Estoril sits at the heart of the Portuguese Riviera, a stretch of coastline defined by sandy beaches, grand 19th-century villas, and a long association with upmarket tourism. The town draws visitors for its attractive seafront, relaxed atmosphere, and Portugal's largest casino.

Estoril lies just 25km west of Lisbon and is connected by a reliable, inexpensive train service departing from Cais do Sodré station. This same railway makes Lisbon an easy day trip for anyone staying in Estoril, with the added benefit of stopping in the historic Belem district along the way.

For those arriving at Lisbon Airport and heading directly to Estoril, the journey involves crossing the city to reach Cais do Sodré. The metro handles this efficiently, though taking an Uber or Bolt from the airport to Estoril is often more practical, particularly with luggage. The fare runs between €25 and €35.

This guide covers three journeys: Lisbon to Estoril for a day trip, Estoril to Lisbon's main tourist areas, and Lisbon Airport to Estoril.
Related articles: Estoril guide - Lisbon guide

Estoril has long served as Portugal's premier beach resort

The Cascais to Lisbon railway connects all the towns and beaches along the northern shore of the Tejo estuary, running from Algés in the east to Cascais in the west. Estoril is the third from last station, the stop for the casino, the coastal promenade, and Praia do Tamariz beach. A smaller station, Monte Estoril, serves the area between the town centre and Cascais.

Estoril is the third from last station along the railway, and this is where to exit for the casino, the coastline promenade and the Praia do Tamariz beach. There is a second, smaller station in Estoril, Monte Estoril, which serves the area between the town and Cascais.

In Lisbon, trains depart from Cais do Sodré station, located to the west of the historic centre (GPS: 38.705, -9.145) and connected to the green metro line. The service is operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP), the national train operator.

A single fare from Lisbon to Estoril costs €2.45 for adults and €1.25 for children, covering four fare zones. Tickets are charged to the Navegante card, the reusable smartcard used across Lisbon's public transport network, which costs €0.50 for the initial purchase. Each traveller needs their own card.

For a return journey, load two single tickets onto the card, costing €4.90 for adults and €2.50 for children. The full fare structure appears on the CP website: www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/1_horarios/precos/lx/lisbon-urban-trains-price-zones.pdf

The train to Estoril

This is one of the busiest train routes in Portugal, with departures every 20 minutes and more during rush hour. As an urban service, tickets and seats cannot be pre-booked. Frequency drops in the evening, with the last trains leaving both Lisbon and Cascais at 12.30am, 1am, and 1.30am. The final services of the day are sometimes replaced by a bus between Cascais and Oeiras. Current timetables appear on the CP website: www.cp.pt/ StaticFiles/ timetables/ lisbon-cascais- urban-trains.pdf

Cais do Sodré station gets busy, particularly mid-morning during summer when everyone heads to the beach. Long queues form at the ticket office and machines. A useful alternative is the zapping ticket: load credit onto the Navegante card at any metro station, then tap at the station barriers to pay the fare. This avoids the queues and reduces the train fare to €2. Details appear on the CP website:
www.cp.pt/ StaticFiles/ Passageiros/1_horarios /precos/lx/ lisbon-urban-trains -price-zones.pdf

The journey from Lisbon to Estoril takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on the number of stops. The route is scenic, passing through the Belem district and hugging the coastline, with views across the Tejo Estuary and its beaches. Sit on the left side of the carriage, facing south, for the best outlook.
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times/Prices/lisbon-tickets

The journey from Lisbon to Estoril takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on the number of stops. The route is scenic, passing through the Belem district and hugging the coastline, with views across the Tejo Estuary and its beaches. Sit on the left side of the carriage, facing south, for the best outlook.

The trains and Cais do Sodré station are no more dangerous than in any other large city, but avoid displaying money or valuables. When travelling late at night, sit near other passengers. There have been reports of robberies targeting lone travellers on late services, though these do not occur during the day.

