Lisbon

Lisbon public transport: tickets, passes and apps

For 1–2 days of metro and tram hops, load a rechargeable Navegante card (about €0.50, check) and pay €1.85 a ride; switch to the 24-hour ticket at about €7 only when you will ride four or more times in a day. Buy at metro station machines, not from the driver. Contactless bank cards are not the standard way to pay across the network — check before relying on them.

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Updated Sep 20264 min read

GuideLisbon

Key facts

Best for 1–2 dayscheck: Navegante card, €1.85 per ride (2026 estimate)
Best for heavy dayscheck: 24-hour ticket, about €7 (2026 estimate); pays off at four or more rides in a day
Card costcheck: About €0.50, rechargeable, keep it for the next trip
Where to buy: Metro station machines and ticket offices; not on trams or buses
Airport to centrecheck: Metro red line toward the centre, about 20 min (check route and time)
Contactless bank cardcheck: Not the standard way to pay across the network; check
Sintra and Cascais: Suburban train, €2.40–2.60 one way, tap a Navegante card

Ticket table

Lisbon runs on one stored-value card, the Navegante (formerly Viva Viagem), plus single tickets and time-based passes. Prices below are 2026 estimates; confirm at the machine before you load.

The card itself is a one-off cost and stays valid for years, so keep it for your next trip. Load it with either pay-as-you-go credit or a time pass — the two do not mix on the same card.

Buy the card once, then reload it at any metro machine.
Validate every ride, including on trams and funiculars.
Inspectors do check; an unvalidated card is treated as no ticket.

Ticket table
Ticket	Price (2026 estimate)	Zones	Valid for
Single ride (Navegante card)	€1.85	1 zone (city)	One journey, metro or tram
Single ride (on board)	Check	1 zone	One journey, bought from the driver
24-hour ticket	About €7	Coverage check	24 h from first validation
Navegante card	About €0.50	—	Rechargeable, keep it
Sintra / Cascais suburban train	€2.40–2.60	—	One journey

How to pay

The practical route is a Navegante card from a metro station machine or ticket office. Machines take coins, notes and most bank cards; the interface has English. Load pay-as-you-go credit for occasional rides, or a 24-hour pass when you will ride four or more times in a day.

Contactless bank cards and phones are not the standard way to pay across the whole Lisbon network — check at the station before you plan around it. Do not count on tapping a US or UK card at the gate.

On trams and buses you can buy a single ticket from the driver, but it costs more and you need cash. Funiculars and the Santa Justa lift use the same card system.

Metro station machines: cards, notes, English menu
Ticket offices: same prices, human help
On board: cash only, higher fare
Apps: check the operator's own app for timetables; ticket purchase by app is limited

Zones and what they cover

Central Lisbon — metro, most trams, buses, funiculars — sits in one zone, so a single fare covers a hop from Baixa to Belém by tram or a metro ride across the city. The suburban trains to Sintra and Cascais tap the same card at a low fare.

If you are heading further out, fares rise by zone. For a normal city visit you will not leave zone 1 except on the Sintra or Cascais train.

Zones and what they cover
Area	Covered by	Fare
Central Lisbon metro, trams, buses	Navegante card, 24 h ticket	€1.85 / about €7
Sintra train	Navegante card	€2.40–2.60
Cascais train	Navegante card	€2.40–2.60
Outer zones	Zonal fare, check	Rises by zone

From the airport

Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) has a metro station on the red line running toward the centre — Saldanha, Alameda and on to Oriente (check the route and journey time). The ride is short and cheap, and the same Navegante card works. Buy the card at the airport station machine before you go through the gate.

A taxi or ride-hailing car is faster with luggage and costs more; agree the meter or the app price. If you are staying near the airport, see hotels near Lisbon airport.

Metro red line: airport toward the centre, about 20 min (check)
Navegante card: buy at the airport station machine
Taxi or app car: door to door, higher cost
Aerobus and city buses: check current routes

Tips

Validate your card on every journey, even when the gate is open. Inspectors board trams and metro cars and an unvalidated card counts as travelling without a ticket.

Keep the card for your next visit — it does not expire quickly and reloading is cheaper than buying a new one.

The Glória funicular 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 ride. For hills, trams 28 and 24 cover much of the same ground.

Metro runs roughly 06:30–01:00; trams and buses start later and finish earlier. Check the last service if you are out late.

Questions people ask

What is the best public transport ticket in Lisbon?

For 1–2 days, a rechargeable Navegante card at €1.85 a ride is cheapest. Switch to the 24-hour ticket at about €7 once you will ride four or more times in a day. Buy at a metro station machine.

Can I pay by contactless card in Lisbon?

Not as the standard way across the network — check at the station. The reliable method is a Navegante card loaded with credit or a pass. On-board tickets cost more and need cash.

How much is a day pass in Lisbon?

The 24-hour ticket is about €7 (2026 estimate); coverage is worth confirming at the machine. It starts from first validation, so validate when you begin, not when you buy.

Deep dive

Every source; changeable facts are marked check