Getting around Lisbon: public transport, passes and taxis

Lisbon is compact but built on hills, so the right mode changes block by block. The table below gives the price band and the trip each mode wins.

The Navegante card is the key to cheap travel. Buy it once, load credit or a time pass, and tap on metro, tram, bus, funicular and the suburban trains. A single ride costs €1.85; a 24-hour ticket costs about €7 and pays off at four rides. Longer passes exist for 72 hours and monthly use (check current prices).

Buy or top up at metro station machines and at Carris kiosks. Machines take cards and coins; some only take Portuguese debit cards, so keep coins as backup. You can also tap a contactless bank card on some readers, but the fare may be higher than the Navegante rate.

Validate every ride. Inspectors fine passengers without a validated ticket, and the fine is far more than the fare. On trams and funiculars, tap on the reader as you board.

The metro is the fastest way across the city. Four lines cover the airport, Oriente bus and train station, Cais do Sodré for Cascais trains, and the main central squares. Trains run roughly 06:30–01:00; the network is clean and easy to read (check exact first and last times).

Trams are for the hills and the views, not for speed. Tram 28 crosses Graça, Alfama and Bairro Alto and is packed with pickpockets and tourists; ride it early or late, or take tram 12E on a similar route with fewer crowds. Tram 15E runs to Belém along the river. Buses fill the gaps, including night routes.

The funiculars are the quickest way up the steepest streets. The Glória has been closed since the fatal crash in September 2025, and Bica and Lavra were closed too; Graça reopened in April 2026. Check before you plan a route around them.

Taxis are metered and plentiful. Short central hops usually come in under €10; the airport run to the centre is more, and there is a luggage surcharge. Use the meter, or agree a price before you get in for longer trips. Apps such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow work well and often cost slightly less than a street taxi, especially off-peak.

Ride-hailing is the easier option if you do not speak Portuguese or are carrying bags. Pick-up points in Alfama and Bairro Alto can be awkward because of narrow one-way streets, so walk to a main road first. At rush hour, the metro beats both.

Prices below are 2026 estimates. A day of four or more rides is cheaper on a 24-hour ticket; a day of two rides is cheaper paying per ride.

Walk the flat parts: Baixa, Chiado and the riverfront are easy on foot, and the 7 Hills tram tour is not needed if you use the metro for the long legs. Wear shoes with grip for cobbles, especially when wet.

Keep your card and phone out of back pockets on tram 28 and in the metro at rush hour; pickpocketing is the main risk. Buy tickets before boarding where possible, and keep small change for machines that reject foreign cards.

For day trips, the suburban train from Rossio or Cais do Sodré is the default to Sintra and Cascais. For longer trips around Portugal, see the country page.