Guimarães is a fascinating and historic Portuguese city, which is known as the birthplace of Portugal. Within the city there is an ancient castle, a medieval palace and an abundance of Portuguese charm. Along with the tourist sights, there is the traditional town centre to explore and Penha Hill, with its views and forested walks. In short, there is a lot to see in Guimarães and we considered it to be the best day trip from Porto.

Guimarães is situated to the northeast of Porto and is connected by a direct train service. The train is inexpensive, and the regular departures make it hassle-free to visit Guimarães as a day trip.
This article will provide a guide to the Guimarães train, and includes fares information, station guides and links to current timetables. The final section of the article explains how to travel from Porto airport to Guimarães.
Related articles: Guimarães guide

Guimarães is located 47 km northeast of Porto and can be reached by train or bus; however, the train is the recommended mode of transport. The train service is frequent, comfortable, direct, and cheaper than the bus.

The São Bento train station, from which the Guimarães train departs, is conveniently situated in the city centre, close to popular tourist areas.

Unfortunately, the Porto-Guimarães railway is part of Porto's urban train network, which means there are many stops along the route. The journey takes a tedious 1 hour and 10 minutes, and the route is not particularly interesting, passing through nondescript towns and countryside.

Travel tip: When planning your day trip to Guimarães, it is advisable to consider train schedules, as there can be a wait of up to two hours between departures from Guimarães in the afternoon. Most visitors aim to catch either the daily 15:53 departure or the 17:07 (Monday-Friday) or 17:58 (weekends and public holidays) train.

The train to Guimarães, waiting in the São Bento train station

The train service is operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP), Portugal's national train company.

A single ticket from Porto to Guimarães costs €3.45 for adults and €1.75 for children. A return ticket is the price of two singles: €6.90 for adults and €3.50 for children.

The fare falls within the "Zone 8" pricing bracket of Porto's urban train lines. For a detailed fare guide, please see this link to the CP website:
www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/1_horarios/precos/pt/oporto-urban-trains-prices.pdf

(link opens a PDF, which may download on certain mobile phones)

Guimarães is the final station on the railway line, and depending on the service, the journey takes either 1 hour 10 minutes or 1 hour 20 minutes. There are ten daily departures, with six extra services Monday to Friday.

The first daily departure from Porto is at 7:25 (or 6:20 Monday to Friday), and the last departures from Guimarães are at 20:20, 21:48, and 22:47 (correct as of April 2024). For the latest timetable, please refer to the CP website:
www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/timetables/oporto-guimaraes-urban-trains.pdf

(The link opens a PDF, which may download on certain mobile phones.)

The interactive map below shows the route of the train from Porto to Guimarães and marks all of the stations along the route. (Note: zoom in or out to see all of the points)

Key: 1) São Bento station 2) Campanhã station 3) Guimarães station

Small group tours are an enjoyable and informative way to discover Guimarães, along with providing a chance to meet fellow travellers.
We have worked with GetYourGuide.com for the previous sevenyears and some of their best tours they offer for Guimarães include:
• Guimarães and Braga day tour with Entry Tickets and Lunch €90
• A popular tour of Braga and Guimarães €60
• Private tour of Guimarães and Braga (€195 for up to three people)

The trains that operate between Guimarães and Porto are modern, clean and well maintained. The route is also safe to travel late at night. The Guimarães train is also suitable for less mobile passengers, as the platforms are at the same height as the carriage doors.

Tickets are purchased from the ticket office or ticket machines. The ticket machines provide instructions in all common European languages and accept cash or card. The main ticket office in São Bento train station can get very busy, especially at rush hour.
Warning: Tickets must be purchased and validated before boarding the train; passengers should expect to get their tickets inspected, and fines are given for invalid (or non-validated) tickets.

Trains to Guimarães all depart from the São Bento train station (GPS 41.145, -8.610) (Link to Google Maps). This station is conveniently located close to the main tourist areas of Porto and is a short walk away from the Ribeira District. São Bento is served by the D metro line (yellow line), which is the main north-south metro line.

The station is well equipped with standard facilities, including; an ATM, coffee shop, luggage lockers, ticket offices and a small waiting room. Visitors should also leave time to marvel at the elaborate tiling that adorns the station interior.

All trains to Guimarães also stop at Campanhã train station (GPS: 41.150, -8.584). This is the main intercity train station of Porto, with direct services to Coimbra and Lisbon. The São Bento Station is closer to central Porto than Campanhã, so it is recommended to join the service at São Bento.

While at São Bento train station, don't miss the stunning azulejo tile paintings adorning the waiting room walls. Dating from 1907-1913, the tiles reflect the eras before and after the 1910 Portuguese revolution. The classic blue and white tiles predate the revolution, while the coloured tiles, introduced after the revolution, were considered modern and progressive, symbolising the newly formed republic in 1911.

Guimarães train station is located to the south of the historic centre, GPS 41.435, -8.294 (link to google maps). From the station it is a 10-minute walk along the Avenida Dom João IV to the historic centre.

On exiting the station, you should turn right and walk to the roundabout where you turn left, onto the Avenida Dom João IV. After 700m this road leads to the pretty Nossa Senhora da Consolação church.

Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt offer a convenient alternative to public transportation and are surprisingly affordable for the journey between Porto and Guimarães. These services are particularly useful when travelling with children or in a group of four, as they provide a comfortable and direct mode of transportation.

The base fare for a ride from central Porto to Guimarães is approximately €30. However, the exact fare may vary depending on factors such as demand, traffic conditions, and time of day.

It is often easier to hail an Uber or Bolt during mid-morning when demand is low. In contrast, booking a ride can be more challenging later in the day, especially during rush hour. At these peak times, fares can increase by up to 50%, and there may be longer wait times to connect with available drivers.

Insight: While Uber tends to be slightly more expensive than Bolt, the company generally offers a higher standard of vehicles and drivers. Based on our experience, we recommend opting for Uber when travelling between Porto and Guimarães.

For the journey from Porto to Guimarães, we recommend booking a 'Comfort' level car through Uber or Bolt. This option will cost approximately 15% more than a standard fare but ensures a more spacious and comfortable vehicle. The higher fare also attracts more drivers, which can be beneficial during peak hours. Drivers classified as 'Comfort' have the option to accept both comfort and regular fares but will typically prioritize comfort rides due to the higher earnings potential.

Insight: If you plan to use Uber or Bolt during your stay in Portugal, we highly recommend downloading the app, completing the registration process, and familiarizing yourself with its features before your trip.

If you're travelling to Guimarães from Porto Airport, there's no need to go into central Porto and catch a train. Instead, you can take a direct bus to Guimarães that is operated by "Get Bus". The fare from Porto Airport to Guimarães is €9, and the journey takes approximately 50 minutes. The bus departs from outside the terminal building at "Stop D", and you can purchase cash tickets directly from the driver.

There are seven daily departures, with nine on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Although the number of departures is limited, taking the bus is significantly cheaper than a taxi (which costs around €90) and more convenient than catching the metro to Porto and then a train to Guimarães. To view the latest timetable and purchase tickets, please visit the GetBus website:
https://www.getbus.eu/pt/guimaraes-aeroporto-guimaraes/
In Guimarães, the GetBus terminates at the bus station, which is connected to the Guimarães Shopping complex, located to the west of the historic city center. The GPS coordinates for the bus station are 41.441, -8.302.

There is no need to drive to Guimarães for a day trip, as the train is so easy and convenient. A car will always be more expensive due to the toll roads, and driving in central Porto can be challenging.
If you do drive the main car park of Guimarães is to the north of the historic centre, close to the castle (GPS 41.448859, -8.289203)