Lisbon’s public transport network combines the Lisbon Metro, Carris buses and trams, the city’s famous funiculars and street elevators, and a Tagus riverfront that includes ferry crossings, giving visitors several different ways to move around the city’s steep hills and waterfront.
How public transport works in Lisbon
Lisbon’s core public transport network includes:
- The Lisbon Metro, connecting central districts and reaching Lisbon Airport via the Red Line.
- Carris buses and trams, covering routes across the city, including the historic tram lines that climb through the older neighbourhoods.
- Funiculars and elevators, such as the funicular lines and the city’s well known street elevators, used to move between the lower and upper parts of the hilly city centre.
- Urban and regional trains, run separately from the metro network, connecting Lisbon to nearby towns along several lines.
- Ferries across the Tagus, connecting Lisbon to towns on the opposite riverbank, run by dedicated river transport operators.
Because several of these systems, particularly the regional trains and the ferries, are run separately from the core urban network, it is worth being clear from the outset about what your specific ticket actually covers.
Getting around central Lisbon
Trams and the funiculars are the most practical way to move through the older, hillier parts of the city, while the metro is faster for longer journeys across the flatter central districts. Carris buses fill in routes not directly served by tram or metro, giving fairly complete coverage of central Lisbon between them.
Lisbon airport connections
Lisbon Airport is connected to the city centre by the Lisbon Metro, via the airport station on the Red Line. Certain Carris city bus routes, including route 744, also connect the airport with the city and can be used as an alternative or complement to the metro.
What a digital transport pass covers in Lisbon
A digital transport pass such as Conet Pass in Lisbon is available for 1, 2 and 3 days, covering the main urban network: metro, Carris buses, trams and funiculars (see how Conet Pass works for the general logic behind these packages). Every one of these durations also includes the metro connection to Lisbon Airport via the Red Line, though since there is no redemption point at the airport itself, this only works for your return journey to the airport, not when you first arrive in the city, and bike sharing through Uber Lime is included as well.
There is also a separate “3 days + urban trains” package, which adds urban and regional train travel on the Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja and Sado lines on top of the standard 3-day network. This distinction between the standard pass and the add-on for regional trains is common across the network, and is explained in more detail in why digital transport pass pricing can differ. Always check your confirmation email for the precise list of what is included in your specific booking before you travel.
What is not included
To avoid confusion once you are in the city:
- Regional trains to Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja and Sado are not included in the standard 1-day, 2-day or 3-day pass. They are only covered by the dedicated “3 days + urban trains” package.
- Ferries across the Tagus are not listed among the standard transport modes included in the pass. If crossing the river by ferry is part of your plan, treat it as a separate ticket unless your confirmation email states otherwise.
- The airport metro connection cannot be used on arrival. Since there is no redemption point at Lisbon Airport, it only works for your return journey to the airport at the end of your stay.
- Always confirm the exact list of included transport modes for your specific ticket type in your confirmation email before you travel.
Activation and validity
Validity in Lisbon depends on the ticket type. The 1-day ticket is valid for 24 hours from first validation, for example a ticket first used on a Friday at 11 a.m. expires the following Saturday at 11 a.m. The 2-day ticket runs for 48 hours from activation, and the 3-day ticket for 72 hours, each following the same logic of counting forward from the moment you first validate the ticket rather than from the date of purchase. Rather than listing generic setup steps here, the safest approach is to follow the instructions included in your own confirmation email, since these are specific to your ticket type.
Every pass includes a free Ubigi eSIM with 500 MB of data preloaded, sent directly in your confirmation email alongside your ticket, which can help you stay connected while checking timetables or your ticket status. Activation happens on Ubigi’s website, so check your confirmation email for the details specific to your booking.
Tips for using public transport in Lisbon as a tourist
- Use trams and funiculars for short trips through the hilly older neighbourhoods, and the metro for longer, flatter journeys.
- Take the metro’s Red Line, or Carris bus 744, for your return journey to Lisbon Airport, keeping in mind this only works for the return trip, not on arrival.
- If your plans include Sintra, Cascais or the Azambuja or Sado lines, choose the “3 days + urban trains” package rather than the standard pass.
- Treat ferry crossings over the Tagus as a separate ticket unless your confirmation email confirms otherwise.
- Keep your confirmation email accessible offline, in case you need to check what is included in your ticket type.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but only for your return journey. Every standard duration, from 1 to 3 days, includes the metro connection to Lisbon Airport via the Red Line, and certain Carris bus routes such as 744 also serve the airport, but since there is no redemption point at the airport, you cannot use it when you first arrive.
Not by default. Regional trains to Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja and Sado are only included in the dedicated “3 days + urban trains” package, not in the standard 1-day, 2-day or 3-day pass.
They are not listed among the standard transport modes included in the pass. Treat a Tagus ferry crossing as a separate ticket unless your confirmation email states otherwise.
It depends on the ticket type: the 1-day ticket is valid for 24 hours from first validation, the 2-day ticket for 48 hours, and the 3-day ticket for 72 hours, each counted from the moment you first validate it.
Yes, bike sharing through Uber Lime is included alongside public transport on every standard duration.
Check your confirmation email, sent after purchase, which lists the exact transport modes and validity for your specific ticket type. If you cannot find it or need help with your booking, the Conet Pass assistance and refund page is the right place to start.
Summary
Lisbon’s public transport network combines the metro, Carris buses and trams, funiculars and street elevators, alongside separate regional train lines and Tagus ferry crossings. A standard digital transport pass covers the core urban network and includes the metro connection to Lisbon Airport on every duration, usable for your return journey since there is no redemption point at the airport itself, plus bike sharing through Uber Lime. It does not include regional trains to Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja or Sado, which require the dedicated “3 days + urban trains” package, or ferries across the Tagus. As always, check your confirmation email to confirm the exact coverage for your specific ticket type.
Lisbon is one of the cities covered by the wider Conet Pass network. For the full list of Conet Pass city sites, see the Conet Pass network directory.
