National Rail Pass gives access to all regional trains for 49 euros/month

The new pass works with monthly top-ups and can be used on any Regional train, regardless of origin, destination, and schedule.

From Lisbon to Entroncamento, Santarém or Tomar. From Lisbon to Abrantes, Castelo Branco, Covilhã or Guarda. From Lisbon to Torres Vedras, Caldas da Rainha, Leiria or even Coimbra. From or to the Portuguese capital, there are not many Regional trains, but these connections we have just mentioned will be 49 €/month already from August 1st.

It is on this day that the National Rail PassThis measure was proposed by Rui Tavares, member of the Free party (Livre) and approved in the Assembly of the Republic in the context of the State Budget for 2023. However, the launch of this new pass comes with some delay, since the initial forecast was June. It was a news item from ECO on the 29th of that month pushing the implementation of the pass, with the Secretary of State for the Treasury signing, one day later, an order authorizing CP to implement the new product.

How to have?

For 49 euros/month, the National Rail Pass can be used on all CP regional trains, nationwide, and allows unlimited travel, without route or time restrictions. This new monthly pass works just like any other pass: you must purchase a CP Card (which costs 6 euros) and every month load the pass onto that card.

The purchase of this card and the monthly pass recharging can only be done in person at a CP ticket office. As for topping up, you can do it from the 21st day of the previous month. So, to use this new pass in August, you can load it from July 21st on. If you don't have a CP Card and want to travel right away on August 1, it would be better to get that card done now because it may take a few days.

Where to use?

From Lisbon, the National Rail Pass will essentially allow you three routes:

Tomar Branch Line: Santa Apolónia > Oriente > Santa Iria da Azóia > Vila Franca de Xira > Azambuja > Santarém > Entroncamento > Tomar
West Line: Lisbon [you can get it in Santa Apolónia, Rossio or Oriente, depending on the schedule] > Meleças > Torres Vedras > Caldas da Rainha > Leiria > Coimbra
Beira Baixa Line: Santa Apolónia > Oriente > Santarém > Entroncamento > Abrantes > Vila Velha de Ródão > Castelo Branco > Fundão > Covilhã > Belmonte > Sabugal > Guarda

Outside of Lisbon, there are more Regional services to discover:

from Junctionyou can go to Portalegre, Elvas or even Badajoz, already in Spain;
from Coimbrayou have Regional trains to Covilhã, Guarda, Entroncamento and Aveiro. The trains from Coimbra to Figueira da Foz are Urban service, although the compositions and schedules are similar to Regional service, so they are excluded;
there is a five-hour regional between Lisbon and Portoand there are six daily Regional between Lisbon and CoimbraThe trips last a little more than 3h30;
the whole Algarve Line is Regional service, just like Vouga Line;
at Douro Linethere are five Regional trains a day between Porto and Régua, and, on the Minho LineThere are eight daily Regionals between Porto and Valença, passing through Famalicão, Barcelos, Caminha, and Vila Nova de Cerveira.

More info

The National Rail Pass is, for António Costa's Government, a "a bet on sustainable mobility and a more cohesive, greener and connected country". For Livre, which advanced the idea in the first place, it is "an important step towards making greener mobility a cheaper alternative in times of economic and environmental crisis".

Other important notes on this measure:

the National Rail Pass only allows travel on Regional trains (R). It is not valid in any other service: Alfa Pendular (AP), Intercity (IC), InterRegional (IR) and Urban (U). Attention: do not confuse InterRegional and Regional trainsInterRegional trains are faster and make fewer stops than Regional trains, but are slower and have more stops than Intercity trains.
the National Rail Pass no discounts And it is also not possible to pay extra to, for example, also be able to use the InterRegional trains;
the pass is valid during the month for which it is purchasedthat is, it can be used between the 1st and the last day of that month. You can buy a pass for a particular month from the 21st day of the previous month until the 20th day of the desired month. Example: if you want to buy the National Rail Pass for August, you can do it from July 21 until August 20; from August 21 you can buy the pass for September.
the National Rail Pass can only be purchased in person at CP ticket offices. In the process, you will be asked the point of origin and the most frequent destination of your trips for statistical purposes only. Note that with this pass you can travel on any Regional service train and on any route and schedule.
If you wish to have your pass refunded, you can do so at a ticket office before the day and by paying a fee of 20% of its value (€9.80). To request this refund, you will need the original receipt/invoice. After the pass expires (day 1), no refund requests are accepted.
the National Rail Pass does not replace the subscriptions and passes already offered by CPwhich in some cases can be cheaper (for example, for a young person who only makes a short daily trip by Regional train it may pay to subscribe to the new National Rail Pass).