An Epic Summer Adventure from Guildford to Lisbon – By Train (Mostly!)

Kerry Lewis
Jun 4
6 min read

My passion for travel began early. With a father who had journeyed to the farthest corners of the globe with the Merchant Navy, a mother who embraced relocating our entire family to the Middle East, and a brother who emigrated to Australia over a decade ago, it was hard not to feel inspired to explore. As a self-confessed philomath (a lover of learning), I believe that travel offers a rich, immersive way for people to understand and connect with the world around us—one that goes beyond the pages of Google or a quick ChatGPT search.

One of the most pivotal moments for me came while visiting the Athabasca Glacier. Seeing the effects of climate change in real time was sobering, and it motivated me to move from passive reading to active engagement in sustainability.

*Overlooking the Athabasca Glacier in 2018. It loses 5m of depth every year, and has already receded 1.5km, largely because of rising temperatures.*

A Flight-Free Challenge

As much as I love to travel, I’m fully aware of its environmental impact. International tourism is responsible for over 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Air travel alone accounts for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, and when you factor in non-CO₂ effects - like contrails and nitrogen oxides - the total climate impact climbs to around 3.5%.

At the start of the year, while chatting with my friend Olivia (chair of Zero Carbon Guildford!), she threw down a challenge: could I plan an international trip without flying? As a keen surfer, a trip to the shores of Ericeira, Portugal seemed like the perfect goal. The twist? I had never planned a flight-free trip before - and had no idea where to start.

Kerry holding a surf board catching waves on a beach in Lisbon — *The goal? Catching waves in Lisbon, not catching a flight!*

Planning the Route

I quickly ruled out the 30-hour London-to-Lisbon bus after checking Omio. It was the cheapest option, but arguably the least comfortable. I also nixed the ferry to Santander or Bilbao; I’d taken a similar route before and, well, let’s just say The Bay of Biscay and I don’t get along. That left one option: trains.

Thanks to The Man in Seat 61 (an amazing resource for train travel), I mapped out an ambitious two-day rail journey from Guildford to Lisbon, passing through four countries and five capital cities:

Planned Route: Guildford → London → Paris → Barcelona → Madrid → Badajoz → Entroncamento → Lisbon

A map of the south of the Uk highlighting the journey through Europe to Lisbon of the train route — *The route – covering more than 2800km by train*

When I spotted a flash sale on Interrail passes, I snapped up a 5-day first-class Global Pass which gave me some wiggle room in case of delays (smart move, as it turned out). The standard pass was cheaper, but with the first class pass I would be able to reserve both types of seating, rather than just standard, with the added benefit of greater legroom.

What I didn’t realise until after buying the pass was that I still needed to pay for seat reservations on many routes. And worse, Spanish and Portuguese trains often can’t be booked online via the Interrail app or third-party sites like Rail Europe. I decided to book as far as Barcelona in advance and handle the rest on the road.

Day 1: Guildford to Barcelona

Platform at Guildford Station — *Starting out at Guildford Station bright and early.*

The adventure began at 7am, backpack strapped on, nerves and excitement high. Despite my tendency to overpack, I was amazed how much fit into my 50L bag thanks to packing cubes (game-changer!).

Kerry's backpack packed with all her belongings for her trip to Lisbon on the train — *Just me and my backpack for the next couple of days*

Eurostar security at St Pancras was quick and painless. I had time to spare and probably could’ve waited a bit longer before going through bag check. The train to Paris was smooth as ever, delivering me to Gare du Nord on time.

I made the self-transfer across Paris, initially wasting 10 minutes in a long queue for metro tickets. A tip for future travellers: download the Bonjour RATP app in advance - you’ll save time, especially on tight connections.

After a quick ride on the RER, I paused to charge up my phone at Gare de Lyon before boarding the train to Barcelona. The journey to Barcelona was one of my favourites - we flew past vineyards, lakes, and Mediterranean coastlines, and the top-deck seat I’d scored offered gorgeous views. Twelve hours after leaving Guildford, I arrived in Barcelona feeling surprisingly fresh.