The interactive map below shows the route of the Estoril railway along with the major train stations. Estoril is marker 12. (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) São Pedro do Estoril 12) Estoril 13) Monte Estoril 14) Cascais

The train to Estoril passing through the Belem district

The ride-hailing apps Uber and Bolt offer a convenient alternative to the train, with surprisingly reasonable fares. The option works particularly well for those travelling with children, in a group of four, or staying somewhere in Lisbon not close to Cais do Sodré station

The base fare from central Lisbon to Estoril is around €25, though the exact cost varies with demand, traffic, and time of day. Mid-morning is typically the easiest time to find a ride, with lower fares and shorter waits. Later in the day, when everyone heads back to Lisbon, and during rush hour, expect fares to rise by up to 50 per cent and longer waits to connect with drivers.

Uber tends to be slightly more expensive than Bolt, but the cars and drivers are generally of a higher standard. For the Lisbon to Estoril journey, booking a 'Comfort' level car (available on both apps) costs around 15 per cent more but secures a larger, better-quality vehicle. This also reduces waiting time during busy periods, as drivers earning the higher comfort rate prioritise those fares.

Download and set up whichever app you plan to use before arriving in Portugal. Fares are charged in Euros, so link the app to a bank account that does not charge foreign currency fees.

Take the train or Uber/Bolt. Driving to Estoril is not advisable: finding a parking space is extremely difficult, particularly during summer. While bus services exist, the train is faster and Cais do Sodré station is more conveniently located for visitors.

The Cascais to Lisbon railway makes a day trip to the capital straightforward for anyone staying in Estoril.

Estoril station sits next to Tamariz beach at the bottom of the Jardim do Estoril ( GPS 38.703-9.399). The station is small, with just two platforms: one for trains to Cascais, the other for Lisbon. The ticket office, open from 7.15am to 7.30pm, is the easiest place to buy tickets.

Two options exist for a day trip to the city. For a first visit, travel to Cais do Sodré station and explore the historic areas of the Baixa and Alfama districts. For a second trip, exit at Belem station to visit the Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in the district to the west of the city centre.
Related articles: The Belem district - The Alfama district

The Torre de Belém

Lisbon Airport sits 8km north of the historic centre and 28km by road from Estoril.

Public transport is possible, but Uber or Bolt is often the easier choice. The journey costs between €25 and €35 for up to four people, though the exact fare depends on demand. Prices rise during rush hour, periods of high demand, and late at night. The designated pick-up point for ride-hailing apps is in the short-stay car park attached to the arrivals hall.

Have the Uber or Bolt app set up on your phone before arriving in Portugal.

Bolt tends to offer slightly cheaper fares than Uber, though the cars and drivers are generally not as good. A taxi is an alternative but costs significantly more, typically €40 to €50. The Uber and Bolt pick-up is on the ground level of the short-stay car park (signed as P2), just north of the arrivals hall. This is the only pick-up location for ride-hailing apps.

The Uber and Bolt pick-up at the airport

The public transport route from Lisbon Airport to Estoril involves three stages:
• Lisbon Airport to Cais do Sodré train station (metro, Uber or taxi)
• Cais do Sodré to Estoril (train detailed above)
• Estoril to your accommodation (walk or taxi)

The full journey takes 60 to 90 minutes. The total cost is €4.75 per adult: €1.80 for the metro, €2.45 for the train, and €0.50 for the Navegante card.

This route is straightforward during the day. After 7pm, an Uber or taxi for the entire journey is the better option.

The Cais do Sodré railway station in Lisbon

Lisbon Airport connects to the red metro line. Cais do Sodré station is the final stop on the green line. Change at Alameda station. A single metro ticket costs €1.80, charged to the same Navegante card used for the train to Estoril.

An Uber from the airport to Cais do Sodré offers a good balance of cost, time, and convenience, particularly with heavy luggage. The fare is €8 to €10 for up to four people. A taxi for the same journey costs €15 to €20, rising by 20 per cent at night.

The railway terminates in Cascais, a pretty fishing town about 20 minutes' walk from Estoril along a beachside promenade. A pleasant way to spend a day trip is to walk the promenade to Cascais and catch the train back to Lisbon from there, as Cascais station falls within the same fare zone and the return ticket remains valid.

The railway also connects Estoril with Praia de Carcavelos, the best beach in the region and an excellent destination for a beach day trip.

Discover more of Estoril and the Lisbon region