The Douro by train

Image: Teleporto.

The Douro line is a regional train, not a tour. Trains leave from São Bento, the tiled station, and the long-distance connections are at Campanhã. Peso da Régua is the sensible turnaround for a day: the river is there, the station is in town, and you are not gambling on the last train back from Pinhão. Pinhão is further and prettier, and the return can be tight. The day’s trains are on cp.pt. This line is not a metro. Missing it means a night you did not book.

The boat trips sold on the Gaia waterfront are a separate business. They are priced as an outing, and they do not replace the train if what you wanted was the valley. You can do either. You do not need both on the same day.

In summer the carriages warm up and the vineyards are the view. In winter the river is still there and the terraces are bare. Bring water. The station café is not a plan.

Checked 24 October 2026. If an official page disagrees, follow that page.