Where the Sintra trains leave from
CP's own Sintra day-trip page starts the journey at Rossio station, in the Baixa. CP notes that Rossio has had a direct connection to the metro at Restauradores since 1996 (CP, The Sintra Line).
Rossio is not the only way in. Parques de Sintra's how to get there page lists Oriente, Rossio and Entrecampos as departure stations for the Sintra line. Oriente makes sense if you are staying around Parque das Nações; Entrecampos suits the Avenidas Novas.
From any of them you want trains to Sintra, the end of the line. Sintra station is where Scotturb's bus 434 to Pena and the Moorish Castle starts, according to Parques de Sintra.
Which ticket to load
Every option goes on the same thing: a reusable Navegante Ocasional card, sold at CP ticket offices and machines. CP says the card costs €0.50, lasts a year, is valid for one holder on each trip, and holds only one type of ticket at a time (CP card page, checked 19 October 2026). So each person needs a card, and you cannot keep Zapping credit and a 24-hour ticket on the same card at once.
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Zapping | €2.05 per validation on CP | CP travel for 1 h 30 after validating |
| CP 24-hour tourist ticket | €6.70 | Unlimited CP Sintra/Azambuja, Cascais and Sado lines for 24 h |
| CP 72-hour tourist ticket | €14.40 | Same lines for 72 consecutive hours |
| 24h Carris/Metro/CP | €11.40 | Carris buses and trams, metro and CP urban trains for 24 h |
| Lisboa Card | Check the official shop | Includes CP trains to Sintra, Cascais and Setúbal |
Card cost (€0.50) is extra on every line. Sources: CP Lisbon tickets for Zapping, CP tourist ticket, CP 24h ticket and the Lisboa Card FAQ, all checked 19 October 2026.
Zapping is stored credit. You top up in fixed amounts from €3 to €40 (€3, €5, €10, €15, €20, then €5 steps to €40), and CP deducts €2.05 each time you validate. One validation gives 1 h 30 of travel on CP in any direction, but you cannot re-enter stations or trains on it once you have left.
Single tickets also exist. CP prices them by the number of zones crossed, from a table in force since 1 January 2026, with a half fare for children aged 4 to 12 (fare table). The zone count from Rossio to Sintra is not readable from the published zone map, so ask the machine or the ticket office for the exact single price. For most visitors Zapping is the easier choice.
Is the 24-hour ticket worth it?
Run the numbers for your day rather than buying the biggest ticket.
- Rossio–Sintra and back, nothing else: Zapping, €4.10 plus the €0.50 card. The CP 24-hour ticket at €6.70 loses.
- Sintra in the morning, the Cascais line from Cais do Sodré in the afternoon: that is four CP rides, €8.20 on Zapping, so the €6.70 CP 24-hour ticket wins. Getting from Rossio to Cais do Sodré is a metro or tram ride, which the CP-only ticket does not cover.
- Sintra plus metro and trams in Lisbon the same day: the Carris/Metro/CP 24-hour ticket costs €11.40. After €4.10 of Sintra Zapping, you would need about €7.30 of metro and Carris riding to break even. Metro de Lisboa's 2026 tariff sheet lists metro trips at €1.72 and €1.92 depending on how you pay, so the combined ticket pays only from about the fourth or fifth metro ride.
For two adults doing a plain Sintra return, Zapping costs €9.20 in total including two cards. Two CP 24-hour tickets cost €14.40 with cards, and two Carris/Metro/CP tickets €23.80.
If you already hold Lisbon transport credit or are deciding between Zapping and a monthly Navegante pass, our guide to Zapping or Navegante compares them in more detail.
Timetable, journey time and last trains
CP publishes Sintra-line timetables as PDFs and through its station search, but the PDF versions could not be read reliably for this guide, so it gives no journey time, frequency or last-train time. Look up your exact train and the last departure back from Sintra in the CP app or the CP station search on the day, especially on Sundays and public holidays.
The line itself is 27.2 km long and opened in 1887, according to CP.
After Sintra station
Sintra station is at the foot of the hills. For Pena and the Moorish Castle, Parques de Sintra points to Scotturb bus 434 from the station, and private cars are not allowed up to Pena. Our guide to Pena Palace tickets and time slots explains how to time the train so you reach a timed palace slot.
CP also sells a "Train & Bus" ticket valid for unlimited travel on the day of purchase on its Sintra, Cascais and Azambuja (Alcântara-Terra to Oriente) lines plus Scotturb routes 434 and 435. Its price was not shown on the CP pages read for this guide; ask at the Rossio ticket office if you want train and bus on one ticket.
If you have not decided between Sintra and the coast yet, choosing a Lisbon day trip compares Sintra, Cascais and Óbidos.