Overview
Lisbon's public transport is dense and efficient, and it will get you to almost every point in the city. The backbone is the Lisbon Metro (Portuguese: Metro de Lisboa), a four-line rapid transit system that opened in December 1959 as the first metro in Portugal. The wider network also includes Carris buses and trams, the Transtejo ferries across the Tagus, and the CP (Comboios de Portugal) suburban trains.
Riding it end to end is straightforward. You buy a reusable navegante smartcard (a small one-off fee), load it with either stored credit ("zapping") or a time-based pass, then tap in at the barriers. On the metro you swipe the card twice per journey — once on entry and once on exit. Keep your ticket or card until the end of your trip, as inspections are possible. The metro runs from about 6:30am until around 1am, with trains typically every 6–12 minutes depending on the time of day and weekday; most other transport runs roughly 6am to midnight.
One thing to plan around: the metro covers eastern, northern and southern Lisbon but does not reach the western districts (Belém, Estrela, Alcântara), Graça, or the highest part of Alfama. For Belém, use tram 15E instead, and in the historic districts of Alfama, Baixa and Chiado, walking is often quicker than the metro.
The network
Metro (Metro de Lisboa)
The metro has four colour-coded lines. As of 2023 the system totals 44.5 km of route and 56 stations (some sources count 46 km and 55 stations).
- Blue Line (Linha Azul) — runs from the northwest at Pontinha/Colégio Militar/Luz through the city centre.
- Yellow Line (Linha Amarela) — runs from Campo Grande to Rato via Marquês de Pombal.
- Green Line (Linha Verde) — runs from Telheiras/Campo Grande through Rossio to Cais do Sodré.
- Red Line (Linha Vermelha) — runs from Alameda to Oriente and the airport; the airport station is the line's terminus.
Suburban rail (CP — Comboios de Portugal)
CP trains connect Lisbon with the surrounding region from four major stations:
- Santa Apolónia — long-distance services.
- Cais do Sodré — the Cascais/Estoril line (trains roughly every 20 minutes, about 40 minutes to Cascais, stopping at Estoril and beach towns).
- Rossio — the Sintra line (under 40 minutes, trains roughly every 20 minutes throughout the day).
- Gare do Oriente — northern and western suburbs and most domestic destinations, including the high-speed Alfa Pendular and Intercidades services.
Validate your ticket before boarding. Alfa Pendular is the fastest service with fewer stops; Intercidades is comfortable but stops more often.
Trams (Carris)
Carris trams serve the narrow streets of the oldest districts and Belém's monuments. They are slower and more crowded than buses or trains. Tram numbers carry an "E" suffix — for example "28E" means tram 28. You buy tickets from the driver, except on tram 15, which has onboard ticket machines (coins only).
Buses (Carris)
Carris buses reach attractions the metro doesn't, such as the Tile Museum and Fronteira Palace, and are a good alternative to crowded trams. Tickets can be bought from the driver. Many (though not all) stops have real-time displays, though their accuracy varies.
Funiculars and elevators
Electric-powered funiculars and elevators connect to hilltop neighbourhoods such as Bairro Alto.
Ferries (Transtejo)
Transtejo ferries depart from Terreiro do Paço (near Praça do Comércio) and Cais do Sodré to river suburbs. The most tourist-relevant route is Cais do Sodré–Cacilhas, which gives access to the Cristo Rei monument and, by bus, the Costa da Caparica beaches.
Tickets & fares
Fares below are approximate and change; always check current prices with the operator. Most tickets are loaded onto a reusable navegante card, which costs about €0.50 and is bought from metro station ticket machines. One card per passenger. Ticket machines accept coins, notes and cards.
- Single fare: about €1.90 on the metro. There are no return tickets, but you can buy multiple singles.
- Zapping (stored credit): load €3–€40 onto your card; credit is valid for one year. This is the cheapest way to ride — roughly €1.72 per metro journey (one source quotes €1.47 per metro/bus/tram ride and €1.90 per train ride). Zapping works on the metro, trams, buses, ferries and the Cascais/Sintra rail lines. It is especially useful because most buses and trams do not accept bank cards. You can only buy or recharge zapping at metro station ticket machines, and you check your balance by inserting the card into a machine.
