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The best independent guide to Cascais

Cascais-Portugal.com

The best independent guide to Cascais

Lisbon to Cascais and Cascais to Lisbon by train in 2024

Cascais is a charming and traditional fishing town situated on a stretch of coastline fringed with beautiful sandy beaches.

As well as being one of the most popular holiday destinations of Portugal, it also makes a fantastic choice for a day trip from Lisbon, with the town offering grand 19th-century villas, fascinating museums and an abundance of Portuguese charm.

Lisbon is located 27km to the east of Cascais and is connected by the ‘Linha de Cascais’ urban railway, which provides a regular and inexpensive train service. This makes it very easy to visit Cascais from Lisbon, or vice versa. The train departs from Cais do Sodré train station in Lisbon and terminates in the centre of Cascais. Another option is to use a ride-hailing app (such as Uber or Bolt), with the typical fare costing just €25.

If you are based in Cascais for a holiday and visiting Lisbon as a day trip, an additional benefit is that the train also stops in the pretty Belem district of the city.

 

 

If you are travelling from Lisbon Airport to Cascais, you will first have to take the metro (or a taxi/Uber) from the airport to Cais do Sodré train station. For a guide that is specifically written for this journey, please click here (Lisbon airport to Cascais guide).

This article will detail how best to travel between Lisbon and Cascais, and includes details of train services and other useful travel advice.
Related articles: Introduction to Cascais - Day trip to Cascais

Lisbon to cascais train

The train to Cascais passing through the Belem district of Lisbon.

Lisbon to Cascais by train for a day trip

The train is the best public transport option when travelling from Lisbon to Cascais, and is also the best option if you are heading to Cascais for a day trip from the city. The Linha de Cascais railway serves all of the towns and beaches on the northern side of the Tejo estuary, between Algés in the east and Cascais in the west.

The downside with the train is that it can get very busy during the summer as everyone heads to (or returns from) the beach. This means there can be long queues to buy tickets, and trains heading back to Lisbon can be crowded.

In Lisbon, the train departs from Cais do Sodré train station, which is to the west of the historic centre, GPS: 38.705, -9.145 - (link to Google Maps). Cais do Sodré station is connected to the green metro line. Cascais is the final stop of the route, and the station lies in the centre of the town at GPS: 38.700, -9.418.

The Cais do Sodré train station

The Cais do Sodré train station

The Cascais to Lisbon railway is operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP), the national train operator of Portugal.

A single fare from Lisbon to Cascais costs €2.40/€1.20 (adult/child) and is a four-zone fare. The ticket is charged to the reusable Navegante card, which is used for all public transport in the Lisbon region. The card costs €0.50 for the initial purchase, and each traveller must have their own card.

 

 

For a return ticket to Cascais, two single tickets (costing €4.80/€2.40 in total) are charged onto the Navegante card. The Linha de Cascais railway is an urban train service, and tickets and seats cannot be pre-booked. Full fare information can be seen on the Comboios de Portugal (CP) website:
www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/1_horarios/precos/lx/lisbon-urban-trains-price-zones.pdf

(The link is to a PDF, which may download on phones)

The Lisbon to Cascais route is one of the busiest train routes in Portugal, with a departure every 20 minutes and additional services during rush hour.

The frequency drops in the evening, and the last trains depart from Lisbon and Cascais at 12.30am, 1am and 1.30am. The latest timetable can be seen on the CP website:
www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/timetables/lisbon-cascais-urban-trains.pdf

(The link is to a PDF, which may download on phones)

Cais do Sodré train station can get very busy, especially mid-morning during the summer months as everyone heads to the beach. If travelling at this time, expect long queues at the ticket office and ticket machines.

Insight: The Lisbon to Cascais train fare can be paid using the zapping public transport ticket. For this ticket, you load credit onto the Navegante card at any metro station and then simply use the card at the station barriers to pay for the fare. This ticket can be a great way to avoid the long queues at the train station, and it also reduces the train fare to just €2. Further details can be seen on the CP website:
www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times/Prices/lisbon-tickets

The train journey from Lisbon to Cascais takes between 33 and 45 minutes, depending on the number of stops. The route is very scenic as it passes through the Belem district and along the coastline, with views over the Tejo estuary and beaches. To get the best view, sit on the left side of the carriage, with a view to the south.

The interactive map below shows the route of the Linha de Cascais along with the major train stations. (Note: Zoom in or out to see all of the points)

Legend: 1) Cais do Sodré 2) Santos 3) Alcantara-Mar 4) Belem 5) Caxias 6) Paço de Arcos 7) Santo Amaro 8) Oeiras 9) Carcavelos 10) Parede 11) Sao Pedro do Estoril 12) Estoril 13) Monte Estoril 14) Cascais

The Lisbon to Cascais railway is a busy line serving both commuters and beachgoers. The trains and Cais do Sodré train station are no more dangerous than in any other big city, but be careful not to overly display money or other expensive items. When travelling late at night, it is advisable to sit close to other passengers, as there have been reports of late-night robberies on lone travellers (these never occur during the day).

