PART 1: Vila Real de S.A.-Faro-Lisbon. Algarve and Portuguese railways. Portugal by scenic rail

PART 1: Vila Real de Santo Antonio-Faro-Lisbon
Apart from Metro trains, the train from Vila Real to Faro was the only train which didn't need a ticket bought in advance. In fact, the whole journey today was stress-free. Unfortunately not all trains would be this easy.
The idea of this journey started in 1988 and the release of Paul Theroux's 'Riding the Iron Rooster'. He wrote "With the whole day to kill we tried to devise the itinerary for the longest railway journey in the world. It began in Portugal: Braganca-Lisbon-Barcelona-Paris-Moscow-Irkutsk-Peking-Shanghai-Hong Kong." This journey was devised while on a train to Canton (Guangzhou). I was surprised he hadn't realised trains went further than Hong Kong, but to Nanning, close to the Vietnamese border.
The problem with Theroux's itinerary is that it doesn't head in the same geographical direction, but starts by heading south from Braganca to Lisbon and then east to Barcelona and then northeast to Paris.
To have a truly accurate itinerary, with no cheating or zig-zagging, I decided I would use the most logical, direct services. I could have routed via Barcelona as well, but that would be 'against the rules'.
I begin this epic journey by starting at Vila real de S.A., changing in Faro and continue to Lisbon. I start my adventure across Europe by rail.
*** MY BOOK:
End-To-End, the world's longest train journey from Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Portugal, to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
www.amazon.co.uk/End-End-Worl...
Follow me at:
Web: www.planestrainseverything.com
Twitter: www.planestrainseverything.com
Facebook: / planestrainseverything
Instagram: / planestrainseverything
MUSIC:
freemusicforvlogs.com/roman-m...

[@mary-janejenkins9560]

The book is amazing Just seen your 50,000 q and a and come straight here ❤ Got to watch all these episodes

[@bdeithrick]

Came here from Q&A. It’s not labelled End to end. Anyway. Onward

[@TomLawsonANIMATIONS]

This is epic

[@carolinacadabra8278]

Great video! I’m watching these as I read Scott’s book: “End to End” the videos add an extra dimension for a visual person like me.

[@lindamaxon6272]

Love this train vlog. Read your book “End to End” and watched each chapter on KZbin. So chatty! Big thanks Scott. In Oregon, Linda.

[@desanipt]

Funny how that concrete buffer had "fim da linha" (end of the line) written on it

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

I didn't actually know that! That's a great observation. I wish I had known that at the time. Thanks for your comment... greatly appreciated.

[@desanipt]

@@PlanesTrainsEverything Oh that makes it even funnier because I really thought you might have known as your words went with it so well. Thank YOU for sharing your trip. It really was a pleasure following it. These transcontinental trips really take train travel to the next level!

[@kazzicup]

Nice to see Faro. I hope to visit this town.

[@sanspareil3018]

Great stuff. Came to this video due to you mentioning Lake Barkley in your October 2022 video. Really pleased you did- look forward to following this journey!

[@peterc66]

1:45 wettest dream! 6:14 most exciting moment!!

[@pbsteamatspeed7683]

So good to see this and glad you made it before present hostilities.

[@michelg2257]

Ever since i read in a guidebook that it's possible to travel from europe to Asia or even Australia i wanted to do it Now reached the point it's now or never so in September i want to go from Holland via the silkroad to Lombok Indonesia without flying. I only hope is that Azerbaijan open it's borders into the country to take the boat to Aktau

[@coatbridgeshamrock-ne2xr]

Magic being waiting on you uploading for months lol. Love your video anything planned for Glasgow again?

[@skymanste7630]

well, I am certainly looking forward to viewing this epic journey over the next few days. A question for you...Did you ever get cabin fever on such a long rail journey? BTW , Don't suppose you will be travelling via LHR on 08th April 2020 will you?

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

No cabin fever experienced as the length of the train journeys are not too long, and with the Trans-Mongolian, you can venture onto the platform at regular stations. Unfortunately I won't be near London on the 8th. I plan to be in Cardiff filming, and with my son (hopefully) making his debut as long as he doesn't play up in front of the camera!

[@Mantolwen]

@@PlanesTrainsEverything I don't know what date you wrote this but I'm gonna guess things didn't quite go to plan.

[@VITORB82]

What was the cost of this trip?

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

You know something, I've not actually added everything up. I think I was too scared to! It would be around the GBP2,000 figure. The trains were cheap, the airfare to Faro and back from HCMC were OK, but the hotels all added up.

[@ethankellogg8087]

Why didn't you start in Lagos, Portugal? It is technically further.

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

I think the mileage was further, but the rule I set myself was not to zig-zag but to travel in a continuous geographical direction where possible. Lagos-Faro-Lisbon was a 'back-track' and so it wasn't allowed. A friend suggested I travel Lisbon-Madrid-Paris, but the connection via Hendaye was more of a straight line.

[@ethankellogg8087]

@@PlanesTrainsEverything 1. Lagos is further away from Vietnam then any other station in Portugal. 2. It's not backtracking if you transfer in Tunes. I don't know if trains entering the station from specific directions is one of your rules but this is the way I planned my version of this.

[@ethankellogg8087]

OOOOHHHHH I get what you mean.

[@emmajones8590]

Where are the other episodes?

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

Hi Emma, the next episode should have been featured at the end. I'll look into that. However, if you have a look at my website at www.planestrainseverything.com/end-to-end.html it lists all of the episodes and provides links.

[@emmajones8590]

@@PlanesTrainsEverything It's ok, I found the rest on your homesite here on youtube. Watched the lot. Great journey. Epic. Really enjoyed watching. Thanks.

[@jacobhopkins3441]

Out of curiosity why take the trans-manchurian rather than go through North Korea and into China?

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

I would like to visit North Korea, but as this rail journey was to be the shortest logical route, heading further north than Beijing would have added extra miles to the journey.

[@jacobhopkins3441]

@@PlanesTrainsEverything fair enough, makes sense this route is justifiable if going between the two for a practical reason besides simply taking a long journey.