Lisbon transportation guide

Getting around Lisbon by metro, tram, bus, and train

A practical guide to Lisbon Metro, Carris trams and buses, CP urban trains to Sintra and Cascais, and Tagus ferries — everything you need to move through the capital with confidence.

Quick Start Know the System

Metro, trams & buses

Four metro lines cover the city centre and airport. Historic trams reach hilltop neighborhoods. Carris buses fill every gap. One Viva Viagem card covers all three.

How to pay

Get a Viva Viagem card at any metro station. Load a 24-hour pass or charge it with credit for individual trips. CP trains to Sintra and Cascais need a separate ticket or navigator pass.

Where to go

From Lisbon you can reach Sintra in 40 minutes, Cascais in 35, Setúbal by Fertagus, and the Alentejo by intercity train. Ferries cross the Tagus to the south bank in under 10 minutes.

01 — Know the system

Lisbon Metro

Metropolitano de Lisboa operates four lines that cover the main tourist areas, business districts, and the airport. The metro is the fastest way to cross the city and to reach Humberto Delgado Airport.

Line 1 — Blue (Azul)

Reboleira ↔ Santa Apolónia. Runs through the Baixa city centre and connects to the main CP rail terminal at Santa Apolónia.

Good for: city centre, riverfront, Oriente

Line 2 — Yellow (Amarela)

Rato ↔ Odivelas. Connects the upscale Marquês de Pombal area northward through residential suburbs.

Good for: Marquês de Pombal, northern suburbs

Line 3 — Green (Verde)

Telheiras ↔ Cais do Sodré. Passes through Baixa-Chiado and connects to the Cascais CP train line at Cais do Sodré.

Good for: Chiado, Cais do Sodré, Cascais transfers

Line 4 — Red (Vermelha)

São Sebastião ↔ Aeroporto. The airport line — direct and frequent.

Good for: airport transfers, Oriente station

Viva Viagem card: Purchase at any metro station (€0.50 card fee). Load a 24-hour unlimited pass for €6.70, or add credit for pay-per-trip rides. Tap to validate every time you board — even when transferring between lines.

Carris — Trams & Buses

Carris operates Lisbon's iconic trams and the bus network. Trams are slower than the metro but essential for reaching hilltop neighborhoods like Alfama, Graça, and Estrela. Buses cover the full city including areas no tram or metro serves.

Tram 28E

Martim Moniz → Campo de Ourique. The most famous tram route — winds through Alfama, Graça, and the old city. Iconic but very crowded in tourist season.

Good for: sightseeing, Alfama, Graça

Tram 15E

Praça da Figueira → Algés. Modern tram running west along the riverfront toward Belém and Algés.

Good for: Belém, Torre de Belém, Jerónimos

Tram 18E

Cais do Sodré → Ajuda. Runs west through Santos and Alcântara toward the palace district.

Good for: Alcântara, Ajuda

Carris Buses

Extensive network covering all city districts. Night buses (marked N) run after midnight. Use the Carris/MobiCascais app for live arrivals and route planning.

Good for: everywhere the metro and trams don't reach

CP Urban Trains

CP operates three urban lines out of Lisbon, each departing from a different city-centre station. These are the main way to reach Sintra, Cascais, and the Azambuja corridor — and they are separate from the metro system.

Linha de Sintra

Departs from Rossio or Oriente. Reaches Sintra in ~40 min. Frequent service throughout the day.

Departs from: Rossio / Roma-Areeiro / Oriente

Linha de Cascais

Departs from Cais do Sodré (end of Metro Line 3). Reaches Cascais in ~35 min along the scenic Tagus estuary coast.

Departs from: Cais do Sodré

Linha de Azambuja

Departs from Santa Apolónia or Oriente. Serves the northern Ribatejo region through Santarém.

Departs from: Santa Apolónia / Oriente

Fertagus (South bank)

Crosses the 25 de Abril bridge to connect Oriente with Setúbal via the south bank. Separate operator — buy tickets at Fertagus machines.

Departs from: Roma-Areeiro / Oriente

Important: CP urban train tickets are not included on the Viva Viagem metro/bus pass. Buy a separate CP ticket or a Lisboa Card (which covers both) before boarding the Sintra or Cascais lines.

Tagus Ferries

Transtejo and Soflusa operate ferry routes across the Tagus river from central Lisbon to the south bank. Fast, scenic, and far less crowded than tourist buses.

Terreiro do Paço → Cacilhas

~10 min crossing. Cacilhas has seafood restaurants and access to the Cristo Rei statue. Very frequent departures.

Good for: day trips, Cristo Rei

Cais do Sodré → Cacilhas / Montijo / Seixal / Barreiro

Multiple routes cross to the Setúbal Peninsula. Barreiro connects to CP trains for the Alentejo and Algarve.

Good for: south bank, Alentejo connections

02 — Plan the route

Key routes from Lisbon

Always confirm which station your CP train departs from — Rossio, Cais do Sodré, Santa Apolónia, and Oriente each serve different lines. Use the CP app or cp.pt to plan before you go.

