From Sunday, 27 September 2026, the €20 Passe Ferroviário Verde (Green Rail Pass) is valid on CP urban trains in Lisbon and Porto. If you travel mainly by train in those metro areas, your monthly rail cost can fall sharply — but the pass still does not cover metro, bus, tram or ferry. Here is what changed and what immigrants should check before switching.
What changed
The Green Rail Pass was created by Decree-Law 73/2024 and launched in October 2024. About 1.4 million passes have been sold since then. Until this weekend it did not cover Lisbon or Porto urban CP services. From 27 September it does, as confirmed by CP, the Government (announced 21 August), DN (26 September) and Notícias ao Minuto / Lusa (28 September).
Infrastructure minister Miguel Pinto Luz said passengers who travel only by train in the Lisbon or Porto metro areas can use this pass instead of a full Navegante (€40) or Andante (€40), roughly cutting the monthly cost in half. Ministry examples: Famalicão to Porto São Bento was about €60 (Andante + Green Rail Pass) and can now be €20 with the Green Rail Pass alone (~€480 a year); Monte Abraão (Sintra) to Entrecampos was Navegante €40 or a CP monthly of €32.35, and can now be €20 (~€240 a year). A Fertagus extension is being prepared but is not live yet.
Who can buy it
According to CP, the pass is open to Portuguese citizens and foreign residents in Portugal (estrangeiros residentes). You can buy it any day. Tourists without residence in Portugal do not qualify under CP’s wording. Price: €20 for 30 days, €40 for 60 days, or €60 for 90 days. CP says no other discounts apply on this product.
What it does and does not cover
Valid on: Intercidades (2nd class only), Regional, InterRegional, Coimbra urban, Lisbon urban and Porto urban. Not valid on Alfa Pendular. Intercidades 1st class is not covered.
For Intercidades you must make a free seat reservation within 24 hours before departure, and you may take at most two distinct Intercidades trips per day. Without a reservation you are treated as travelling without a ticket. Validation: Lisbon urban — validate at station validators or gates before travel; Porto urban — show on board; Intercidades, Regional and InterRegional — show on board.
Critical for daily commuting: the pass does not cover metro, bus, tram or ferry — only CP trains. If you still need metro or bus, keep your Navegante (Lisbon) or Andante (Porto).
How to get one
The pass is loaded on a Cartão CP (physical and/or digital) via the CP app, myCP on cp.pt, CP ticket offices, or ticket machines in Lisbon metro-area stations. Full rules are on CP’s Green Rail Pass page.
What it means for you
- Train-only commute in Lisbon or Porto? Compare your current Navegante/Andante or CP monthly with €20 for 30 days. You may save a lot.
- Mix train with metro or bus? Keep the city pass. Green Rail Pass alone will not get you through metro gates or onto buses.
- Not a resident? You cannot buy it under current CP rules — residency in Portugal is required.
- Using Intercidades? Always reserve a seat in the last 24 hours before departure, or you risk a fine.
Key dates
- October 2024 — Green Rail Pass launched (Decree-Law 73/2024).
- 21 August 2026 — Government announced the Lisbon and Porto urban expansion.
- Sunday, 27 September 2026 — Lisbon and Porto urban CP services become valid.
Sources
- CP – Passe Ferroviário Verde (official rules)
- Diário de Notícias – urban services from Sunday (26 Sep 2026)
- Government of Portugal – expansion announcement (21 Aug 2026)
- Notícias ao Minuto / Lusa – pass already circulating (28 Sep 2026)
- SAPO / Diário do Distrito – €20 pass reaches urban trains (27 Sep 2026)
Featured image: Graphic: Link in Portugal (original work)
.jpg){kind=link}