Lisbon to Seville by train

There is no direct train from Lisbon to Seville. The journey requires two separate trains, two separate tickets, and a change at Badajoz on the Portuguese-Spanish border. Total travel time is roughly 10 to 13 hours depending on your connections. For many travellers, the direct bus is the faster and simpler option. This guide explains the rail route clearly so you can decide.

Train connections from Lisbon to Seville

No. There has not been a direct train service between Lisbon and Seville for many years, and none currently exists. Some booking aggregators and travel sites show results implying a single ticket or a journey under three hours. These are inaccurate. The actual journey involves:

• Leg 1: Lisbon to Badajoz, operated by CP (Comboios de Portugal)

• Leg 2: Badajoz to Seville, operated by Renfe

Each leg requires a separate ticket purchased from its respective operator. There is no through-ticket product.

The Standard Route: Lisbon to Seville by Train

Leg 1: Lisbon to Badajoz (CP)

CP operates daily trains from Lisbon to Badajoz. The route involves an Alfa Pendular or Intercidades service from Lisbon to Entroncamento, where you change to the Raiano regional train that continues to Badajoz.

Departure stations in Lisbon: Lisboa Oriente or Lisboa Santa Apolonia. Both serve this route. Oriente has better metro connections; Santa Apolonia is the historic international station.

Timetable (current as of December 2025, subject to change):

Departs Lisboa Oriente	Arrives Badajoz (Spanish time)
08:09	12:54
12:39	17:30

The 08:09 departure from Lisboa Oriente is the recommended option if you intend to continue to Seville the same day. Always verify times on cp.pt or the CP app before travel, as timetables are subject to change.

Fares: The Raiano segment from Entroncamento to Badajoz starts from around EUR 13.50. The full Lisbon to Badajoz fare varies depending on the type of service chosen for the Portuguese portion. Book at cp.pt, through the CP app, at CP ticket offices, or at the customer care desk.

Important: Portugal operates on UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer. Spain operates on UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 in summer. Badajoz arrival times shown on CP timetables are in Spanish time. Double-check this when planning your connection.

Leg 2: Badajoz to Seville (Renfe)

Renfe operates Media Distancia services on the Extremadura to Seville corridor, serving Badajoz, Merida, Zafra, and Sevilla Santa Justa. This is a regional service, not high-speed rail.

Passengers arriving at Badajoz on the 08:09 departure from Lisboa Oriente can connect to a Renfe service arriving in Seville in the mid-afternoon. Passengers arriving on the 12:39 departure arrive in Badajoz in the late afternoon Spanish time, which limits same-day connection options.

Timetable note: Renfe adjusted weekend Media Distancia timetables on the Extremadura to Seville route from December 2025 through at least April 2026 due to infrastructure works at Cantillana. Always check renfe.com or the Renfe app for your specific travel date before assuming any connection is valid.

Book at renfe.com, through the Renfe app, at Renfe ticket machines, or at station ticket offices.

Connection at Badajoz

Badajoz is a Spanish city on the Portuguese border. The CP train terminates here; you then transfer within the station to the Renfe service. There is a gauge difference between the Portuguese and Spanish rail networks, which is one reason no through-train operates. Badajoz station is manageable but not a large interchange. Left-luggage facilities are not confirmed at Badajoz station; verify locally before relying on them.

Allow at least 45 to 60 minutes between your CP arrival and your Renfe departure to allow for any delays, platform changes, and the time-zone difference. Missing the Renfe connection in the early afternoon could mean waiting several hours for the next service or abandoning the rail journey entirely.

Total Journey Time

Approximately 10 to 13 hours, door to door, including the connection at Badajoz. Do not plan this as a day trip. An early departure gives the best chance of arriving in Seville at a reasonable hour.

Tickets and Fares

There is no single ticket covering the whole journey. You need two tickets:

• Lisbon to Badajoz via CP

• Badajoz to Seville via Renfe

Approximate combined cost: EUR 35 to 70, depending on how far in advance you book and which fare types you choose. Both operators offer non-refundable promotional fares at the lower end and flexible tickets at a higher price. Verify current fares directly with each operator before booking.

Where to buy the CP leg:

• cp.pt

• CP app

• CP ticket offices and customer care desks

Where to buy the Renfe leg:

• renfe.com

• Renfe app

• Renfe ticket machines at Spanish stations

• Renfe ticket offices

Third-party resellers such as Trainline can be useful for searching schedules across both legs in one place. Be aware that some aggregators may display combined fares or journey times that do not accurately reflect the connection. Always verify final pricing and times directly with CP and Renfe before booking.

Do not book both legs simultaneously through a single aggregator checkout expecting a guaranteed connection. Your CP ticket and your Renfe ticket are independent. If the CP train is delayed and you miss the Renfe service, you have no automatic right to rebooking on the other operator’s service.

How to Book

• Go to cp.pt or use the CP app. Search Lisboa Oriente or Lisboa Santa Apolonia to Badajoz. Select your preferred departure. The 08:09 from Lisboa Oriente is the recommended departure if you want to reach Seville the same day.

• Go to renfe.com or use the Renfe app. Search Badajoz to Sevilla Santa Justa. Choose a departure that gives you at least 60 minutes after your scheduled CP arrival in Badajoz, accounting for the time zone difference.

