Extremadura’s capital often is the first or the main destination for many travellers, whether they’re looking for a weekend gateway from Madrid or Seville, or to visit the region as a stopover on their way to or from Portugal.
This article, aimed at travellers looking to get to Mérida from Lisbon, covers all travel journey options available, basic details of each type of journey, reasons for choosing each means of transport, a detailed car journey description, practical info and useful links.
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Table of contents
Getting to Mérida from Lisbon by car
Mérida is 285 kilometres away from Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport. A typical car journey takes about 2h 45min, making it the fastest way (road traffic permitting) to get to Badajoz from Lisbon, both from Oriente station and from the airport.
Reasons for driving to Mérida from Lisbon:
You can hire a car at the airport. If you fly into Lisbon, hiring a car at the airport is very convenient. You avoid having to use the metro or getting a taxi to the bus station.
You can leave when you want. You don’t need to kill time while waiting for a coach. As soon as you land, you can go get your car and leave straight away.
It can be the cheapest option. Unless you travel on your own, sharing a hired car is normally cheaper than bus tickets.
It’s the fastest option.
It gives you the most flexibility. Driving allows you to stop whenever and wherever you want. You might need regular quick rest stops, or you may want to take it slowly and visit a place or two on the way, such as Évora, Elvas, or Badajoz.
Picking up your car at Lisbon Airport
Hiring a car is the most convenient way to travel to Cáceres from Lisbon Airport. Enterprise is my go-to car hire company when I travel and the one I’ve used in the past to drive across to Extremadura. To find the car hire counter simply follow the signs for ‘Guerin/Enterprise’ in the arrivals hall. The car hire process is mostly automated and easy to follow. Make sure you mention your cross-border travel plans. The car park is located on the second floor.
The car journey to Mérida from Lisbon Airport
The airport is located to the north of the city, in Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas.
Leave the car hire pick-up point and join the Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas. At the roundabout, take the fifth exit (A1 Norte) on to the E1 road. Get off at exit 14 towards the A12 (Sul P.te V. Gama) motorway and continue on the A12 road (later called IP1) and look out for the A2 signs (Algarve, Évora). The road then merges onto the A-2/E-90 road. Get off at exit 7 (Espanha) onto the A6 – IP7/E90 Spain-bound motorway. The A6/E90 motorway will take you across to Spain, where it becomes the A-5/E-90. Follow the A-5/E-90 road (Mérida or Madrid-bound) and get off at exit 342 (to Mérida Avda. Duque de Ahumada) and follow the centro urbano signs to the city centre.
Parking in Mérida
If you’re staying overnight in Mérida, you might want to leave your car in a secured car park. A centrally-located one I have used in the past is Aparcamiento Cervantes, located in Travesía Cervantes (about 10 minutes on foot from the Roman Theatre).
If you’re visiting Mérida for the day and would rather save the car park fee, you can find free on-street parking spaces just outside the historic centre. For example, my go-to area for free on-street parking is the vicinity of the Casa del Mitreo.
Getting to Mérida from Lisbon by coach
Alsa runs one daily coach service to Mérida departing from Sete Rios station, stopping at Oriente station. The journey duration from Sete Rios is 4h 15min and from Oriente station is 3h 45min. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.
This coach does not have a dedicated bay at Oriente station. The coach departs from outside the Rede Expressos ticket office located on the western end of the station. You will not see this route on any panels and the coach will not be there ahead of time. It just turns up at the departure time (1.15pm).
Also, bear in mind that this coach covers a long-distance route from Lisbon to Milan and it departs from Lisbon already full. I did not find this coach journey particularly pleasant.
Flixbus serves Mérida with one daily coach service departing from Oriente station. The journey varies between 4h. Tickets can be purchased in advance online.
Mérida Bus Station is located in Avenida La Libertad, s/n (west of the river Guadiana), about 15 minutes away on foot from the city centre. As of my last visit, the ticket offices and luggage storage facilities are open daily from 8m to 8pm.
Travelling to Mérida from Lisbon by coach may suit you if you’re travelling alone, since a coach ticket will be cheaper than hiring a car on your own.
Getting to Mérida from Lisbon by train
Unfortunately, travelling by train from Lisbon to Mérida is not really a viable option for most travellers. It involves a slow Lisbon-Entroncamento-Badajoz train journey with Comboios de Portugal that takes between 3h 47min and 5h 1min, and an onward train journey from Badajoz to Mérida (30-40min). If, for whatever reason, you’re curious about exploring this option, I leave you the link to buy your Badajoz-Mérida train tickets below.
Mérida Train Station is located in Calle Cardero, in the city centre, just over 10 minutes away on foot from the Roman Theatre.
Remember that Portugal and Spain are in different time zones. When planning your trip to Cáceres from Lisbon, don’t forget that Spain is one hour ahead.
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Irene Corchado Resmella
Hi! I’m Irene (/ee-REH-neh/). Long since settled in the UK, I explore my Spanish home region of Extremadura with an inquisitive mind, a sharp eye, and the duality that comes with being both a local and a visitor. Then I write about it here to help you discover this beautiful yet overlooked part of Spain. If you have any questions after reading this article, submit a comment below! Read more about me.
