The complete Aveiro to Porto Transport Guide
Aveiro, situated around an hour south of Porto is a popular holiday destination for both tourists and Portuguese locals alike. The city has been nicknamed as the “Venice of Portugal” by some, mainly due to its lake and touristy gondola rides. But for me it’s the city itself with its amazing art deco buildings and beautiful and unique tiles on all the houses that adds a real charm and interest.
Nearby you can also find the beachside resort of Costa Nova with its now “insta-famous” colourful striped houses. This area is particularly popular during the peak summer months when many Portuguese families choose to spend their summer holidays here.
If you are headed to Porto, you may have already read my Top Things to do in Porto post and know that there is so much to see and do in this wonderful northern Portugal city.
But if you have more time on your hands and want to start exploring the surrounding areas then why not consider a day trip from Porto to Aveiro as an added option. Given the close proximity to Porto, with quick and comfortable transport links, it’s ideal to do just that.
In this guide I’ll outline all the various modes of transport available to choose from when considering how to get from Porto to Aveiro.
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Porto to Aveiro by Train
For many travellers, the most logical way to travel from Porto to Aveiro is without a doubt by train from either Porto’s Sao Bento or Campanha train stations.
There are a number of different trains operating this route but all are bookable directly on the CP website (CP or Comboios de Portugal is the national rail provider in Portugal).
Urban & Regional Trains from Porto to Aveiro:
Both the Urban trains (indicated by a U) or the Regional trains (indicated online by an R) take just over 1 hour to get from Porto Campanha to Aveiro and costs around €4 – €6 for a one-way journey. On this service there is only class of service.
Intercidades Aveiro to Porto train (and return):
The Intercidades (Intercity trains show online by the letters IC) is another of the Porto to Aveiro train services that operate a couple of departures throughout the day takes approximately 39 minutes with pricing around €12 for 2nd class and €13 for 1st class one-way.
Alfapendular Porto Aveiro Porto train:
Lastly there is the Alfapendular trains (indicated by an AP on the website) that takes around 33 minutes. Although this train is quite a bit faster than the Urban or Regional trains, it is also quite a bit more expensive ranging around €15 for 2nd class and just over €20 for 1st class for a one-way ticket.
When weighing up the time versus cost, most travellers then to stick to the cheaper Urban or Regional services. It’s only an hour journey out of Porto and having done this myself, I honestly cannot justify the jump in price to save a mere 20 – 30 mins.
In terms of the Porto Aveiro train schedule (and vice versa), there are plenty of departures throughout the day, starting off quite early (around 05:00 am in the morning) and operating till late evening with the last train normally just before 01:00 am.
Top Tip: If you’ve already read my post on Top Money Savings Tips in Portugal, then you would have read up on the various discounts available on rail travel in Portugal when booking in advance.
Be sure to plan ahead and book your tickets for the train from Aveiro to Porto and return as soon as booking opens up, which is normally around 2 months ahead of your travel date on the CP train website. You can often get up to 50% off the normal train fares in doing so. Be sure to read my post for a host of other travel money savings tips.
Porto to Aveiro by Bus
Whilst taking the Porto to Aveiro bus is another transport option to consider, I must be completely honest and say that I would never personally travel this way. In fact most travellers making their way from Porto to Aveiro do prefer to do so by train and hardly ever consider taking the bus.
However, if the bus remains your only available option then you can certainly make use of it regardless.
The Porto Aveiro Bus is operated by the Rede Expressos bus company that operate several different routes throughout the country. I’ve travelled on the Rede Expressos service on other routes and found them to be of a very good quality and comfort level.
Departing from Porto the journey time ranges between 1 hour 10 minutes up to 1 hour 55 minutes, depending on the departure time and how many stops the bus makes on route. A one-way ticket costs €8.60 for an adult traveller (this is the current rate when this post was published, so be sure to check the website for updated pricing).
Important: It is important to note that most of these departures are not necessarily direct and may require a changeover of bus in Albergaria-a-Velha along the way. Another reason why the train is my preferred mode of getting to Aveiro from Porto.
Porto Bus Terminal:
The bus services depart from Porto’s Campo 24 de Agosto bus station which is connected to the metro / underground of the same name.
Aveiro Bus Terminal:
The bus then arrives into Aveiro at the Aveiro bus terminal which is just across the road from the Aveiro train station.
To get into Aveiro city centre you simply walk through the train station and head straight all the way along Avenida Dr. Lourenço Peixinho until you reach the end of the avenue where you will see the lakes and gondolas. This is pretty much the centre and you can easily wander through the side streets from this point.
Porto to Aveiro by Car
If you are touring around Portugal or want to explore at your own pace without the restrictions of public transport then hiring a car during your stay would probably make more sense. Renting a car would give you far greater control over what to see and when. With so much to explore outside of Porto it is definitely a great choice.
The distance from Porto to Aveiro is roughly 75 kilometres and should take you just under an hour to reach by car. Travelling from Porto to Aveiro by car, it is worthwhile to note that most of Portugal’s highways are in fact tolled and will incur toll fees which you should take into account when planning out your budget.
When we’ve travelled by car in Portugal we’ve opted to rent through Rentalcars.com. Their site is not only very user friendly but since they also compare a range of different car hire providers, we’ve found the rates to be very good too. To check availability and book a car rental for your trip, go ahead and view rates here on Rentalcars.com.
Top Tip: Most car hire companies offer an added service (which normally is also charged for additionally) that allows you to synch up the toll fee charges to your credit card that you would lodge with the rental agency. The car will be fitted with an electronic toll tag that will then automatically charge your card as and when you make use of these tolled roads. Although there is an extra charge for this service, we prefer to make use of it so we simply don’t have to stress about where or when to pay toll fees. Be sure to ask the car hire company to also verify the charges you will incur to make use of this service.
Tours & Activities in Aveiro
As an alternative, you may also want to consider a full day or half-day organised tour from Porto to Aveiro. Tours are a great way to explore the area through guided tours that also provide for a much more informative experience, whilst meeting other like-minded travellers along the way too! Click here to view a range of different day trip & tour options to Aveiro!
Where to Stay in Aveiro:
If you’re planning a road trip through Portugal or simply want a bit more time to explore all that Aveiro has to offer, then why not stay a night or two?
Properties you may want to consider booking:
Apartments – Avenida 60 Prime Suites – check rates & availability
3* – Hotel das Salinas – check rates & availability.
3* – Veneza Hotel – check rates & availability.
4* – Aveiro Palace Hotel – check rates & availability.
4* – Hotel Moliceiro – check rates & availability.
I love using Booking.com to book my hotel stay when I’m travelling, simply because of its ease of use, ratings and competitive rates too. Check here for rates & availability for accommodation in Aveiro.
Also, be sure to read my post on 27 Incredible Palace Hotels & Manor Houses to stay at in Portugal for more inspiration on where to stay in Aveiro and Portugal. This post is especially interesting if you’re looking for truly unique accommodation through Portugal.
Conclusion:
All in all, whether you are planning a visit to Aveiro as part of a day trip or even considering staying over a night or two, you will no doubt enjoy the city and all it has to offer.
Being conveniently located so close to Porto, it makes perfect sense to plan a trip here when visiting the north of Portugal. Getting from Porto to Aveiro should be a breeze regardless if you are making use of public transport, as part of a tour or on your own accord by car.
If you’ve already visited Aveiro I’d love to hear from you!
How did you get there? What was your trip like? Which modes of transport would you recommend others consider taking to Aveiro?
I would love to hear your feedback, tips and suggestions, so feel free to comment and also share this post.
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