You will likely fly either to the Lisbon or the Porto airport. Both cities have good train and bus connections to Coimbra. For a listing of flights servicing Lisbon and Porto, check the Portuguese airports authority for arrival and departure timetables, or alternatively you can search an online travel booking service.
From Lisbon
• By train…Take the Subway (Red Line) to the Oriente rail station (about 6 min. and an approximate cost of 2 €). For other alternatives (e.g. bus, taxi, uber), read here. Both the airport and the Oriente station lie to the northeast of the town center. Go to the upper ticketing level at the station and find the ticket kiosk for the Lisboa-Porto line (known as Linha do Norte). Here you can find the timetables and fare information for the Lisboa – Porto line (operated by CP, Comboios de Portugal) on which Coimbra is located. Buy a ticket, preferably for an Alfa Pendular or Intercidades train (these require reservations) from Lisboa to Coimbra-B station (costs between 19.80 € and 23.50 € in 2nd class or between 25 € and 33.70 € if you choose 1st class). Trains depart Lisbon-Oriente station to Coimbra approximately every hour, with a travel time of around two hours. There are special discounts for tickets bought in advance.
Get off the train when you arrive at Coimbra B (the main railway station). You can take another train to Coimbra-A station on the same ticket from which many hotels are within walking distance. However, if you are staying at the Tryp Coimbra Hotel or the Residencial Botânico, then it is best to get off at Coimbra-B station and take a taxi to the hotel (approximately 5-7 €). Please note that Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains do not stop at Coimbra-A station, so you must get off at Coimbra-B.
• By bus… Bus connections between Lisbon and Porto to Coimbra are very regular. Bus travel is usually cheaper than train, but always depends on traffic. For further information (timetable and fares), please visit the National Bus Service (known as Rede Expressos) here. You can also buy your bus ticket online. If you arrive at Lisbon airport and you want to travel by bus, you must take a taxi (around 8-10 €) to the the main bus station, Rede Expressos terminal, which is located in Sete Rios. Prices from Lisbon to Coimbra run 13.80 €, single fare.
From Porto
• By train… From the airport which lies in the north of the town, you can take a taxi to the main railway station of Porto, Porto-Campanhã (this should cost around 20 €) or you can go from the airport to the station by subway. This will take approximately 25 minutes and cost around 2 €. The underground station is located at the airport, so it is not necessary to leave the airport grounds to get to it. From the airport, go to the Porto-Campanhã train station, which is on the same underground line.
Trains depart from the station hourly with a journey time of one hour and fifteen minutes for Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains, and approximately two hours for regional trains. Rail fares cost between 13.60 € and 17.20 € (check here).
Get off the train when you arrive at Coimbra-B (the main railway station). You can take another train to Coimbra-A station on the same ticket from which many hotels are within walking distance. However, if you are staying at the Tryp Coimbra Hotel or the Residencial Botânico, then it is best to get off at Coimbra-B station and take a taxi to the hotel (approximately 5-7 €). Please note that the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains do not stop at Coimbra-A station, so you must get off at Coimbra-B.
• By bus… If you arrive at Porto airport and you want to come by bus, you must either take a taxi to the bus station (around 20 €) or take the subway to the station Campo 24 de Agosto. The bus fare from Porto to Coimbra is € 11.90, single fare.