Lisbon to Tomar – What’s the Best way to get to Tomar?

Tomar is a wonderful riverside town around 140km north of Lisbon. With its small-town vibe, and incredible UNESCO heritage site – Convento de Cristo, Tomar is a popular day trip for travelers from Lisbon. If you’re planning a trip, what’s the best way to get from Lisbon to Tomar and back again?

Lisbon to Tomar by Public Transport

Public transport is probably the simplest, and most hassle-free option for a day trip or overnight stay. Both the train and buses are reasonably priced and efficient. The choice most likely comes down to flexibility, and your departure location in Lisbon. Driving, either your own car, or a rental, is also a good option although potentially more expensive. You also don’t need a car in Tomar as everything you might want to see is within easy walking distance. The final is take a tour, either a guided group tour, or a private tour, and we’ll discuss who a tour might be right for below.

In the table below, you’ll find the cheapest, quickest, and the earliest departure time for each method, to help you plan the best day trip to Tomar.

MethodCost (single)Cost (return)Travel TimeEarliest Departure
Bus€10€1901h 45m07:00
Train€10.20€20.4002h 02m06:45
Car (tolls)€8 (Class C1)€16 (Class C1)01h 30m
Group Tour€80€8001h 30m
Travel times and costs of different ways of travelling to Tomar
Praça da República Tomar
Praça da República, Tomar

Taking the Train from Lisbon to Tomar

There is one regular train service from Lisbon to Tomar operated by the national operator Comboios de Portugal. With multiple departures each day the journey takes around 2 hours. The train costs €10.20 each way from Santa Apolónia, and €9.90 from Lisboa Oriente. Timetables and ticket booking is available the Comboios de Portugal website.

Where does the Train depart from Lisbon to Tomar depart from?

The train to Tomar departs from Santa Apolónia and makes a stop at Lisboa Oriente, before leaving Lisbon and making its way to Tomar. If you’re staying in the Alfama or Graca area, then getting on the train at Santa Apolónia station makes the most sense. Santa Apolónia is also connected to the blue line (Linha Azul) of the Lisboa Metro. So if you’re staying in Baixa, Bairo Alto or Príncipe Real it’s a convenient option too.

Lisboa Oriente is located in the modern Parque das Nações area of Lisbon. It is also on the red line (Linha Vermelha) of the Lisboa Metro. This makes it a convenient departure point for anyone staying in the Avenidas Novas or Areeiro areas of Lisbon.

How often does the Train Depart from Lisbon to Tomar?

Monday to Friday, the first departure is at 05:50, then the train is hourly from 06:45, with a departure at 45 minutes past the hour every hour, up until 22:45. The final departure from Lisbon is at 00:15. On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays the train operates on a reduced schedule, the first train available is 06:45.  

How Often does the Train Depart from Tomar to Lisbon?

Monday to Friday, the first departure is at 05:10, with trains through out the day. Most relevant for day trippers will be the afternoon and evening departures. Which occur almost hourly from 15:11 up until 20:11. The final departure from Tomar is at 22:11. Which is probably most relevant if you plan on a long day trip, and dinner in Tomar, but most people depart earlier in the evening. On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays the train operates on a reduced schedule, the first train available is 06:45.  As always, we encourage you to check the latest times published on the Comboios Portugal website.

Tomar's Historic Streets

Taking the Bus Lisbon to Tomar

There is one regular bus service from Lisbon to Tomar operated by the Portuguese operator Rede Expressos. There are four departures each day and the journey takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. The bus costs €10 for a single, and a return for a slight discount of €19. Timetables and ticket booking is available on Rede Expressos website.

Where does the Bus depart from Lisbon to Tomar depart from?

The bus service departs from Sete Rios which means it’s a good option for anyone staying in the Campolide area of Lisbon. It’s also less than a 5-minute walk from the Jardim Zoológico metro station on the blue line (linha Azul).

How often does the Bus Depart from Lisbon to Tomar?

There are three direct departures per day from Sete Rios, 07:00, 14:45, and 18:00. There is one additional service at 15:15, however this will require a transfer at a bus station in Fátima and takes an additional 35 minutes.

How Often does the Bus Depart from Tomar to Lisbon?

There are three direct departures per day from Tomar; 09:30, 10:15, and 16:45. There is an additional early bus at 07:00, but again it makes a stop in Fátima and requires a change of bus. As always, we encourage you to check the latest times published on the Rede Expressos website.

As you can see, the bus is slightly less flexible, it’s great for an early start if you want to arrive in Tomar before 9am. However, the return time of 16:45 is a bit restrictive if you want to take your time in Tomar. You can of course mix and match, take the bus one way and return by train!

Driving from Lisbon to Tomar: Can you Drive Yourself from Lisbon to Tomar?

Driving yourself is the quickest way to get from Lisbon to Tomar. However it is probably only reasonable if you already have a car rental, or your own vehicle. Car Rental is expensive at the moment and probably not a good idea for a single day trip when combined with fuel and tolls, especially when cheaper and easier options exist. The tolls on the A1 will cost around €8 each way for a normal car (Class 1). However, if you have a car rental as part of a larger or longer trip, then it’s a good idea. The journey only takes 1 and a half hours, and there are several large car parks in Tomar, both free and paid options.

Convento de Cristo Tomar
Convento de Cristo, Tomar

Taking a Tour to Tomar?

The final option is to take an organised tour, either private or as part of a larger group. Private tours cost around €300 for 1-4 people. While organised group tours in buses or coaches can be found for around €80. The benefits of these tours is that they sometimes stop at other locations on the way – like Amourol Castle, and you’ll get a guide. The negatives are of course the cost, and inflexibility, you’ll need to keep to an organised schedule. Private tours offer increased flexibility and customisation, but come at a cost.

What’s the Best Way to get from Lisbon to Tomar?

For us, public transport is the best option. The train offers the best flexibility with arrival and departure times, and it’s reasonably priced too. Tomar is small enough to not need a vehicle to visit, so there’s no need to worry about parking in Tomar either. If you do have a rental car, then that’s a great option too, but we don’t advice hiring a car for a day trip!

Now you’ve decided how you’re getting to Tomar, you should read the guide to Tomar to find out just how much there is to see and do!


Written by

Ana Veiga is the co-founder of We Travel Portugal. Ana’s a travel writer currently studying Language and Literature at the University of Lisbon. When not writing or studying she’s steadily on her way to visiting, photographing, and writing about every town and village in Portugal.

You can contact Ana by email, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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