- One wayCastle first, then Pena, then down
- €10.9624-hour 434 + 435 ticket, online
- ~10 minOperator's frequency
- 08:50First bus; last around 18:40
- 90+ minPeak queues reported in October 2026
Ride It Early, in Loop Order, and Walk Down
Bus 434 (the "Circuito da Pena") runs a one-way loop from Sintra train station up to the Moorish Castle, then Pena Palace, then back down to the station. It never goes from Pena back to the castle. The cheapest way to ride is the 24-hour 434 + 435 ticket bought online, €10.96 on sintra434.com in October 2026. Board at Sintra station or the Lourel car park before about 9:30, visit the castle first, then Pena, and walk down on the Villa Sassetti trail (about 45 minutes) or take an Uber from an official pick-up point, so you skip the queue for the bus back. At peak times in 2026, waits of 90 minutes or more have been reported. If you'd sooner not deal with the bus at all, Inside Lisbon's small-group Sintra, Cascais and Pena Palace tour takes you to the Pena gate from Lisbon for $55, Pena admission included, and is rated 4.8/5 from 3,242 reviews.
Almost every independent Sintra visitor meets bus 434 eventually. It's the little bus outside Sintra station that grinds up the forested switchbacks to the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, and it's the only public bus allowed on that route. Judging by its reviews, it's also one of the most frustrating parts of a Sintra day: the TripAdvisor listing for "Sintra Tourist Bus 434" stood at 2.1 out of 5 from 704 reviews in October 2026.
The bus itself isn't the problem. Most people ride it in the wrong order, at the wrong time, from the wrong stop, and assume it'll bring them back. Each of the four is easy to fix. For the wider picture, with taxis, tuk-tuks and every other way around town, see our guide to getting around Sintra.
Bus 434 at a Glance (2026)
| Name | Bus 434, "Circuito da Pena" |
|---|---|
| Operator | Scotturb, under the Sintra434 brand (Viação 434, Lda) |
| Route | One-way loop: Sintra station → Moorish Castle → Pena Palace → down via São Pedro and the historic centre → station |
| Hours | Roughly 08:50 to 18:40, every day (operator figures) |
| Frequency | "Approximately every 10 minutes" (operator); in practice traffic and full buses stretch this |
| Loop time | About 35–40 minutes without traffic; often much longer at peak |
| Ticket | 24-hour 434 + 435 hop-on hop-off ticket, cheapest online (€10.96 in October 2026) |
| Children | Pay from age 4 |
| Lisboa Card | Not valid |
| Best boarding points | Sintra station or the Lourel car park |
| Last bus down from Pena | Around 19:00. Be at the stop by 18:45 at the latest. |
Sources: sintra434.com and Parques de Sintra, October 2026. Official information is thin and sometimes contradicts itself (the operator's FAQ gives the last bus from Pena as both 19:00 and 19:08), so check before you go.
The One-Way Loop: How Bus 434 Actually Works
This is the single most important thing to understand. Bus 434 runs in one direction only.
Sintra station to São Pedro
The loop starts outside Sintra train station (or at Lourel) and climbs through São Pedro de Sintra.
Moorish Castle
Get off here first. The Moorish Castle is the first of the two hilltop stops.
Pena Palace
The next stop up. From the castle, it's a short walk of a few hundred metres to Pena.
Down via São Pedro and the historic centre
After Pena the bus heads downhill through São Pedro, stops in the historic centre (Vila) and returns to the station.
What that means for you
- Station → Moorish Castle → Pena works perfectly.
- Pena → Moorish Castle doesn't exist. After Pena, the bus heads downhill. The castle is a short walk (a few hundred metres) from Pena instead.
- Visit in loop order: get off at the Moorish Castle first, walk on to Pena, then catch the bus (or walk) down.
Where is the historic centre stop?
On the operator's current 2026 published route, the historic-centre stop ("Vila de Sintra", by the National Palace) appears on the way down, not the way up. Many older maps and blogs, including some of our older guides, show it on the way up, and Sintra's 2026 mobility plan also "adjusted" the route. To head uphill, board at Sintra station or Lourel. The stop order has changed before, so check it on the day.
