Lisbon is one of Europe's most appealing capital cities. It has a fine setting, extending over the hills that line the Tejo Estuary. Lisbon is easy to reach by train from London, Paris, Madrid and other cities across Europe - but the journey takes time.

Lisbon is the hub of Portugal's modestly sized but efficient rail network. The city has several stations, but there are two which are most used by visitors. The long-established rail terminus just east of the city centre is Santa Apolónia. A showpiece new station at Oriente opened in 1998. Its futuristic architecture makes it worth a visit even if you don't want to catch a train.

Portuguese long-distance domestic trains from the south (eg. from Faro and Beja) serve Oriente station in Lisbon. Trains from the north (eg. from Braga, Porto, Evora and Entroncamento) stop first at Oriente before continuing to Santa Apolónia. The overnight trains from Madrid and other Spanish cities serve both Oriente and Santa Apolónia. Note that there are no direct daytime trains from Spain to the Portuguese capital. The journey from Vigo (on the Galician coast of north-west Spain) to Lisbon is perfectly possible by day, but a change of train in Porto is always necessary.

Lisbon has many local suburban rail services, some of which depart from termini other than Santa Apolónia or Oriente. For example, the trains to Estoril leave from Cais de Sodre station, while the local services to Sintra depart from the delightful Lisboa Rossio station which was, until the mid-fifties, the city's main railway hub.