Comboios de Portugal launches 49-euro national train pass
A few months after the German 49-euro ticket, officially known as the Deutschland ticket, went on sale on 3 April 2023, Portugal launched its own National Rail Pass. This monthly 49-euro pass for regional trains was launched by Comboios de Portugal (CP), the state-owned company which operates passenger trains in Portugal, in August.
The pass is intended to promote territorial cohesion and sustainable mobility. Pedro Moreira, Chairman of CP, said that “by providing accessible mobility in all regions of the country, CP is promoting equal opportunities, facilitating the flow of people, and contributing to a balanced socio-economic development”. He also added that “this measure is a significant advance in CP’s commitment to foster sustainable mobility, encouraging the use.”
The new CP national train pass has been on sale since 1 July and launched on 1 August 2023. Key features of the National Rail Pass, a monthly travel pass available at a fixed cost of 49 euros, include a single price for all distances and the flexibility to travel on any regional service train without a fixed route. The National Rail Pass is different from the existing Portugal Rail Pass, for travellers who do not reside in Portugal.
However, the pass is not valid for other services such as Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, InterRegional, International, or Porto, Lisbon, and Coimbra urban services. Certain areas of the country are also not covered, such as the Alentejo Litoral and the Coimbra region. Within these excluded areas are routes like Régua-Pocinho (Douro Line), Coimbra-Figueira da Foz (suburban Coimbra), Pinhal Novo-Évora, and Pinhal Novo-Vila Nova da Baronia (Alentejo Line), as well as Pinhal Novo-Tunes (Southern Line). It also cannot be used to upgrade to a different category of train by paying the price difference.
National Train Pass conditions
Portugal’s new National Rail Pass is exclusively loaded onto the CP card, granting travellers access to regional service trains within the CP network. Individuals must possess a valid Pass CP card to load the National Ra. The pass is valid from the first to the last day of the month, offering convenient travel options for the entire month. The Pass can be purchased at CP’s Ticket Offices from the 21st day of the previous month up to the 20th of the desired month. The first month of validity for this Pass was August 2023, and it was available for purchase from 21 July of the same year.
Refunds for the National Rail Pass are only available before its validity begins, subject to a 20 per cent fee of its price, or 9.80 euros. To request a refund, travellers must present the CP card used and the original receipt or invoice. The Pass does not offer any “Youth,” “4-18,” “Under-23,” Senior, Child, or Veteran discounts. Additionally, there are no discounts associated with the Fare Reduction Support Program (PART) between stations in Intermunicipal Communities. The pass cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.
Portugal Rail Pass
For travellers who do not reside in Portugal, a Rail Pass already existed, called the Portugal Rail Pass. This is an exclusive and personal card, which offers unlimited travel options for three or seven days within a month, encompassing all Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Regional/InterRegional, and Urban trains. As an added benefit, the Portugal Rail Pass includes a Viva Viagem card, granting access to Lisbon’s urban trains. The Portugal Rail Pass cannot be refunded or modified, nor can the individual journeys covered by the pass be altered. The pass remains valid for one month from the date of purchase.
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