The full 2026 stop list (operator)
Estação de Sintra → Melhor Croissant da Minha Rua → Chão de Meninos → São Pedro de Sintra → Casa dos Cantoneiros → Fonte da Sabuga → Palácio Biester → Quinta de Santo António → Quinta Velha → Portão das Vacas → Lagos → Castelo dos Mouros → Palácio da Pena → São Pedro – Feira → São Pedro de Sintra → Casa dos Cantoneiros → Vila de Sintra → Estação de Sintra
Other Sintra Experiences You Might Enjoy
Visitors riding the 434 often book a timed Pena Palace entry ticket, a tuk-tuk ride from Sintra station up to the Moorish Castle, a guided visit to Quinta da Regaleira and its Initiation Well, or a half-day trip from Lisbon that takes care of the hill for them. Browse the live options below.
Bus 434 Tickets and Prices in 2026
Buy the 24-hour 434 + 435 ticket online. It's the cheapest official price, and it covers both tourist lines all day.
| Where you see it | What it is | Should you pay it? |
|---|---|---|
| Online: sintra434.com or the Parques de Sintra ticket office | 24h 434 + 435, online price: €10.96 in October 2026 | Yes, this is the cheapest official price |
| Operator FAQ "list price" | Day ticket before the online discount: €13.50 (the FAQ also promises 8% off online) | Higher |
| Struck-through price or tariff sheet | Full walk-up or on-board day rate | Highest. Avoid it by buying online |
| Old blogs | Out-of-date 2025 prices | Ignore |
Prices as published in October 2026. The operator's own pages disagree (8% off €13.50 would be about €12.42, not €10.96), so check the live price when you buy.
Other ticket rules
- Single tickets exist on paper (about €4.70 in 2026, according to independent guides; the operator doesn't publish it) but are reportedly often not sold at peak times.
- Children pay from age 4. There's no family, group or senior ticket.
- Payment: card or cash at sales points and on board.
- Non-refundable.
- Lisboa Card: not valid. Navegante pay-as-you-go ("zapping") credit is not confirmed as valid on the 434, so assume it isn't. The exception is the new 434 A shuttle from Lourel (below), where EMES says Navegante card holders get unlimited rides.
- CP's Train & Bus combined ticket is "temporarily suspended". Details are in our Lisbon to Sintra train guide.
Better-value bundles
If you're visiting Pena and the National Palace, Parques de Sintra's "Feel Sintra: Royal Palaces" bundle includes the Pena Essential Visit, the National Palace of Sintra and a 24-hour 434/435 pass in one purchase. It's sold by Parques de Sintra; the ticket options are compared in our Pena Palace tickets guide.
Family maths: with no family ticket, a family of four pays for four bus passes, €43.84 even at the online price. For three or more people, Uber, Bolt or a taxi is often cheaper and more comfortable.
How Long Are the Queues for Bus 434?
Anywhere from zero to 90+ minutes, depending almost entirely on when you go.
- Early morning (first buses from about 08:50): short or no queue.
- Mid-morning to mid-afternoon in high season: long queues. In October 2026, reviewers reported waiting over 90 minutes and watching several full buses pass their stop without stopping.
- Late afternoon at Pena (about 16:00–18:00): a long queue to get down, often 30 minutes or more.
- Summer: standing room only on a winding mountain road, with little shade at the stops.
5 ways to beat the bus 434 queue
- Board at the first stop. That's Sintra station or Lourel. Buses fill there and may pass later stops full.
- Be on a bus by about 9:30. The first departures are the emptiest.
- Ride the loop in order: castle, then Pena.
- Don't queue to come down. Walk the forest trail or call an Uber or Bolt from the Pena pick-and-ride point.
- Build in a buffer. Allow at least 60 minutes of transport time before a timed Pena palace slot.
How the timed slots work, and which ticket to buy, is in our Pena Palace tickets guide for 2026. If you'd sooner have the entry sorted before you leave home, the Pena Palace and Park entrance ticket is rated 4.3/5 from 22,143 reviews on GetYourGuide.