My hostel was a short walk from Barcelona Sants station - clean, convenient, and affordable. Only downside? The ticket office had just closed, meaning I’d have to return at 5:30am to book the next leg.

Platform sign indicating the End of the Journey — *It’s like the sign was trying to forewarn me…*

Day 2: Barcelona to Lisbon (with a Few Hiccups)

Despite not being a morning person, I was excited to continue. I arrived early at the station with a list of Spanish and Portuguese train legs I wanted to reserve. The Renfe staff member was lovely… until she hit a snag. Thanks to a recent nationwide power outage, all trains beyond Madrid were fully booked. Buying separate tickets wasn’t an option either.

Cue: mild panic.

Barcelo Sants train station at night — *Very early start to sort the tickets!*

Determined not to be defeated, I grabbed a seat on a later train to Badajoz and made a beeline for the 7:30am departure to Madrid, hoping I could rework the plan en route.

Though unexpected, the journey through the Spanish mountains was breathtaking - and the extra time gave me a chance to explore Madrid’s tropical train station garden and revise my route.

At the Renfe desk, another kind employee helped me reserve my return journey (lesson learned!), though no earlier options to Badajoz were available. I also discovered that while online bookings aren’t an option in Spain, you can call Renfe up to 72 hours in advance to reserve tickets - a tip for future travellers!

The Final Push

My big question now: how to get from Badajoz to Lisbon, knowing I’d miss the last train?

In a stroke of luck, I found a bus leaving Badajoz for Lisbon Oriente that would take 2.5 hours - done deal.

Screenshot of train details to Lisbon — *The Solution!*

The train ride to Badajoz was peaceful, and by now I was in a rhythm: reading, window-gazing, messaging friends with travel updates.

Confidence restored, I arrived in Badajoz… only to find the train and bus stations were not next to each other. With 50 minutes until departure and a heavy pack, I scrambled to find a taxi.

My rusty GCSE Spanish came in handy: I tracked down someone who pointed me to a local taxi number and made it into a cab just in time. The driver, clearly amused by my flustered state, put pedal to metal when I told him “menos cuarto!” (quarter to!).

I just made the bus - snacks forgotten, bathroom skipped - but grateful nonetheless. The ride was smooth, the seats comfy, and I even managed a nap. Pulling into Lisbon just before midnight, I was exhausted but exhilarated.

Was It Worth It?

Absolutely. It took me just under 40 hours - 34 more than flying - but every moment was part of the experience. I saw cities, landscapes, and train platforms I never would’ve otherwise. I problem solved, adapted and learned.

One of the greatest advantages of travelling by train, is the flexibility it offers. If there are cancellations (or in my case, a nationwide power outage!) you can usually find an alternative route, unlike flying where I may have been stuck at home!

For me, the conclusion is simple: if you love adventure, care about your carbon footprint, and are open to a few detours, skipping the plane can transform your holiday into something unforgettable.

How You Can Do It Too

Thinking of skipping the flight? Here are my top tips:

Use Interrail or Eurail passes: Flexible and good value. First class is worth it for longer trips.
Use The Man in Seat 61: The best train travel site out there.
Book routes early: Renfe and Comboios de Portugal don’t integrate well with Interrail—try booking at stations or call up to 72 hours in advance.
Pack light: My 50L backpack and packing cubes made travel a breeze.
Double check the start and end points of each journey before you set off: Allow enough time for transfers, especially if you plan to switch transport modes.
Be flexible: Delays happen. Treat detours as part of the story.

From Guildford with Purpose

If you're based in Surrey and dreaming of a summer escape, I challenge you: could your next adventure be flight-free?

Join Zero Carbon Guildford on Guildford Green Day, Sunday 8th June, at our pop-up travel booth! We’ll be sharing stories and tips to inspire your next low-carbon holiday. Have you taken a longer or more interesting journey without flying? Enter our "Race Sustainably Across the World" competition for your chance to win a hamper of goodies from the Co-Op.