From Porto-Airport to Porto-Campanhã
The easiest and cheapest way to make this journey is to take the metro. In front of the Airport you will find a metro station. Just follow the signs through the tunnel that goes underneath the road and you’ll be there. The trip is direct. Line E (Purple) runs every 20 or 30 minutes.
To buy a ticket you must go to one of the machines available and buy a “Andante” card with two Z4 journeys (~3€ + 0.5€ for the card). You have to validate the ticket in the validation points before each journey. If you want to visit Porto you can leave in Trindade and you will be next to the city centre.
Metro - Line E – Purple – Airport – Estádio do Dragão – Airport
At the Porto-Campanhã you’ll be able to catch the train or the bus directly to Coimbra.
From Lisboa-Airport to Lisboa-Gare do Oriente
When you leave the Airport you can take a taxi to Gare do Oriente, from where you can take the train or bus to Coimbra. The journey shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.
Alternatively, the Lisbon Airport has a Metro (subway) station with a direct line to Gare do Oriente (the red line). To go to the Gare do Oriente. Here you can take the train to Coimbra.
Also note that if you want to visit Lisboa you can take the subway to the city centre. The 'Aeroporto – São Sebastião' line takes you to downtown Lisbon in about 20 minutes. The Metro network will allow you to move around the city at ease. It is a quick and inexpensive way to get around, plus you'll get to see Lisbon's subway stations – each with its own theme and décor.
Red Line (Gare do Oriente): https://www.metrolisboa.pt/en/travel/
By bus or train
If you arrive at Lisbon or Porto by plane, train or bus, you can take the train or the bus to Coimbra.
If you take the train, you can choose between the Intercidades or the Alfa. The latter is a bit faster but also more expensive. On the rail company’s website (www.cp.pt) you can search for schedules and prices. The train stations are Gare do Oriente in Lisboa and Campanhã in Porto (instructions below).
The train leaves you at Coimbra-B station. From there you can take another train to Coimbra station, which usually departs about 15-20 minutes later, using the same ticket, and you will be at the centre of the city. Alternatively, you can take the bus (instructions below).
You may prefer to travel by bus with Rede Expresso. You can buy the tickets online (https://rede-expressos.pt/en) or onsite. From Lisbon, you just have to go to Gare do Oriente – the ticket booth for Rede Expresso is outside / behind the buses at Oriente station and you can buy the ticket there. From Porto, you need to go to Terminal Intermodal de Campanhã, which connects the metro, bus and train.
You also have Flixbus that has connections directly from the Lisbon Airport or Porto Airport to Coimbra. Tickets can be purchased online (https://www.flixbus.pt/).
Airport Shuttle
An Airport Shuttle van between the Lisbon and Porto airports and the Coimbra region is also available but must be booked ahead of time.
By Car
South: Coimbra is about 200 km from Portela International Airport, in Lisbon. The most suitable route is the A1 motorway, which connects Lisbon to Coimbra in less than 2 hours by car.
North: Coimbra is about 130 km from Porto Airport (OPO), in Porto. The most suitable route is the A1 motorway, which connects Lisbon to Coimbra in less than 90 minutes by car.
Other routes: The A14 motorway connects Coimbra to Figueira da Foz (Coast) and is connected to the A17 and A8 (South – Lisbon) and A17 and A29 (North – Porto). The IP3 connects Coimbra to Viseu (inland north) and is connected to the A25 which ends in Vilar Formoso, on the border with Spain.
Links with tourist information:
Coimbra: http://www.turismodecoimbra.pt/index.php?lang=en
Porto: http://www.visitporto.travel/Visitar/Paginas/default.aspx
Lisboa: http://www.visitlisboa.com/Home_UK.aspx?lang=en-GB
