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Trains in Portugal With Kids: What It’s Really Like With Toddlers, Luggage & a Stroller

ByKristi Updated on
Two young children sit side-by-side on a brown leather train bench, carefully placing stickers in a colorful activity book during a train ride. Natural light shines through the window, highlighting their focus and the calm moment of travel.
Sticker time on an old-school train through the Douro Valley—quiet moments like this made train travel with toddlers feel doable.

Wondering what it’s really like to take trains in Portugal with kids, especially with a stroller, luggage, and toddlers? It’s doable, but definitely not effortless.

I traveled across Portugal by train with my two kids, ages 2.5 and 4, and a friend traveling with her 3-year-old. Our route took us from Lisbon to Porto, into the Douro Valley, and back, all without car seats or rental cars.

We chose trains for the ease (no car seat installs, no driving unfamiliar roads) and the experience. Parts of it were smooth. Other parts were sweaty, stressful, and harder than I expected, especially when navigating platforms with young kids, luggage, strollers, and tight timelines.

If you’re considering train travel in Portugal with kids, here’s exactly what it looked like for us—what worked well, what I’d do differently, and what I wish I’d known before booking.

Why We Chose Trains (and Not a Car)

We considered renting a car, but with five of us, including three kids who would need car seats, it did not feel like the easiest option. The trains felt like the better call: no need to install car seats, no navigating foreign roads, and a chance for the kids to experience something totally new.

We also had this idea that train travel in Europe would feel easy and romantic. And it can, once you’re settled on board. But getting there with toddlers, luggage, and strollers involved a lot more logistics than I expected.

Traveling with kids?
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Before you head to the airport, make sure you’ve thought through the documents your family may need, including IDs, passports, birth certificates, consent letters, health documents, and helpful backup copies.

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Cover of the Travel Documents Checklist for Families from Fairytale Travel Guide, featuring two children looking out an airplane window.

Where We Went

Our route:

  • Lisbon → Porto → Régua (to get into the Douro Valley)
  • Régua → Porto (on the return)

There’s no direct train from Lisbon to Régua, so we went through Porto both times. It added time, but it was the most straightforward option with kids.

Which Trains We Took

Two toddlers sit at a train table in a modern high-speed train, focused on sticker books. A pink-and-blue gradient water bottle marked with motivational time goals is on the table next to them.
Onboard the Alfa Pendular from Lisbon to Porto—high-speed trains in Portugal with kids mean sticker books, snacks, and plenty of window views.

From Lisbon to Porto, we took the Alfa Pendular (Portugal’s high-speed rail system) and booked Conforto class—equivalent to first class. We wanted the seat selection, guaranteed spots together, and hopefully a smoother ride.

Important to note: some of the seats on this train are backward-facing, and that wasn’t clear to me on the seat map. I struggle with motion sickness, and the backward seat nearly did me in. If you (or your kid) are prone to it, definitely do a little extra research before booking.

The second leg, Porto to Régua, was on the InterRegional line. No seat selection, no first-class options, and a much more old-school vibe. Same for the return trip.

Planning your own Portugal train trip with kids?
Book your tickets through Omio to compare routes, reserve seats, and skip the stress at the station. It can help keep the logistics smoother, especially if you’re juggling kids, strollers, and luggage.

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What It Cost

Just a heads-up: train prices in Portugal vary depending on the route, date, and time of day—so use this as a ballpark, not a guarantee. I’m sharing our specific fares below just to show how affordable train travel can be, especially with kids.

  • Lisbon to Régua (two legs, including first class): €52.15 for adult ticket in first class, €29.85 per kid (50% discount), total: €111.85
  • Régua to Porto: €10.85 for adult, €4.45 per kid (50% discount), total: €19.75

Train travel in Portugal is very affordable, and kids get great discounts:

  • Under 3 are free if they don’t take a seat (lap infants).
  • Ages 4–12 receive 50% off across all major trains.

Want to know what your specific dates and routes will cost? Use the widget below to search live train prices across Portugal:

Getting to the Train Station in Lisbon

We left from Lisboa-Oriente, one of the main train stations in Lisbon. We chose this one from Lisbon’s many stations simply because it was closest to our hotel, Hyatt Regency Lisbon. Since we were traveling with 2 adults, 3 kids, 2 strollers, and all of our luggage, we split into two separate Ubers.

My driver asked which type of transportation I was taking and dropped me right where I needed to be for trains. My friend’s driver didn’t—and she got dropped on the opposite end of the station. Lisboa-Oriente station is huge, and we had a really hard time finding each other, which added a lot of stress right at the start.

Once we were actually looking for our train, it was easier to navigate. There were signs pointing to where we needed to go, and a big board listing the track numbers for upcoming trains. But our train wasn’t on the board yet, so we asked at the ticket counter. The woman there was super helpful and told us our track number.

Platform Access and Delays

Glass-walled elevator in the middle of the Lisboa-Oriente train platform, surrounded by modern architecture and steel beams overhead. It's very small, a real concern for trains in Portugal with kids and a double stroller. A red train is parked beside the platform and passengers wait with luggage nearby.
The Lisboa-Oriente station elevator was just wide enough for our double stroller. Getting to the platform was half the adventure.

To get to the platform, we had to take an elevator since we had strollers. My Zoe Twin+ double stroller just barely fit. If it were any wider, it may not have fit at all.

Once we made it to the track, we found out our train was running over an hour late. We only had an hour between trains in Porto—so this delay guaranteed we’d miss our connection to Régua. We decided to just get to Porto and figure it out from there.

Here’s a quick look at the platform at Lisboa-Oriente station—so you can see exactly what it’s like before your own train adventure begins.

