How to Get to Fatima from Lisbon

In 1917, little Francisco, Lucia and Jacinta claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary, who revealed to them a message destined for mankind. Since then, Fatima has become one of the places of reference for many believers (and not so believers) in Portugal.

This small town just over 120 km from Lisbon has become a symbol of the Portuguese country. It is also one of the best known and most visited centres of Marian adoration in the world. If you are in Lisbon and want to make a getaway, there are many options. I have analysed them all to show you how to organise your visit.

The most complete option

Fatima Day Trip from Lisbon

Discover the incredible Sanctuary of Fatima

Guided tour of approximately 5 hours, including transfer to Fatima where you could attend mass in the Basilica of the Holy Trinity.

From £61 at Hellotickets

On the excursion to Fatima you will visit one of the most popular shrines in Europe with an expert guide who will tell you all the details of the history so that you can make the most of the tour of the different basilicas on the site, such as the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of the Apparitions or the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, known for being the fourth largest Catholic church in the world in terms of capacity.

You will also visit the house of the three little shepherds, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, in the town of Aljustrel, where you will find a scene from another time, with antique objects, kitchen utensils, furniture, family photographs, etc. The tour, which lasts approximately 5 hours, is planned for groups of eight people and includes a return transfer from the centre of Lisbon.

Recommended if... you are going to spend several days in Lisbon and want to know the history of the Sanctuary.

We start with the most comfortable and, from the visitor's point of view, the most complete option. Basically because if you opt for organised tours you can enjoy a guided tour where you can discover in detail the facts surrounding this mysterious apparition and other cities worth visiting.

In general, there are many tours that will bring you closer to Fatima, what mainly differentiates them are the cities they include, that is, if they are focused only on Fatima or if they include other cities.

Here are the different options:

• Excursion to Fatima from Lisbon, from £61.
• Excursion to Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos and Batalha from Lisbon, from £73.
• Excursion to Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos from Lisbon, from £72.

Comparative table of excursions to Fátima

It is not the cheapest option, but it is certainly the most comfortable. With a private transfer you can get to Fátima directly and without intermediate stops. What's more, you can be picked up from your hotel. There are several alternatives for private transport. You can choose between different vehicles depending on the number of people you are travelling with:

• Car: from 1 to 4 people.
• Luxury Van: from 1 to 8 people.
• Minibus: from 1 to 14 people.

Now I will show you other information that will also be of interest to you so that you can assess whether or not to hire this type of transfer:

• Duration of the journey: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Price of the transfer by car: from 150 €.
• Prices of the transfer in Luxury Van: from 200 €.
• Prices for the transfer by minibus: from 350 €.

If you are interested in a return transfer, it is possible, although the price, in these cases, increases to almost double. In any case, I advise you to consider this option if you are a large number of people, as compared to other means of transport and depending on how many of you there are (4 or more), the cost can be similar. And given the similarity of cost, the priority is comfort, where private transport wins.

Buses are another viable option, especially for the prices. To take a bus to Fátima you will have to go to the Sete Ríos station. To get there you can take the blue line of the Metro. Once at the station you can take the bus. The company that will take you to Fátima is Rede Expressos.

This is basically what characterises this type of transfer:

• Journey time: approximately 1 hour and a half.
• It is a 5-minute walk from the bus stop to the Sanctuary of Fátima.
• Frequency: every two hours.
• First departure at around 06:00 and last departure at around 18:30.
• Prices from €20.

It is an option within your reach, but you should bear one thing in mind before considering it. The trains do not go directly to Fátima, but leave you in the village of Chao de Maças, located 20 kilometres from Fátima. Therefore, you will have to take a taxi, the cost of which I will specify below.

If you are interested in this option, then all you have to do is go to Oriente or Santa Apolonia station and take the train to Braga. You should also bear in mind the following information:

• Journey time: approximately 1 hour (on the fastest trains).
• Prices from €25.
• Cost of additional transport by taxi from Chao de Maças to Fátima: from €20 and €30.
• Taxi journey time between Chao de Maças and Fátima: around 20-30 minutes.

As you can see, this is the least favourable option in terms of time and cost. Of course, you have to add the cost of the train to the taxi fare. At this point it depends on what you are looking for. For example, there are faster trains from €20 that will get you there in just 1 hour. But be careful! Cheaper regional trains have tickets available from €10 but the journey can take up to 3.5 hours. More information on trains and timetables can be found on the website of the public company that runs Portugal's trains.

An alternative that always comes in handy if you want to opt for comfort and a journey with no stops, no queues and no waiting. However, it is probably not the cheapest option, although its advantages are worthwhile. Furthermore, I would like to stress once again that there are means of transport that seem to be more expensive but which, in reality, may not be so expensive. I will show you everything you need to know in order to compare what you are most interested in:

• Journey time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Prices start at €80.

If you are travelling with 4 people, this option may be worthwhile. It's all a matter of weighing up the advantages and whether they are worth the possible extra cost of the taxi compared to other means of transport.

Car rental is always an available mode of transport. Especially in a tourist city like Lisbon. You will not be short of options. These are some of the agencies you can find in Lisbon:

• Hertz.
• Europcar.
• Avis.
• Sixt Rent a Car.

If you decide for this transport option, I show you, below, what you have to take into account:

• Types of vehicles available: 4-seater cars, luxury cars, SUVs and vans.
• Journey time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Prices from €20/day.

To get to Fátima you will have to take the A1 in the direction of Lisbon-Porto and then take the turn-off to Fátima. However, you have to consider the cost of tolls. The total cost of tolls to get to Fátima starts at €8. If you opt for a rental car, I recommend that you also take advantage of the freedom it gives you to visit other places such as Sintra. Here's more information on what to see and do in Sintra.

As you have seen, Fatima is one of the plans to consider after knowing all the things to see and do in Lisbon and there are many ways to get to Fatima from Lisbon.

Below, I offer you a comparative table in which you will be able to see at a glance which of them may be more convenient for you. Above all, I advise you to consider the option based on the number of people you are going to be. This variable can make all the difference and mean that a less economical transport can be, in the end, the most advantageous.