Transportation in Lisbon

Gary A., glad you will be on the RS Portugal tour starting June 19. I returned from the same tour a week ago. Super tour! Loved Portugal, especially Lisbon. I'm still talking about our visit to the cork farm in the Alentejo.

To answer your question, I don't recall anyone in our tour group talking about having purchased a Lisbon card. Many museum prices for those over age 65 are so inexpensive that I don't know if the Lisbon card is worth it.

I did buy a reloadable Viva Viagem card, which really came in handy when I rode the Metro, buses, trams, and funiculars during the 3 full days I was in Lisbon prior to the tour. Public transportation seemed inexpensive to me compared to, for example, the Tube in London. The Viva Viagem card was also convenient when I rode the tram to Belem before the tour to visit the coach museum.

Once the tour began, we were given a Viva Viagem card valid for a specific number of rides.

I don't think others in my tour group used public transportation as much as I did prior to the tour.

I chose not to use Uber in Lisbon.

A wise strategy in Lisbon is to RIDE UP to the top of hills then WALK DOWN.

Example 1: I rode a bus (#737, as I recall) from Praca de Figeuira directly to Sao Jorge Castle (which I chose to see rather than the castles/palaces in Sintra) then walked down through the Alfama (this was on my own before the tour; I founded the tour's walk through Alfama much more informative)
Example 2: I rode the short Elevador da Gloria funicular from Restauradores to the stunning miradour (overlook) at Sao Pedro de Alcantara Park.

Elizabeth,
Thank you for your very informative reply. We'll just purchase the Viva Viagem card while on our own in Lisbon.
And we'll use your ride up and walk down advice too.
Best,
Gary A.

Hello from Wisconsin,

There are a good number of mechanized ways to get up on top of the hills. Several are free. Some are special trams. One is an Eiffel Tower (Santa Justa) like contraption with an elevator. Another is near the Eiffel thing but inside a multi-level department store (it might be the Armazen's Dept). And also in that neighborhood the Metro station (Baixo-Chiado) has escalators for free. A tram (funicular), the Gloria-S. Pedro Alcantara, takes you from the flat center of Lisbon up to the view point, Miradooro de Sal Pedro Alcantara, which I consider a MUST for you two. Go an hour, hour and a half before sunset. Find a an open bench. Get a gelato and enjoy a beautiful view over the city. Oh, and one more for the Bario Alto, the Bica-Lg. Calhariz, it is a funicular, but I think of it as an inclined tram.

All the mechanized ways up and down that I have suggested are on the west, for the Bario-Alto. There are fewer up to the castle district. But they are there. Tram #28, an often crowded tourist filled tram, does a great tourist route. From Rossio square up into the castle district and into the Baixa-Chiado. Tram 12 is a shorter loop than 28 but will get you up into the castle district (Alfama). Tram 15 will take you out to Belem. But you will likely see this on your tour. Trams are nice as you can just ride and enjoy knowing it will take you back to where you started.

A warning. Walking down hill sure seems easy until the next day. It takes less effort to go down hill, not NO effort.

wayne iNWI

To be honest, if you will have phone service and are comfortable with Uber, or you can also use Bolt by downloading the app, it is not that much more expensive than using the bus or tram, and is door to door. I think our fare three years ago from airport to city center was ~10 euro, a ride within town like 6 euro. May have changed, but most people report very low costs. I typically do not use Uber or taxis when traveling, but there it made sense for both cost and convenience.

I just used the Viva Viagem card last year. I arrived 5 days before the tour started and used the card to take the train to Sintra for a couple nights on arrival and for the 3 days before the tour started. I made the mistake of adding additional funds just before the RS tour started which I did not end up needing. We were given a Viva Viagem card to cover 6 (I think) rides by the tour guide. This covered some of the rides we did on group walks, along with extra for rides in our free time.

Wear shoes with good traction. The tiled streets can be slippery and there are a lot of uphill climbs in Lisbon.

I'm with Paul from eastern Iowa... We were surprised how inexpensive Uber is in Lisbon. And we also downloaded Bolt -- but to use the scooters... I wouldn't even mess with the metro stem system at 80.

Wayne in Wisconsin, Paul & gbrennan in Eastern Iowa and Laura in Virginia,
Thanks for all your valuable replies. Your insights and experience in getting around Lisbon is very helpful.
I've printed all your replies and will use them for guidance when in Lisbon.
Gary A.