{"id":9843,"date":"2022-02-07T16:08:45","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T16:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/sao-bento-railway-station-porto\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T14:23:48","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T14:23:48","slug":"sao-bento-railway-station-porto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/sao-bento-railway-station-porto\/","title":{"rendered":"S\u00e3o Bento Railway Station in Porto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A few steps from the Porto Cathedral and the Clerigos Tower, the Sao Bento Railway Station ( Esta\u00e7\u00e3o S\u00e3o Bento<\/em> in Portuguese) is one of the city’s most iconic monuments. Follow the guide! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s tip<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83e\uddd0 Want to know more about Porto’s history?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the city<\/a><\/mark>. It\u2019s up to you to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Looking for an hotel in Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in Porto? Advice & recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Planning your trip to Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out Captain Ulysses’ complete article on what to see and do in the city: a Guide to Porto<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc76 Planning a family adventure to Porto?<\/strong> Discover all of the Captain\u2019s top tips in the article: Exploring Porto with the Kids: Family-Friendly Activities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Brief history of the S\u00e3o Bento Railway Station<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origins of the Sao Bento Station<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the 19th<\/sup> century, the railway developed\nthroughout Portugal. The city of Porto therefore decided to build a station\nright in the historic center, on the site of the Benedictine Convent of S\u00e3o Bento de Av\u00e9 Maria. This\nconvent \u2013 which was pretty much abandoned at the end of the 19th<\/sup> century \u2013\nwas destroyed to make way for the city’s brand new\nrailway station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e3o Bento Station started operating in 1896, although the building the hall of the railway station was completed twenty years later, in 1916. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

the Portuguese architect Jos\u00e9 Marques da Silva, who was in charge of the construction work,\nintended to build an architectural masterpiece…\nso much so that he completely lost sight of reality and simply forgot to include counters\nin the original blueprint of the railway station! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was withdrawn from the project in 1909\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Sao Bento Railway Station in Porto <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The facade of the train station<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The imposing facade of the Sao Bento Station, flanked by two\nside towers, stands a few steps from the Cathedral of Porto, at the corner\nbetween Pra\u00e7a Almeida Garrett<\/em> , Rua da Madeira<\/em> and Rua do \nLoureiro<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This vast three-story-high u-shaped building is a\nprime example of architectural rigor and symmetry and was largely inspired by the \u201cBeaux-Arts\u201d style\nwhich was in vogue in France in the 19th<\/sup> century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The vestibule aka the “Hall of Lost Steps”<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The railway station is mainly famous for its\nsumptuous vestibule. Covered by almost 20,000\npolychromatic tiles, the station is a masterpiece of azulejo art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took a total of 11 years (from 1905\nto 1916) for the Portuguese painter Jorge Cola\u00e7o to complete this monumental work.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The azulejos of the station represent\nscenes of daily life in the North of Portugal, as well as major moments\nin the country’s history. A colored frieze also retraces\nthe history of the different means of transport in Portugal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The station platforms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before leaving the station, don’t forget to take a look\nat the impressive glass roof above the platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Train journeys from Porto’s S\u00e3o Bento Station<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e3o Bento Station is not Porto’s main station \u2013\nCampanh\u00e3 station is \u2013 but it is nevertheless served by a\nhandful of trains to\/from major cities in Minho and Douro (Aveiro,\nBraga, Bragan\u00e7a, Guimar\u00e3es\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The station is therefore quite handy if you’re planning day trips in the surroundings of Porto. You can book your tickets at the counters on site (on the right when you enter the station) or online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting to the S\u00e3o Bento Station in Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sao Bento Station is located right in the center of Porto, a 4-minute walk from the Clerigos Tower<\/a> and 5 minutes from the Porto Cathedral<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a metro station on site. The nearest tram stop is Pra\u00e7a da Liberdade<\/em> (line 22). Buses 1M, 11M, 500, 900, 901 and 906 also stop at the Esta\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em> S\u00e3o Bento bus stop.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Batalha funicular<\/a> is located a 5-minute walk from the station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Opening hours<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Sao Bento railway station is open all day, but warned as\ntourists tend to flock in the vestibule in large numbers. If’d rather be able to quietly\nadmire the station’s stunning azulejos, Captain Ulysses recommends going either early in the morning\nor late at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Admission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the S\u00e3o Bento station is free. Trains to the main cities in Douro and Minho are generally very cheap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc49 Skip the lines: book your tickets and visits in Porto!<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udc49 Looking for a place to stay in Porto?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n