Rossio Station in Lisbon, from where trains depart to Sintra, stopping in Queluz on the way.
The beautiful rococo palace of Queluz is usually seen on a day trip from Lisbon or combined with a visit to Sintra. It can be reached by a train on the Lisbon-Sintra line. It’s located exactly halfway between the two cities -- about a 20-minute journey from either direction.
The station in Queluz is named Queluz-Belas, and the palace is an easy 12-to-15-minute walk down the road from there.
Inside a train that connects Lisbon to the suburbs
Trains depart from Rossio Station in downtown Lisbon and from Oriente Station in the Parque das Nações district. Unless you’re staying in Parque das Nações, it’s more convenient to depart from Rossio Station, which is within walking distance of anywhere in the center of town. If you’re staying uptown, in the Avenidas Novas district, you may also hop aboard at Entrecampos Station, which is one of the stops of the Oriente-Sintra train.
If you’re not within walking distance of any of these stations, you may reach Rossio through the green line of the metro, while Oriente is on the red line, and Entrecampos on the yellow.
The Lisbon-Sintra train line is one of the capital’s busiest commuter routes, with three departures per hour (every 20 minutes) during the day, and more frequent during rush hours. You can check the exact departure times at the cp.pt website.
Train Tickets to Queluz
A single ticket from Lisbon to Queluz costs €1.65. You need the magnetic Viva Viagem card which is an additional €0.50. You can then reuse the card and charge future journeys (like your return to Lisbon or Sintra). Tickets can be bought from ticket counters and from machines, then must be validated by scanning them on the ticket scanners before you hop on the train. Make sure you hold on to your ticket for an eventual inspection, and keep it handy, as you’ll need to scan it to exit the station at your destination.
You may ride this train for free with the Lisboa Card.
From Queluz-Belas Station to Queluz Palace
In Queluz, follow Avenida António Eanes out of the station (it eventually becomes “Avenida da República”). You’ll see signs pointing in the direction of the palace, but all you have to do is continue walking straight down, and you’ll see the palace at the end of Avenida da República.
The monument is open from 9am to 6pm, but the last admission is at 5:30pm. Since the visit involves walking around the magnificent gardens, try going when the sun is shining brighter (between noon and 4pm), and avoid going on a rainy day (also because you have to walk for about 15 minutes from the station). A visit to the interior of the palace followed by the gardens takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Take a look at the links below for more Sintra transportation guides.