The gorgeous Portuguese town of Amarante is often overlooked in favour of the big cities such as Porto and Lisbon. But it’s the small picturesque places like this that really show Portugal’s tradition and charm. Today’s blog is all about how to travel from Port to Amarante.
Most people travelling to Amarante fly into Porto airport. Porto airport is on the Porto Metro line into the centre of Porto. If I have a late night flight, I often stay one night in Porto (my place of choice is the Gallery Hostel) and then travel to Amarante the next day. I take a taxi if I have a lot of luggage or jump on the train or bus if I’m travelling light.
How long does it take to get from Porto to Amarante?
It takes around an hour to get from Porto to Amarante depending what route you take and ow the traffic is. Driving is the fastest way to get to Amarante and it can be as quick as 45 minutes if there is no traffic.
Hiring a car is a good idea in this region especially if you intend to travel to see some of the monuments on the Romanesque route. However, the roads are very hilly. Although the main roads to Amarante are decent to drive, roads around the area of Amarante are a challenge and so it might be a better idea to hire a private driver.
How to get from Porto to Amarante
There are three main ways to get from Porto to Amarante – taxi, bus and train. Most people avoid the train because Amarante station itself is now disused, so you need to transfer from a nearby station by bus.
Train
Amarante station has been abandoned for some time now. You can take the train from Porto to Vila Mea from São Bento station (the one with the beautiful blue tiles – azulejos) for just €3/4 and then take a bus from Vila Mea to Amarante. Because of the inconvenience of the change at Vila Mea, most people who want the cheapest option go for the convenience of a direct bus. Buses are also cheaper.
Bus
You can take the bus from Porto Campanha bus station to Amarante for just €2-3 and it takes around one hour. Buses go from the bus station in Campanha and take you to the other side of the river in Amarante just 10-15 mins from the centre of the town. Flixbus operates this route and you can book online by downloading the app.
Make sure that you have less than 25kg in luggage or they may refuse your bags or charge you extra for additional luggage. Also get to the bus station at least 15-20 minutes before your bus departs to board on time. The buses are comfortable and have WIFI and charging outlets on board.
Taxi
You can get to Amarante by bus, train or Taxi. I booked an Uber and paid just €50 door to door from my hostel in Porto (Gallery Hostel) to my hostel in Amarante (Hostel des arts). You can also download the taxi app FREE NOW. Depending on traffic it can cost anything from €47-82.
Where to stay in Amarante
If you want to stay overnight in Amarante (which I totally recommend) you need to stay at Hostel des Arts – it’s the best value and best location in town.
If you would like to read more about Amarante then you can read my full Amarante Guide here.
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