There is now a 49-euro rail pass in Portugal, too

It’s more limited than its German equivalent, but it’s still a good step in the right direction

It looks like the example set by Germany, with its “Germany Ticket” pass that grants access to almost all railway and bus networks in the country, is starting to get attention in other countries as a good practice. Portugal has recently followed suit with its own 49-euro priced National Rail Pass, which lets passengers use all the regional train networks, with some exceptions.

The National Rail Pass (from the Comboios de Portugal (CP) national railway company) has been available since 1 August, and it grants the user access to all regional trains without limits on trips and without time restrictions. Although similarly priced to its German counterpart, the Portuguese pass, however, is not available on buses or intercity and urban trains, such as Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, InterRegional, Internacional and Urban services in Porto, Lisbon and Coimbra.

What’s more, some areas of the country are excluded from the pass. These are the Alentejo Litoral and the Coimbra area. Among the sections excluded are the routes Régua-Pocinho (Douro Line), Coimbra-Figueira da Foz (suburban Coimbra), Pinhal Novo-Évora and Pinhal Novo-Vila Nova da Baronia (Alentejo Line), Pinhal Novo-Tunes (Southern Line).

How to buy the pass?

To get the National pass, you must have a CP Client card, which can be requested at the ticket offices with the presentation of the following documents: an official identification document (Citizen Card, Identity Card, Driving license or Passport), plus a current passport-type colour photograph and CP Card Request Template. 

To buy the rail pass, passengers have to approach the CP ticket offices, where it is sold from the 21st of the previous month until the 20th of the current month. Thus, users have already been able to activate their rail passes for the month of August 2023 since 21 July.

The rail pass is also refundable.

In the words of Pedro Moreira, President of CP, the pass has been in development for several months and it will encourage "the use of public transport and promote a transport alternative with less environmental impact".