Rossio Railway Station

Lisbon's Rossio Railway Station (Estação de Caminhos de Ferro do Rossio) is located in the north east of Praça Dom Pedro IV square on the small strip of road that connects to Praça dos Restauradores.

 

Tourists commonly struggle to locate the station as the facade is like no other station in Europe, with an appearance closer to a temple than a station.  The entrance is via two large horse shoe shaped stone doorways, with two more floors of arched windows topped with small turrets and a clock as the central piece.

 The platforms are set well back from the front facade, so combined with no signings indicating that there is a station inside, tourist and visitors may experience difficulties when trying to locate the station for trains to Sintra. The only indication that there is a train station here, apart from the number of visitors who enter, is a carved inscription Estação Central (Central Station) the old name of the train station.

 

To add to the deceptive nature of the Rossio Railway Station, the major engineering feat of the station is not seen until a ticket is purchased and the train exits the station. To leave the seven hills of Lisbon the train line passes through a 2500m long tunnel regarded as one of Portugal’s major engineering feats of the 19th century.

Rossio Railway Station funded by Portuguese Royal Railway Company who employed José Luís Monteiro as the architect. His design was influenced by the 16th century Portuguese Manueline style and construction was completed in 1888.

 

The station and tunnel where closed for three years for major renovation activities opening in March 2008. Inside the station it is clean and airy with many self service ticket machines and a couple of manned desks selling tickets to Sintra (3.90euros).

Be warned you can not buy the ticket on the train and those who try many face a fine.  The journey to from Lisbon to Sintra takes approximately 45 minutes depending if you boarded the rapid or stopping service.