Getting around in Lisbon

If you are planning to visit the Portuguese capital or have just landed in the city, it is quite natural that you are wondering how to get around Lisbon.

This European capital is smaller in size than others, such as Paris or London, so even walking can be a good option. Still, many other public and private transportation solutions exist, to ensure that you get around as easily as possible.

We leave you a list of transportation options that the city offers – from the most economical and practical to the most touristic – so that you can know how you can move around Lisbon and enjoy every detail of the City of the Seven Hills.

Lisbon Metro

The Lisbon Underground – or simply Metro – is always a good way to get around the city, being a fast means of transport, that avoids the frequent traffic stops and that you can catch immediately upon your arrival, since it has connections to the Airport, the Ferries, the bus station, and the train stations.

The Metro has four fundamental lines, which you can see in the diagrams made available in the public spaces. These are:

Metro Blue Line

It connects Santa Apolónia Station (trains) to Reboleira and has 18 stations along its route, which include very interesting places in the city, including its center. Stations such as Marquês de Pombal, Avenida (da Liberdade), Restauradores, and Baixa-Chiado are among those where you might want to go to see the historical part of Lisbon. It also takes you to the Zoo, where it connects with the bus terminal.

Metro Green Line

From Cais do Sodré to Telheiras, the 13 stations of the green line can be an asset for those who want to take a boat or enjoy Lisbon’s urban and nightlife.

Yellow Metro Line

From Odivelas to Rato, the 13 stations of this line pass through such important places of the city as Marquês de Pombal, Campo Grande and Saldanha. It also makes the connection to the trains, in Entrecampos.

Metro Red Line

Connecting the airport to São Sebastião, this line also passes by the Oriente train station and is very useful for those visiting the city.

Since all these lines intersect at one station, you will always have a chance to pass through all of them. Unless you exit through the gates, you will spend only one trip, even if you cross all the lines on your trip.

Besides being fast, the Metro becomes a very economical option to move around Lisbon, and you can use its services daily between 6:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. To use the subway you must buy the rechargeable Viva Viagem ticket, and each person must have their own ticket (purchasable for 0.5 euros). You can buy a pack of trips or single trips, each of which costs 1.5 euros.

Buses and Tourist Buses in Lisbon

The city of Lisbon has several bus alternatives, including the Carris, Vimeca/LT buses and the city’s bus station. The most interesting for those who know the city, however, are the Carris urban buses, the Aerobus (specific buses that serve the airport) and the Hop-on Hop-off (specific for visiting the city and its main points of interest).

Carris buses can be used with the Viva Viagem Card (the same card you use in the Metro, but you can’t have Metro trips loaded to use it in the buses). The one-time cost of the rides is 2 euros and they are sold at most kiosks in town.

The Hop-on Hop-off buses are touristic buses that take you to the most emblematic points of the city. Usually their tickets are daily, and the value is variable. You will find tickets starting at 10 euros. The advantage is that you can get out at the sights to visit them and get back in again whenever you want, making it easy to cross paths with the imperative sites of any trip to Lisbon.

Private transport services in Lisbon

If you prefer to avoid public transportation, you can always opt for the alternatives of private transportation services.

As far as the apps are concerned, you can easily follow the regular procedures and take advantage of Uber, Cabify or Bolt’s chauffeur services.

Alternatively, you can also take a cab, and there are several designated locations where they are waiting to take you to your desired destination.

Other alternatives for getting around the capital

In addition to more practical travel, you may want to move around to see the city better from a different perspective. The following suggestions are ideal for curious travelers or those who want to have a different experience during their stay in Lisbon.

Cycling in Lisbon

Biking in Lisbon is an excellent option, and the city has extensive bike lanes that invite the activity. The city’s main bike paths connect:

• Saldanha and the Military College
• Cais do Sodré and Algés
• Belém and Parque das Nações
• Campo Grande and Parque das Nações
• Restauradores – Monsanto

You can use your own bicycle or rent a GIRA, an affordable service that allows you to experience the city’s more than 60 kilometers of bike paths in an economical way.

Lisbon Tram

Carris is the manager of Lisbon’s tramway and each trip costs 3 euros, and there are 12 streetcar routes in the city. Riding the streetcar is not always the fastest and most practical way to get around the city, but it invites you to enjoy a culturally unique moment full of tradition, so it is an excellent tourist experience.

Lisbon Cable Car

Equally interesting for tourist purposes is the Parque das Nações cable car or Expo Cable Car. This was integrated during Expo’98 and allows you to see some of the most beautiful views of the city.

The round-trip ticket is 9 euros for adults, 6 euros for children between the ages of 3 and 12, and free for children under 3.

Rent a car

In Lisbon there are several companies that offer cars for rent, and names like Sixt or Rent-a-car stand out. In fact, right inside the Airport upon your arrival, you will have the opportunity to rent a car.

To make this rental you will need a document validating your identity and the driving permit from your country of origin (the equivalent of a driver’s license). This way of getting around can be useful if you want greater freedom of schedules and routes, especially if you want to visit the areas bordering the city. It may, however, not be the best option to get to know Lisbon, since traffic and parking are not always easy in the metropolis.

Walking through Lisbon

The city of Lisbon is a true open-air museum. In addition to the magnificent monuments, for which, as we have already seen, there are numerous transportation options, there are other relics that you can get to know more easily if you walk around the city.

Here, we are talking about urban art – such as graffiti or the incredible creations of the artist Bordalo II – but also the architecture of the streets themselves, with many of the facades and palaces telling secular stories and offering details that deserve to be contemplated.

In addition, places such as the city parks, the riverside area, or the Monsanto Forest, offer pedestrian spaces where you can experience unmissable thrills and breathtaking views.