- Contactless bank card: accepted directly at the metro barriers for about €1.92 per ride.
- 24-hour unlimited pass: about €7.25, covering all Lisbon buses and trams (and funiculars), but excluding the Sintra/Cascais trains. It is purchasable only from metro station ticket machines and loaded onto a navegante card. A version including the Cascais/Sintra trains is also available at a higher price.
- Viva Viagem card: an alternative €0.50 card valid 12 months, bought from metro station machines; it holds one fare type at a time.
- Lisboa Card: a tourist pass available for 24, 48 or 72 hours, giving unlimited travel on buses, trams, funiculars, trains and metro within Lisbon plus trains to Cascais and Sintra, along with free admission to most monuments and museums (it excludes the AeroBus).
Zones: there are two fare zones, and all the main tourist areas — including the airport — fall in Zone 1.
Discounts: several reduced-fare schemes exist for residents, including Circula PT (a social tariff giving 50% or 25% off for low-income and disabled passengers), Sub23 (youth, ages 4–23, extended to 24 for certain health-related degrees), +65 (senior), a free navegante urbano 3ª idade pass for Lisbon residents aged 65+, and a retired/pensioner discount. These require a personalised navegante card and proof of eligibility, so they are mainly relevant if you live in or are staying long-term in Lisbon.
From the airport
Lisbon Airport (Aeroporto Humberto Delgado / Portela, LIS) lies about 7 km north of the city centre. All flights arrive at Terminal 1, where the metro station, bus stops and main taxi rank are located; Terminal 2 is used by low-fare carriers for departures and is reached by a free shuttle bus running at 10-minute intervals. If you depart on an EasyJet, Norwegian, Ryanair or Transavia flight, allow extra time to transfer to Terminal 2.
Public transport is the recommended option — it is cheaper, and Lisbon taxi drivers have a reputation for overcharging.
- Metro (Red Line): the airport station is the terminus of the Red Line, just outside arrivals. The journey to central Saldanha takes about 16 minutes, and under 25 minutes gets you to Baixa-Chiado with a change to the Green or Blue line. A single journey can cost as little as about €1.75 using zapping on the navegante card.
- Buses: lines 22, 44, 83, 705, 708, 744, 745 and night bus 208 serve the airport. Bus 44 reaches Oriente railway station in about 10 minutes, where you can change to the metro. The board fare is about €2, and the 7 Colinas transport card (buyable at the airport post office) can be used. Large pieces of luggage are not allowed on these buses.
For comparison, taxis cost about €16 to the city centre (plus about €1.20 per item of luggage), and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt cost about €13.
Etiquette & customs
- Queue and board in order. Locals queue politely at stops and platform doors; let passengers off before you board.
- Keep your ticket. Inspections can happen, so hold onto your card or ticket until you leave the system.
- Tap in and out. On the metro, swipe your card at both entry and exit barriers.
- Take your receipt. When buying or recharging at a ticket machine, keep the receipt in case of card problems.
- Rush hour. Trams and central metro lines get very crowded; travel outside peak times where you can, and expect to stand.
- Luggage. Large pieces of luggage are not permitted on the airport buses, so the metro is the better choice with heavy bags.
- Walking vs riding. In Alfama, Baixa and Chiado, walking is often faster than waiting for the metro — a local habit worth adopting.
Official links
Survival terms
- Metro (metro) — subway/metro
- Bilhete (bilhete) — ticket
- Linha (linha) — line
- Entrada (entrada) — entrance
- Saída (saída) — exit
- Transbordo (transbordo) — transfer
- Bilhete simples (bilhete simples) — single fare
- Passe diário (passe diário) — day pass
Buy a navegante card at the first metro station you reach, load it with zapping credit, and you'll have the cheapest, most flexible way to move around Lisbon for the rest of your stay.