Lisbon to Cascais train

Cascais to Lisbon - for a day trip to Lisbon

If you are on holiday in Cascais, you will probably want to have a day trip to Lisbon, and the Linha de Cascais railway makes the journey very straightforward.

Cascais train station is situated in the centre of the town and is rarely busy. The station is small, with just four platforms, and all of the trains head to Lisbon and Cais do Sodré train station.

When travelling to Lisbon, there are two options for your day trip: the historic centre or the Belem district. For your first day trip to Lisbon, we’d recommend taking the train to Cais do Sodré station and, from here, visiting the historic areas of the city in the Baixa and Alfama districts.

For a second day trip, you should visit the Belem district, exiting the train at Belem station. The Belem district lies to the west of Lisbon and is the location of the Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.
Related articles: The Belem district - The Alfama district

Arco da Rua Augusta Lisbon

The Rua Augusta and the Arco da Rua Augusta in the Baixa district of Lisbon.

Uber and Bolt between Lisbon and Cascais

The ride-hailing apps of Uber and Bolt provide a convenient alternative to public transport and are surprisingly inexpensive for the journey.

They are very useful when travelling from Lisbon if your accommodation is not near Cais do Sodré train station, or where you are travelling with children or in a group of four.

The base fare from central Lisbon to Cascais is €25, but the exact fare will vary depending on demand, traffic and time of day. It is often very easy to hail an Uber or Bolt in the mid-morning when there is low demand, but can be more tricky later in the day when everyone wants to travel back into Lisbon or during rush hour. At these peak times, fares can rise by 50 per cent and there can be very long waits to connect to drivers.

Insight: Uber is slightly more expensive than Bolt, but the standard of their cars and drivers is better. We prefer Uber.

For the journey from Lisbon to Cascais, we would suggest booking a ‘comfort’ level car (for both Uber and Bolt), which will cost approximately 15 per cent more. This will ensure you get a bigger and better car, while the higher fare will attract more drivers, which is useful at peak times. A comfort classified driver can choose to accept both comfort and regular fares, but will always favour a comfort hire as it pays more.

Insight: If you plan to use Uber or Bolt, it is advisable to download the app, register, and become familiar with it before you use it in Portugal. The Uber/Bolt fares will be charged in Euros, so we’d suggest connecting the app to a bank account that does not charge fees if your home currency is not the Euro.

Why not drive or catch the bus to Cascais?

The recommended means of travelling from Lisbon to Cascais is by train. While there are bus services available, they tend to take longer than the train, and the main bus station in Lisbon is not as conveniently located as Cais do Sodre train station. It is not advisable to drive to Cascais as there is very limited car parking and it can be extremely difficult to find a space, especially during the summer.

Lisbon airport to Cascais

Lisbon Airport is 36km from Cascais. The fare costs around €80 for a taxi hired from the arrivals building, €60 for a pre-booked transfer, and slightly less for an Uber. The route by public transport can cost as little as €4.25 per person and takes around 90 minutes, including connections.

There are three stages to travelling from Lisbon Airport to your accommodation in Cascais, they are:
• Lisbon Airport to Cais do Sodre train station (metro, taxi or Uber/Bolt)
• Cais do Sodre train station to Cascais station (train)
• Cascais station to your accommodation (walk, taxi or Uber/Bolt)

The best way to travel from Lisbon Airport to Cais do Sodre train station is by the metro.

The airport is connected to the red metro line, while Cais do Sodre station is the final stop on the green line. A connection is required at Alameda, and it is only a short walk (200m) between platforms, which is well-signed. A single metro ticket costs €1.80 and is charged to the ‘Navegante’ card (€0.50 for the initial purchase). The Navegante card is the same card used to store the Linha de Cascais train ticket.

If you are travelling with heavy luggage, it may be easier to take an Uber (€8 to €10) or taxi (€10 to €15) for the journey from the airport to Cais do Sodre station.

In Cais do Sodre station, the metro platforms are on the lowest level and the train station is on the ground floor, which is three floors up. There are ample lifts and escalators connecting all levels, and there is clear signage.

Lisbon metro

Lisbon metro is clean, safe and inexpensive, and is often the best way to travel around the city.

The Cascais to Estoril promenade

There is a very scenic coastal promenade between Cascais and Estoril. A pleasant activity for a day trip to Cascais is walking along the beachside promenade to Estoril, then catching the train from Estoril back to Lisbon. Estoril train station is in the same fare zone as Cascais, so a return ticket is valid.

The railway also connects Cascais with the Praia de Carcavelos, the best beach of the region, which is a great destination for a beach day.

coastal promenade Cascais to Estoril

The coastal promenade between Cascais and Estoril.

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