Lourel Park-and-Ride: Where to Start if You Drive
Sintra has a large free park-and-ride at Lourel, with around 540 spaces, run by EMES (the municipal parking company). There are public toilets, a Parques de Sintra ticket and information point, and buses 434 and 435 depart directly from the car park.
- Driving? Park at Lourel and take the 434. Don't try to drive into the centre or up the hill, where private cars are banned. Parking, tariffs and the car rules are all in our guide to driving to Sintra.
- Coming by tour coach? Since 8 July 2026, large coaches unload at Lourel instead of in town, which is partly why the 434 is busier.
The new 434 A shuttle (October 2026)
On 12 October 2026 EMES announced the 434 A, a short circuit from the Lourel car park to the Volta do Duche (the historic centre), Sintra station and back to Lourel, with a bus every 15 minutes. It sells 24-hour and single tickets, and EMES says Navegante card holders ride it with unlimited travel. It doesn't climb to the castle or Pena, so for the palaces you still need the 434. It's handy for reaching the town centre and Quinta da Regaleira from the car park, or for getting back to your car at the end of the day. It's new, so check times and fares at the Lourel information point.
Bus 435 and Bus 1253: for Regaleira and Monserrate
Bus 434 does not stop at Quinta da Regaleira or Monserrate. For those, you have two options.
| Bus | Route | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 435 "Villa Express 4 Palácios" (Scotturb) | Station / Lourel → centre → Regaleira → Seteais → Monserrate | Included in the 24h 434/435 pass | Small minibus; 2026 reviewers report hour-long waits, and one was told it wasn't running. Check before relying on it. |
| 1253 (Carris Metropolitana), our pick | Circular: station → São Pedro → centre → Regaleira → Seteais → Monserrate → Colares → Cabo da Roca → station | Cheap; live times on Google Maps; runs from early morning to evening | Separate fare (cheaper with a Navegante card) |
Our pick: for Regaleira and Monserrate, bus 1253 is usually more reliable than the 435. Quinta da Regaleira is also an easy 10-minute walk from the historic centre, and Monserrate has its own guide.
Alternatives to Bus 434
| Option | Cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa Sassetti trail, our pick | Free | 1,850 m, ~45 min to the castle side (Parques de Sintra: "moderate") | Fit walkers; the best way down |
| Santa Maria trail | Free | 1,770 m, ~1 hour | Walkers starting from São Pedro |
| Seteais trail | Free | 2,410 m, ~1.5 hours | A long, scenic route |
| Uber / Bolt | € (a few euros station → Pena; surges at peak) | 10–20 min plus traffic | Groups of 3+; only at official pick-and-ride points |
| Taxi | €–€€ | As above | Exempt from the 2026 ride-hail stop rules |
| Tuk-tuk | €€–€€€ (per vehicle or per person; agree first) | Flexible | Fun and flexible; good for small groups. A private tuk-tuk tour around Sintra is $86, 4.9/5 from 94 reviews |
| Guided tour | €€–€€€€ | Door to door | Skipping the bus question entirely; Stas Tours' half-day Pena and Regaleira tour is $88, 4.9/5 from 1,351 reviews |
Uber and Bolt pick-and-ride points (since 8 July 2026)
Ride-hail cars may stop only at signed points: Largo Dr. Virgílio Horta (by the town hall, near the station), Sousa Brandão, Carlos França, Volta do Duche, Estrada do Macieira, the Pena, Seteais and Monserrate palaces, the Moorish Castle, the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, Quinta de Monserrate/Thiago and the Capuchos Convent. Taxis are exempt. Expect longer pick-up waits at peak times. Taxis, tuk-tuks and ride-hail are compared in our guide to getting around Sintra.
Don't confuse these with bus 434
- The Pena Park transfer runs from the park's main entrance up to the palace door, every 15 minutes. It's a separate ticket, bought with your Pena entry.
- The Pena Park Hop On Hop Off circuit is an electric loop inside the park (Picadeiro, Lakes, Abegoaria, Chalet). It is not the gate-to-palace transfer.