• If you hold an Interrail or Eurail pass, read the reservations section below before assuming pass travel is straightforward.

Train Types and Onboard Experience

Lisbon to Entroncamento (CP Alfa Pendular or Intercidades): The Alfa Pendular is CP’s flagship tilting train and the more comfortable option. It offers standard and first-class seating, a cafe car, power sockets, and free Wi-Fi. Intercidades trains are older but adequate. Both have air conditioning and assigned seating.

Entroncamento to Badajoz (CP Raiano): This is a basic regional train. Seating is open plan with no reservation required on this segment. There is no food service or Wi-Fi. The route passes through the Tagus valley and the Alentejo interior.

Badajoz to Seville (Renfe Media Distancia): A regional service. Comfortable enough for the roughly 3-hour journey. Passes through Merida, which has significant Roman ruins visible from the train. Catering is not typically available on this type of Renfe service; bring food and water.

This is not a showcase rail journey. It is long, it involves a change, and neither the trains nor the scenery are in the same category as, say, the Douro line or the AVE between Madrid and Seville. Manage expectations accordingly.

Stations

Lisboa Oriente: A large modern station in the Parque das Nacoes district, served by metro, suburban rail, intercity trains, and buses. Good facilities including food outlets and luggage storage. The recommended Lisbon departure point for this journey.

Lisboa Santa Apolonia: The historic international station close to Alfama. Smaller than Oriente, with an international ticket desk useful for rail-pass holders needing Renfe reservations. Served by metro. Note: Lisbon Rossio station does not serve this route.

Badajoz: A functional cross-border station. Facilities are limited. Verify left-luggage availability locally before depending on it.

Sevilla Santa Justa: Seville’s main station, well connected to the city centre by taxi and bus. Modern, with good facilities.

Rail Passes

Interrail (for European residents) and Eurail (for non-European residents) passes cover travel on both CP and Renfe services, meaning they are valid on both legs of this journey.

However, reservations are required separately:

• CP long-distance services (Alfa Pendular, Intercidades) require a seat reservation, available at a small additional fee through CP or at ticket offices.

• The Raiano regional train (Entroncamento to Badajoz) does not require a reservation.

• Renfe Media Distancia services in Spain may require a reservation depending on the specific train. Check renfe.com or the Interrail reservation tool for your travel date.

• Avant services, where they apply, are only bookable at the railway station.

• Passholders needing Renfe reservations for trains departing from Badajoz can arrange them at the international ticket desks at Lisboa Santa Apolonia or Lisboa Oriente.

Pass economics: Given that combined point-to-point fares for this journey can start around EUR 35 to 40, and pass reservation fees add cost on top of the pass price itself, buying individual tickets directly from CP and Renfe may be cheaper for a standalone trip. A pass makes more sense if you are using it across multiple countries during a longer trip.

Alternatives to the Train

Direct Bus

Coach operators run direct services between Lisbon and Seville. Journey time is generally cited as approximately 6 to 7 hours. Fares are often lower than the combined rail fare. The direct bus requires only one ticket and involves no change. Check current operators, timetables, and fares directly as services change.

If your priority is getting between the two cities efficiently, the bus deserves serious consideration alongside the train.

Flight

Flights between Lisbon and Seville exist, though Seville Airport has limited connections and the door-to-door time including airport transfers is rarely under 4 hours. Fares vary significantly.

Drive

The drive between Lisbon and Seville via the A6 motorway takes approximately 3 to 3.5 hours and is straightforward. Car rental is an option for those with flexibility.

Comparison

Mode	Approximate journey time	Connections	Approximate cost
Train (CP + Renfe)	10 to 13 hours	Change at Badajoz	EUR 35 to 70
Direct bus	Around 6 to 7 hours	None	Check current fares
Flight	Around 3 to 4 hours door-to-door	None (usually)	Varies
Drive	Around 3 to 3.5 hours	None	Variable

Bus journey time and cost figures are indicative; verify current services directly with operators.

Future High-Speed Rail

Plans exist for a high-speed rail link connecting Lisbon and Madrid, which could eventually reduce travel times across the Iberian Peninsula and potentially support faster connections toward Seville. As of early 2025, no such service is operational between Portugal and Spain. Do not book travel assuming high-speed cross-border rail exists. It does not yet.

Practical Tips

• Book the CP leg first, confirm your Badajoz arrival time, then book the Renfe leg with adequate buffer.

• The time zone difference between Portugal and Spain is one hour. Your CP timetable is in Portuguese time; your Renfe timetable is in Spanish time. Write both times down before you travel.

• Bring food and water for the full journey. Catering options on the regional portions of the route are limited or absent.

• The Raiano regional service does not have Wi-Fi. Download anything you want offline before boarding at Entroncamento.

• For the return journey, CP publishes Badajoz departures at approximately 14:09 and 19:41 Spanish time, connecting to services arriving at Lisboa Oriente at 16:53 and 22:41 Portuguese time respectively. Verify these times on cp.pt and renfe.com for your travel date before relying on them.

• The Cantillana infrastructure works affecting weekend Renfe services between Extremadura and Seville were ongoing as of December 2025 through at least April 2026. If you are travelling on a weekend, check the current Renfe timetable carefully.