls are decorated with over 20,000 Portuguese tiles that tell the story of Portugal.
YES, I am serious over 20,000 tiles that tell the story of this great train station and very similar to the beautiful blue tiles that you see at Chapel Of Souls which is also located in Porto City Centre.
Even if you don’t plan to travel by train, this station is a must go! As someone who lived in the city my whole life and often used the train station to go to University, I still get blown away by it every time I visit.
For those of you that are planning to use the Sao Bento Train Station for transportation to a different city or country we have shared a few of our favourite routes out of Porto Train Station below.
Where Is Porto Sao Bento Train Station Located?
The train station in Porto Portugal is located at Praça de Almeida Garrett which is perfect for the Porto Cathedral, The Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours and the Carmo Chapel and perfect for when you are working your way through our 2 day Porto itinerary.
If you have a train later in the day and are looking for something to do on the way I highly recommend any of the following:
- Praça da Liberdade (119 m)
- Igreja e Torre dos Clérigos (288 m)
- Catedral da Sé do Porto (318 m)
- Livraria Lello e Irmão (359 m)
- Casa Museu Guerra Junqueiro (399 m)
Visiting Sao Bento For Photos Only
Okay, we so get it, with how beautiful the train station at Porto is. It should very much be at the top of your list of free things to do in Porto and you don’t need to catch a train to enjoy its beauty.
Instead, you can simply visit Sao Bento for the photos.
If this is you, then we recommend you start with some pictures of the outside of the train station.
This is a photo Mariana took of the outside of the Sao Bento train station. At first you are just expecting something similar when you go inside and then you get the wow factor.
Then when you have come through the entrance of the train station you end up in a room that is where you want to be if photos and culture is your thing.
Then you can take as many photos as you want and you will see many others doing the same, so you won’t feel like you are the only one.
Here are 3 great photos that Mariana took of the beautiful hall in the Sao Bento Train Station.
Then beyond this beautiful hall you can head to the right for information about the different trains and where you can visit, or you can head straight ahead through the arch to the train platforms.
Unlike the UK if you are not going on a train, you can still go down and check out the platform and see what trains are going to where.
Visiting Sao Bento For A Train Journey
Let’s say you are visiting Sao Bento to travel to your next destination or for a day trip.
Firstly, these are what the trains are like out of Sao Bento Train station and are comfortable and practical with the well loved Portuguese service.
Secondly, let’s talk about catching a train and where you can go from Sao Bento Train Station.
Sao Bento Train Station currently only does more local travels. So, if you want to perhaps explore other parts inside of the country, go grab yourself a ticket.
What Is The Main Train Station In Porto?
The Sao Bento is the main train station for Porto. But there is a second one. The second one is called Campanha Train Station and is a much smaller train station and is what many locals use for commuting or for university. Or if you’re looking to travel outside of the country – like to Spain.
Now before you get confused let me offer some explanation…
Even though Sao Bento Train Station is the main Train Station in Porto and fully functional, it’s become quite a popular attraction (no surprises there) so along the years the trains and destinations that actually take off from there have been reduced and instead transferred to the Campanha Train Station. Although not as pretty, it is the place you want to be in if you plan to take a train, especially if we’re talking a further away destination.
We did some train checking and we found that Porto Campanha Train Station goes to:
Porto Campanha To Vigo – Why not continue your Porto vacation with sightseeing in Madrid or Barcelona.
Currently the Campanha Train Station will take you to Vigo, in Spain where you can then get a connection train to your desired destination.
Here are the current train times available from Porto Campanha to Vigo:
- 8:13am – 3h22m – 11:35am
- 19:10pm – 3h24m -22:34pm
Or if you are heading in the other direction here are the trains from Vigo to Porto Campanha:
- 8:58am – 1h22m – 10:20am
- 19:56pm – 1h22m – 21:18pm
Porto To Lisbon Train – If you are looking for a train closer to Porto why not plan a day trip to Lisbon? There are trains every hour from Porto and the Porto to Lisbon average from £38-48 per person (or 50-62USD).
