Portugal is superbly connected from across Europe, with a wide range of direct flights from the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and beyond.
By air, Lisbon (LIS) is served by daily direct flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, Paris CDG and Orly, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels and Dublin, among many others. Porto (OPO) has direct links to London, Paris, Amsterdam and a growing number of European cities. TAP Air Portugal is the national carrier, with frequent rotations from major hubs and onward connections to Madeira (FNC) and the Azores (PDL–Ponta Delgada). EasyJet, Ryanair, Transavia and Vueling operate on most routes. Off-season return fares from London to Lisbon regularly dip below £80; peak summer fares run £200-350. From New York and Boston, TAP and Delta operate nonstop flights to Lisbon in approximately 7 hours; Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles connect via a hub.
The train is a competitive option from France and Spain. The Madrid–Lisbon Lusitania overnight train takes around 10 hours and is a slow but scenic alternative to flying. From the French Atlantic coast (Bordeaux, Biarritz), a hybrid approach — fast train to the Spanish border, then Renfe AVE to Madrid and onward — is viable for the most committed rail travellers. Most visitors from the UK or northern Europe will find flying the most practical option.
By car, the main entry from France follows the A10 motorway south from Paris to Bordeaux, then the A63 to Irún, crossing northern Spain via Burgos, Valladolid and Salamanca before reaching the Portuguese border at Vilar Formoso or Badajoz/Elvas. Lisbon is roughly 19-20 hours' drive from Paris — a two-day journey worth making only if you plan an extended road trip of at least two weeks.
Once in Portugal, internal transport needs careful planning. The Lisbon–Porto Alfa Pendular (2h40–3h15, €25-50) is efficient and scenic. Lisbon–Faro (Algarve) takes around 3 hours by Alfa Pendular (€30-55). For the Alentejo, the Vicentine Coast, the Douro and most secondary sites, a rental car is the only practical option. Agencies at Lisbon and Porto airports are competitive — compare via Rentalcars or Discovercars, and book well ahead for summer.
Read also
- Lisbon and its Peninsula — The capital on its seven hills, the Tram 28, Sintra palaces and the beaches of Cascais within easy reach.
- Porto and the North: Douro and Minho — Port wine cellars, UNESCO-listed vine terraces and the generous gastronomy of northern Portugal.
- Algarve: Golden Cliffs and Beaches — Europe's sunniest coastline: Lagos, Sagres, Tavira and the wild coves of the Vicentine Coast.
- Alentejo: Vines, Cork and White Villages — The vast interior plains, prehistoric megaliths and characterful wines of the Alentejo.
- Lisbon, City on Seven Hills — Alfama azulejos, Tram 28, pastéis de nata at Pastéis de Belém and fado in the lanes of Mouraria.