By Train

CP-Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses 808/208-208 or 21/318-5990. www.cp.pt.

, the national railway, has fast Alfa and Alfa Pendular trains—the latter with air-conditioning, food service, and electrical sockets—linking Porto, Lisbon, and Faro. Slower InterCidade trains serve other cities; regional lines, and suburbanos in Greater Lisbon (serving Sintra) and Porto, stop more frequently. All are no-smoking.

A nightly train departs from Madrid Chamartín at 10:45 pm and arrives at Lisbon Santa Apolónia (via Gare do Oriente) at 8:15 the following morning; in the other direction, it departs at 10 pm, and arrives at 8:25 am. Berths must be reserved. There's also a daily service to and from Paris, switching trains at the French border.

A one-way ticket is an ida, a return ida e volta. First class costs 40% more than second. Advance booking is recommended for long distances. Traveler's checks are not always accepted, but major credit cards are. Eurail passes are valid, and CP's own bilhetes turísticos (tourist tickets) offer unlimited travel on 7, 14, or 21 consecutive days. You must book seats. CP's information lines are of help only if you speak Portuguese; the Web site is more useful.