You can go to Lisbon from both Sao Bento Train Station and Campanha Train Station.
Here is an example of three train times from Porto Sao Bento to Lisbon:
- 08:37am – 3h23m – 12:00pm
- 16:32pm – 2h50m – 19:22pm
- 20:32pm – 2h58m – 23:30pm
Or if you are heading in the other direction here are the next 3 Lisbon to Porto Sao Bento trains:
- 08:09am – 2h56m – 11:05am
- 14:00pm – 2h58m – 16:58pm
- 22:00pm – 3h23m – 01:23am
Where To Stay In Porto
Porto has some brilliant places to stay especially for being close to all the major attractions. You also have something for every budget with cheap, mid-range and pure city centre comfort.
I have included below three amazing choices all with great reviews and perfect for city break to Porto.
Luxury Porto: InterContinental Porto Hotel is a five-star hotel in the city of Porto. Located in the Historic Centre region, its architecture bleeds right in with surrounding buildings. The rooms are beautifully decorated and will offer all the comfort you’re looking for. The hotel also offers an indoor sauna that you can take advantage of, as well as massages and body treatments – Click here for more details including loads of photos, reviews and more about the facilities.
City Moderate: The Eurostars Porto Douro Hotel is a four star Hotel in Porto City if you’re looking for a solid mid-range. Located in the Old Town region, makes it perfect for you to explore the historic part of the city while getting a beautiful view of the Douro River right from your window – Click here for photos, more info and to read the glowing reviews.
City Budget: If you’re looking for a more budget friendly hotel then Moov Hotel Porto Centro Hotel will be a great option for you. The hotel offers multiple affordable rooms, and its location makes it easy to explore the Porto city centre, without breaking the bank – You can find out more here about this Porto budget hotel and just check out the photos, it is amazing.
Train Station Porto Visitor Information
- Where is the Porto train station located? The Sao Bento train station is located at Praça de Almeida Garrett. Which is close to Praça da Liberdade (119 m, Igreja e Torre dos Clérigos (288 m), Catedral da Sé do Porto (318 m), Livraria Lello e Irmão (359 m), Casa Museu Guerra Junqueiro (399 m).
- How far is the Porto train station from the city centre? The train station is a 2 minute walk from the city centre.
- What is the main train station in Porto, Portugal called? The main train station in Porto is called the sao bento or to the locals Estação de São Bento.
- How to get from Porto train station to the airport? Porto Airport is around 15.9km away from Sao Bento Station, the journey is more easily done by taxi or uber which should take around 25 minutes. Or you can take the metro which takes approximately 39 minutes.
- Does Porto train station have parking? If you require to take a car or transportation there are a few local parking spots available, just be aware that most charge an hourly rate. If you’re using public transport, we recommend the metro Sao Bento, line D. Do note that Porto Train Station is easily accessible by foot, so if you can we advise you to walk there and to other sights.
- Does the train station have toilets nearby? The Sao Bento Train Station does have toilets inside but note that you’ll be charged 50 cents to use the facilities.
- Can you just turn up at the Porto train station or do you need tickets? If you’re just visiting the Train Station, you don’t need a ticket, the station is completely free of charge even if you want to step into the platforms where the trains are. You will need a ticket if you plan to get on a train.
- What else can you visit in Porto that is nearby? What is loved by many (well apart from the great food and culture) is that Porto is a smaller city, and you have a lot of different places within walking distance of each other. We recommend you read our things to do in Porto and if you want a quick idea note that nearby you have the Praça da Liberdade (119 m), Igreja e Torre dos Clérigos (288 m), Catedral da Sé do Porto (318 m), Livraria Lello e Irmão (359 m) and Casa Museu Guerra Junqueiro (399 m).
Pin Visiting Porto Train Station Porto For Later!
Well, that’s a wrap, do you have any questions then do ask below and if you want to refer back, to this later for planning your porto visit then don’t forget to pin it to your travel board or days out board on Pinterest.
