Transport in Lisbon (Transports in Lisbon)

Member Name: grumbleweed

Product:	Transports in Lisbon
Date:	09/06/01 (212 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Public transport is very cheap, reliable, and extensive. Services are frequent , Don't miss a ride on the E28 tram

Disadvantages: Traffic congestion if you are travelling by taxi or bus - especially weekdays

Travelling around Lisbon by public transport is very easy. I do not recommend it by car. The layouts are complex with dedicated bus and tram lanes and one way streets which can be used two ways by public transport! Many streets are cobbled and away from the city centre there are some very steep and narrow hills. Like any city, traffic can be horrendous, especially on a weekday. Currently this is made worse by extensive building works in one of the main squares near Rossio station. I’ve driven in lots of foreign places, but I certainly wouldn’t fancy it there. Some of the drivers are a bit mad and impatient – apparently it has one of the highest accident rates in Europe.

If you are on holiday and plan to do sightseeing, then its worth buying a “Lisboa Card” giving you free travel on trams, buses, railway and tube plus free entry or discounts to numerous museums, palaces and other attractions in the Lisbon area. Not only does this save money, but it is also very convenient as you don’t have buy tickets or carry lots of small change. They can last for 24, 48 or 72 hours and you fill in the start date yourself when you are ready to begin sightseeing. You need to bear in mind that most museums are closed on Mondays, though.

The old “electricos” trams are a feature of Lisbon and great fun to ride on, as well as a useful way of getting your bearings. There are special trams set aside for tourists but you have to pay extra for these and the atmosphere is not the same as using the public services. We took the E28 tram running from Martim Moniz through the Graca, along the top of the Alfama, down to the Baixa and up again to the Bairro Alto. Its very popular with both tourists and locals so can be crowded. Catch it from the terminus at Martim Moniz (on the green metro line) and you should be able to get one of the best seats by the wooden windows which open to let in the breeze.
Prepare for a unique but bone shaking ride as the trams grind their way up the steep hills and down again, penetrating the narrow cobbled streets of the old city, sometimes with inches to spare either side. On occasions the Runaway Train came to mind as the tram creaked and groaned its way to the top and rattled down the other side.

The E15 tram to Alges is also good, especially for reaching Belem or the restaurants/bars at the Doca Alcantara. This route follows a flatter path, sometimes close to the river front. Many of the E15 trams are modern, much larger, faster and air conditioned. One hazard with travelling by tram is cars parked over the tram lines. Once we had to abandon an E28 when it came to a halt in front of a parked car which the locals could neither identify nor move (although a group tried to lift it off the rails).

The metro system is comparatively small (four lines, red, yellow, green and blue with 36 stations). We found the metro to be clean, reliable and relatively uncrowded (compared to London). Services are frequent and run from early morning to about
1 am. Music plays on the station concourse and platforms, apparently to the choice of the station staff. Police were a visible presence at many of the stations when we travelled later in the evening on the Oriente line, although we did not see or fear any trouble. The architecture of some of the stations has to be admired, especially on the line to Oriente, the site of the EXPO, where no money appears to have been spared on design and finishing. At Oriente, there is a magnificent station canopy in a white filigree design. The exit from the Baixa station is also stunning – you walk out of a high tech oyster shell straight into the heart of older central part of Lisbon with its famous tiled and cobbled pavements and avenues leading down to the main square at Praca do Comercio.

Local trains are also frequent and reliable. Y
ou can reach the seaside resorts of Estoril/Cascais in about 35 minutes by train from Cais de Sodre. The attractive inland town of Sintra, with its two major palaces, can be reached in about 45 minutes from Rossio station. Neither of these journeys are covered under the Lisboa card, but the fares are extremely cheap, less than £3 for two adult returns.

There is a very extensive network of orange buses but many of these extend to the less interesting suburbs and shopping areas, so we did not use these a great deal. However they are sometimes useful for a specific journey – for example visiting the Castelo de S. Jorge we found there was a direct bus No 37 from virtually outside our hotel in the Rua de Liberdade.

As for taxis, these are easy to find, either from a rank or by hailing. I have used them frequently while in Lisbon on business. Expect to pay anything from £5-£8 for the trip from the airport to the centre of Lisbon and £3-£5 for trips within Lisbon. Taxis are metered and I have not encountered any serious overcharging; though as in the UK extra can be charged for luggage, late night service, or longer journies outside the city. However, see my comments about driving and don’t be surprised if the ride is a bit hairy!

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