Getting Around Lisbon by Tram, Metro and Ferry: What a Week Really Costs

The Cards and Passes You Will Actually Use

Almost every trip starts with a Viva Viagem card, bought for a small one-off fee at any metro station machine and topped up as you go. Single metro and bus rides sit in the modest low band, and the card also carries the 24-hour pass that covers metro, Carris trams, funiculars and buses. For a week, the decision is simple: count your daily trips. Under three rides a day, pay as you go; above that, the day pass wins almost every time.

The rechargeable card is valid for a year, so keep it. The alternative is the contactless bank card readers now on much of the Carris network, which charge the same single fare with no card fee. If you arrive at Humberto Delgado Airport, the metro red line from Aeroporto station reaches Alameda or Saldanha in roughly 20 minutes. Buy the card at the airport machine before boarding, and skip the taxi rank unless you are carrying heavy luggage to a hillside address in Alfama or Graça.

Tram 28, Tram 15 and the Elevators

Tram 28 is the famous one, and it is also the slowest and most crowded. It runs from Martim Moniz through Alfama and Baixa to Estrela and Campo de Ourique, and in high season queues at the terminus can eat 45 minutes. Ride it early, before 8am, or board mid-route at Rua da Conceição. Better still, take tram 12 from Praça da Figueira, which loops through Alfama with a fraction of the crowd and the same vintage carriages.

Tram 15 is the useful workhorse, running from Praça da Figueira along the river to Belém past the Jerónimos Monastery and the Torre de Belém in around 25 minutes. A single tram ticket bought on board costs more than a pre-paid Viva Viagem tap, so load credit first. The Elevador de Santa Justa and the Glória funicular are covered by the same day pass; the Santa Justa lift often has a long queue, and the walk up to Carmo from Baixa takes ten minutes.

Metro, Ferries and the River

The metro is fast, clean and cheap, with four lines that cover the city better than most visitors expect. Blue and yellow lines link Baixa-Chiado, Marquês de Pombal and Rato; the green line reaches Cais do Sodré and Rossio; the red line connects the airport to Alameda and São Sebastião. Trains run from around 6.30am to 1am, with short waits at peak times. Stations are deep, so allow five minutes for escalators at Baixa-Chiado.

The ferries from Cais do Sodré are the great value trip in Lisbon. Boats to Cacilhas take about ten minutes and cost the same as a metro ride with the Viva Viagem card; the view back to the city from the Cacilhas quay at sunset is worth the crossing alone. Ferries to Barreiro take around 30 minutes and are a commuter route rather than a sightseeing trip. Seagulls and spray included. Check the last return boat; Cacilhas runs late but not all night.

Budgeting the Week and Where to Stay

A realistic week for one person, staying central and moving three or four times a day, lands in the low double figures in euros: several day passes, a few pay-as-you-go rides, one ferry crossing and the card fee. Add a couple of taxi or rideshare trips for late nights in Bairro Alto or Alcântara and you are still well under what a single airport transfer costs in many European capitals. Keep small coins for the odd pastel de nata and coffee.

Where you sleep changes the maths more than any ticket. A hotel near Marquês de Pombal or Saldanha puts you on the metro and within walking distance of Avenida da Liberdade, cutting daily rides. Príncipe Real and Chiado are lovely but hilly; Alfama is atmospheric but hard on suitcases and steep streets. If you want river views and easy ferries, look at Cais do Sodré and Santos. Book early for May, June and September, when demand is highest and rates climb.