Lisbon Public Transport: Navegante Card, Zapping, Trams and Passes Explained

Lisbon’s metro, buses, trams, funiculars, trains and ferries are cheap and good, but the ticket system confuses almost everyone at first. The green card used to be called “Viva Viagem”, now it’s “navegante”, and then there’s “zapping”. Here’s how it all works.

Quick answer: buy a reusable navegante card (€0.50) at any metro station and load it with zapping credit (start with €10–15). Tap in on every journey. Doing lots of trips in one day? Load a 24-hour pass instead.

Fares at a glance (2026)

Ticket	Price	Covers
navegante card	€0.50 (one-off)	The reusable card everything goes on
Single journey (Carris/Metro)	€1.90	One trip, valid for an hour
Zapping (pay as you go)	€1.72 per metro/bus trip	Credit on your card, cheaper than singles
24h Carris/Metro	€7.25	Unlimited metro, buses, trams, funiculars, Santa Justa lift
24h Carris/Metro/CP	€11.40	All of the above plus trains to Sintra and Cascais
Tram/bus ticket bought on board	Around €3.30 (tram)	Much more expensive, so avoid

Prices checked October 2026 and can change. Check the machines or the Carris and Metro websites.

The navegante card

The green paper card (navegante ocasional) is sold at metro station machines and ticket offices for €0.50 and lasts about a year. A few things trip people up:

• One card per person. You can’t pay for two people with one card.
• One type of ticket at a time. A card can hold zapping credit or a 24-hour pass or single tickets, not a mix. Use up one before loading another (or carry two cards).
• Tap in every time, including when you change lines or get on a tram. Inspectors check, and fines are high.
• On the metro you can also tap a contactless bank card for a single fare, handy if you only need a couple of trips.

Which ticket should you get?

• A few trips a day: zapping. Cheapest and most flexible.
• Five or more trips in a day, or lots of tram rides: the €7.25 24-hour pass.
• Sintra or Cascais day trip plus city travel: the €11.40 24-hour pass with CP trains.
• Sightseeing hard for 1–3 days: the Lisboa Card includes transport plus free or discounted entry to many sights. It’s worth it if you’ll visit several paid attractions.

The metro

Four lines (blue, yellow, green and red), running from about 6:30am to 1am. It’s fast, clean and connects the airport (red line) to the centre. Handy stations: Baixa-Chiado, Rossio, Restauradores, Cais do Sodré and Oriente.

Trams

The old yellow trams are a highlight. Tram 28 runs through Alfama, Baixa and Estrela, but it’s often rammed and a pickpocket hotspot. Ride it early, start at the Martim Moniz end, or try tram 12 or 24 instead. Tram 15 (modern) goes to Belém. Pay with your navegante card, because tickets bought on board cost much more.

Funiculars and the Santa Justa lift

The Bica, Glória and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa lift save some steep climbs and are included in the 24-hour Carris/Metro pass. Expect queues at Santa Justa. The views from the top are free if you walk up via Chiado.

Buses

Carris buses go everywhere the metro doesn’t. Google Maps shows routes and live times well.

Trains

• Sintra: from Rossio station (about 40 minutes).
• Cascais and Estoril: from Cais do Sodré along the coast (about 40 minutes). Sit on the left heading out for sea views.
• Porto and the Algarve: long-distance trains from Oriente and Santa Apolónia. See Lisbon to Porto by train.

Ferries

Ferries cross the river from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas in about 10 minutes. It’s cheap, scenic and great for seafood lunches with views back at the city. Zapping works on most ferries.

Uber, Bolt and taxis

For late nights, steep addresses or lots of luggage, ride apps are cheap in Lisbon. See Uber vs Bolt vs taxi.

Arriving soon? Start with Lisbon airport to the city centre.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.