North to Aveiro!
The Uber in Albufeira arrived on time. He took us through an industrial estate and the back streets and we got us to the station on time.
The train atrived on time. It was an Intercity service. It stopped a lot which was good because we got to see more of Portugal. It was quite old but there's wifi and, my seat at least, was very comfortable.
We arrived in Lisbon Oriente station about half an hour late. But the journey across the 25 April Bridge, which crosses the River Tagus in Lisbon, from the south to the north was very impressive.
The train then rambled its way to Lisbon Oriente station where it terminated.
Had we been smart, we'd have hopped the tube to Apolonia Station, where our next train started.
Instead we spent an hour and a bit in a station which in my opinion looks like it was designed by
and the artistic director of metropolis
The levels below the platforms gave me the feeling that people were infesting a space built for something else.
It wasn't comfortable. The idea that cafes would have tables in the public spaces just looked untidy.
On the platforms though,the vaulted roof is just joyful... but that may be because of escaping from down stairs.
The station works, kind of, because Lisbon is warm and mostly the weather is benign. Put it in Britain and the open spaces, lack of real shelter, and wind-swept galleries would close it in weeks.
Up on the platform our train to Aviero arrived. The platform was VERY full.
Strange.
Portugese railways sell as many tickets as there are seats on the train. Once again UK rail industry please note.
Five minutes in to the polite, but determined, scrum for our carriage and the (50ish) people who got on the train first, realised that they had got onto to the wrong train! Amateurs
So they got off and we got on and beetled up to Aveiro.
This was an AP service. Much newer train, classier than the earlier Intercity and we arrived within a few minutes of the booked time.
Thats about 400 km of rail travel for £70 in total.
Later we explore Aveiro.