Boarding the Train: Chaos, But Doable

Boarding was exactly what I was dreading. This was the part that had always held me back from train travel with kids. The idea of juggling two toddlers, a folded double stroller, a spinner suitcase, and a backpack while boarding and exiting a train made me anxious.

In fact, I’ve actively avoided it on past trips. When we visited London, I spent way more money than I needed to on a taxi from Heathrow to our hotel just to avoid figuring out the train with kids and luggage.

But this time, we didn’t have much choice. And I’ll be honest—it was chaotic. We made it work, but those few minutes of trying to wrangle everything and everyone onto the train had me sweating (literally and figuratively). It was the part I dreaded most, but it wasn’t quite as tricky as I’d feared.

Getting off the train was hard, as well. We had to line up before the train even stopped, get the kids off safely, and make sure they didn’t take off while I wrangled the stroller and luggage. I was so glad to have a friend with me. She got off first, then the kids, then I followed with the gear.

If I had been the only adult, I’m honestly not sure I could have done it at that age. My kids weren’t old enough yet to stay close and follow directions perfectly while I handled the stroller and luggage.

Onboard Experience: What It’s Really Like

Alfa Pendular’s Conforto class was very comfortable. I stored the folded stroller and suitcase in the luggage compartment at the front of the car without issue and kept my backpack with me.

The bathrooms were very similar to airplane bathrooms: tight, but manageable. There was a power issue on our train that meant the air conditioning wasn’t working at full capacity and not all food options were available, but we were still able to charge our phones. Thankfully, it didn’t impact us too much. The seats were comfortable, and the kids were content, so it still felt like a relaxing part of our travel day.

Once the train started moving, a staff member came around to check our tickets and they also asked a few passengers for their passports. It wasn’t every single person, but it’s a good idea to keep your phone and passports handy and easily accessible just in case. Digging through bags with a toddler on your lap isn’t ideal.

Arriving in Porto Campanhã

When we got to Porto, we headed to the ticket counter to figure out a new train to Régua. The station was smaller and easier to navigate than Lisbon’s, but we still had to go down under the tracks and come back up to the lobby. The same tight elevators worked with the stroller, thankfully.

But then we hit a wall. The line at the ticket counter was 30 people deep, the station was very hot, and our kids were starting to melt down. It quickly became clear that waiting in that line with three overtired toddlers wasn’t going to end well. We needed a new plan.

Traveling with kids?
Get the Free Travel Documents Checklist for Families

Before you head to the airport, make sure you’ve thought through the documents your family may need, including IDs, passports, birth certificates, consent letters, health documents, and helpful backup copies.

Get the Free Checklist
Cover of the Travel Documents Checklist for Families from Fairytale Travel Guide, featuring two children looking out an airplane window.

Switching to Uber: Our Douro Valley Pivot

After grabbing a snack from the station café, which has a private customer bathroom that is much nicer than the public restrooms, we booked the ride.

It cost about $190 USD, but by that point, it felt more than worth it. We were tired, sweaty, and needed a break from logistics.

Planning a train trip with your kids?
I know how overwhelming it can feel, especially when you’re juggling toddlers, luggage, and a stroller. A tool like Omio can help you get a handle on routes, prices, and what to expect—before the travel day chaos starts.

🚄 Ready to book? Check train routes on Omio. 🚄

Régua to Porto: Gorgeous, Easy, and My Favorite Leg

A wide view of a train station platform in Portugal, with passengers waiting under a metal awning and train tracks stretching into the distance. Rolling hills, an overpass, and a distant train engine are visible in the background.
Waiting at Régua station in the Douro Valley, where the pace slows and the scenery starts to steal the show.

When it was time to leave the Douro Valley, we boarded the InterRegional train from Régua to Porto. This station was a dream compared to Lisbon. It’s small and simple, just a lobby that opens to a few outdoor tracks.

Getting on was still a balancing act with luggage and toddlers, but we made it. We stored the gear like before, and because it wasn’t crowded, we easily found seats together.

This train was older and cozier, with leather bench seats, windows that opened, and a bathroom that felt like a real room rather than an airplane closet. Honestly, I liked it more than first class on the high-speed train.

That being said, if you find yourself on this route during a peak travel time when the train is packed, it might not feel quite so magical. We had plenty of space, but I could see the experience being very different if every seat was full.

And the views were breathtaking. The ride through the Douro Valley alone was worth the train ticket.

Here’s a quick peek inside the InterRegional train—plus those stunning Douro Valley views that made this ride unforgettable.

Arriving in Porto (Again)

We returned to Porto Campanhã station in Porto, and getting off the train was another round of “who’s grabbing what and where are the kids?” But this time, we had arranged private transport through our hotel (Hilton Porto Gaia), and the driver was waiting when we arrived. That alone made the ending feel smooth and put-together.

Are Trains in Portugal Worth It With Kids?

Would I do it again? Honestly, probably not until my kids are a little older, unless I absolutely had to or had more adults with me. There were moments of juggling, sweating, and more than one panicked “stay away from the edge!” across the platform.

But if you have one child, older kids, lighter luggage, or kids who can reliably stay close and follow directions, trains in Portugal could be a great option. The views, the value, and the ease once you’re on board really are hard to beat.

If you’re planning to travel by train in Portugal with kids, I’d just go in with realistic expectations. Know your station, give yourself more connection time than you think you need, keep your luggage manageable, and have a backup plan if things go sideways.

Ready to plan your own family train adventure?
Use the tool below to check live train schedules and prices across Portugal—and book your tickets before the travel day chaos kicks in.

🚄 Check train routes and prices on Omio. 🚄

Have questions about this post or want help thinking through the logistics for your own trip? Join my free Facebook community for parents planning family travel. You can ask questions, share what you’re working through, and get real-life advice from other parents who understand how many little details go into traveling with kids.

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