Lisbon → Sintra

~40 min from Rossio or Oriente. Frequent departures. Buy a CP ticket — not covered by metro pass.

Train type: Urban (Linha de Sintra)

Lisbon → Cascais

~35 min from Cais do Sodré. Scenic coastal route along the Tagus estuary. Frequent service.

Train type: Urban (Linha de Cascais)

Lisbon → Setúbal

~1 hr via Fertagus from Oriente crossing the 25 de Abril bridge. Separate Fertagus ticket required.

Train type: Fertagus

Lisbon → Porto

~2 h 45 min (AP) or ~3.5 hrs (IC) from Oriente or Santa Apolónia. Book ahead for best fares.

Train type: AP / IC

Lisbon → Évora

~1.5 hrs by IC from Oriente. Gateway to the Alentejo — whitewashed villages and Roman ruins.

Train type: IC

Lisbon → Faro (Algarve)

~2.5–3 hrs by AP or IC from Oriente via the south. Book well ahead in summer.

Train type: AP / IC

Useful apps: Metropolitano de Lisboa app (metro map and service alerts), Carris app (tram and bus live arrivals), CP app (train schedules and ticket purchase), Moovit (multi-modal journey planning across all operators).

Getting to and from the airport

Humberto Delgado Airport is served by Metro Line 4 (Red) — Aeroporto station is on the line. A single metro trip to the city centre takes around 20–30 minutes depending on your destination. Validate your Viva Viagem card before boarding on the platform level.

Tip: A Lisboa Viva annual card or a 24-hour pass is worth it if you plan multiple metro trips in a day. The airport single trip alone costs more than the day pass if you ride more than twice.

03 — Buy correctly

How to purchase tickets

Get a Viva Viagem card at any metro station machine (€0.50 card fee). This card is required — you cannot use a bank card to tap directly on metro gates.
Choose what to load: a 24-hour unlimited pass (€6.70) covers metro, Carris buses, and trams. Or load credit (Zapping) for pay-per-trip fares.
CP trains (Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja): Buy at CP ticket machines at Rossio, Cais do Sodré, or Oriente. These tickets are separate from your metro card. Show or scan at the gate before boarding.
Fertagus: Buy at Fertagus ticket machines inside Oriente station. Do not use a CP or metro ticket on Fertagus trains.
IC and AP long-distance trains: Book online at cp.pt or at the ticket office. Seat reservation is mandatory — prices rise closer to departure.
Ferries: Buy at the ticket booth at the ferry terminal. Viva Viagem Zapping credit can be used on some Transtejo routes — check at the terminal before you go.

Lisboa Card: If you plan heavy sightseeing plus transport, the Lisboa Card (24/48/72 hr) includes unlimited metro, bus, tram, and Sintra/Cascais CP trains, plus free or discounted entry to major attractions. Compare the cost against your planned trips before buying.

Fares and passes

Reference ranges only — always verify current prices at the operator's website or machines before traveling.

Service	Approximate range	Notes
Metro single trip	~€1.61	Viva Viagem card required.
Metro 24-hr pass	~€6.70	Covers metro, Carris buses and trams.
Tram 28E single	~€3.00 cash / cheaper with Viva Viagem	Buy on board with cash or validate card.
CP Lisbon → Sintra	~€2.40 each way	Separate CP ticket; not on metro pass.
CP Lisbon → Cascais	~€2.40 each way	Departs Cais do Sodré.
Ferry Terreiro do Paço → Cacilhas	~€1.40 each way	Very frequent; scenic river crossing.
IC / AP Lisbon → Porto	~€20–50	Book ahead for lowest fares.
Lisboa Card 24 hr	~€22 adult	Includes metro, buses, trams, CP urban trains.

04 — Ride with confidence

What to know before you board

Do

Validate your Viva Viagem card at the metro gate before every journey — even transfers between lines.
Check which CP station your train departs from — Rossio (Sintra line), Cais do Sodré (Cascais line), Oriente and Santa Apolónia (intercity and Azambuja).
Allow extra time for tram 28E — it runs slowly through narrow streets and gets very crowded in peak tourist hours.
Book IC and AP tickets online at cp.pt in advance, especially in summer and around holidays.
Check service alerts before traveling — metro and CP often have weekend engineering works.

Don't

Assume your metro/bus pass covers CP trains to Sintra or Cascais — it doesn't. Buy a separate CP ticket.
Board tram 28E with large luggage during peak hours — it is extremely crowded and pickpocketing is common on this route.
Confuse Oriente (main intercity hub in the east) with Santa Apolónia (older terminus slightly west) — both serve long-distance trains but have different timetables.
Wait until the last minute for ferry boarding — they fill up quickly on summer evenings.
Ignore the real-time boards at metro stations — Lisbon Metro is reliable but occasional single-line suspensions do happen.

Photos & videos

See Lisbon's transport in action

Embed a YouTube video here: how to use Lisbon Metro and buy a Viva Viagem card.

Lisbon transportation guide — Add original photos of Lisbon trams, metro stations, and CP platforms for stronger reader trust.

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