Bus 434 for Families and Accessibility
Motion sickness
The climb is winding and often standing-room only. Give children a forward-facing seat if you can, avoid eating just before, and pack travel-sickness remedies.
Pushchairs
Folded pushchairs are generally accepted, although there's no published rule. A compact fold or a baby carrier is easiest.
Shade
The stops have little shelter. Bring water and sun protection in summer.
Wheelchairs
The operator says its fleet has ramps and wheelchair spaces, but user reports are mixed. Contact the operator in advance. Inside Pena Park, the Hop On Hop Off circuit can carry wheelchair users. More in our Sintra accessibility guide.
When Bus 434 Won't Run Normally
- Fire risk (June–September): hot, dry days can close Pena and the Moorish Castle at short notice. In 2026 this happened on 13 June and 3–6 July. The National Palace and Queluz usually stay open.
- Storms: after Storm Kristin (January 2026), the bus ran with smaller vehicles from 14 February, and the normal route returned on 28 February.
- Events: road races close the roads into town and up to Pena for a morning, the Sintra Trail Cruz Alta at the start of November among them. Expect a late, limited 434 on race days.
Check before you go: Parques de Sintra notices (parquesdesintra.pt, under Avisos) and Sintra council (cm-sintra.pt).
Rather Skip the Bus Altogether?
Ratings and review counts as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
- Door to the Pena gate: Inside Lisbon's small-group Sintra tour ($55 with Pena admission, 4.8/5 from 3,242 reviews) or the small-group Sintra, Pena, Cabo and Cascais tour ($78, 4.8/5 from 5,232 reviews), which lets you choose a Pena or Regaleira ticket.
- Fun and flexible: the private tuk-tuk tour around Sintra picks you up near the station; it has 94 reviews, so read the recent ones.
- Going DIY? Book your Pena Palace time slot and leave at least 60 minutes for the bus.
Bus 434 routes, prices and timetables are poorly published and changed during 2026. Sintra's traffic rules also changed in July 2026 and face a court challenge. We last checked everything in October 2026, so check on the day.
Keep Planning Your Sintra Day
Sintra Bus 434: Frequently Asked Questions
Does bus 434 go both ways?
No. It's a one-way loop: Sintra station, up to the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, then down through São Pedro and the historic centre back to the station. Visit the castle first, then Pena.
How much is bus 434 in 2026?
The cheapest official option is the 24-hour 434 + 435 ticket bought online, which sintra434.com showed at €10.96 in October 2026. The operator's FAQ still quotes €13.50 for the day ticket, and prices on board or at kiosks can be higher. Children pay from age 4.
Can I use the Lisboa Card or a Navegante card on bus 434?
Not the Lisboa Card. Monthly Navegante passes are reported as valid, but pay-as-you-go Navegante credit isn't confirmed, so buy a 434 ticket. Navegante card holders do get unlimited rides on the new 434 A shuttle from Lourel to the town centre and station.
What time does bus 434 start and finish?
The operator says the bus runs from about 08:50 to 18:40, with the last bus down from Pena at about 19:00. Its own FAQ also gives 19:08, so be at the Pena stop by 18:45.
How long is the queue for bus 434?
From none at 9am to 90 minutes or more at midday in peak season, based on reviews in October 2026. Board early at the first stop.
Does bus 434 stop at Quinta da Regaleira?
No. Take bus 435 or Carris Metropolitana bus 1253, or walk about 10 minutes from the historic centre.
Can I walk up to Pena Palace instead of taking the bus?
Yes. The Villa Sassetti trail is 1,850 m and takes about 45 minutes to the castle side. The Santa Maria trail takes about an hour. Both are steep but well signposted, and they're even better for walking down.
Can I take an Uber to Pena Palace?
Yes, but since July 2026 Uber and Bolt can only pick up and drop off at official pick-and-ride points, and Pena Palace is one of them.
Where should I board bus 434?
At Sintra station or the Lourel car park, the start of the loop, where you're most likely to get a seat.
Is bus 434 worth it?
Yes, if you ride early, in loop order, and walk or take an Uber down. For groups of three or more, an Uber or tuk-tuk can be cheaper and quicker.