LIS · Airport & transit · 2026
Getting into Lisbon
Two terminals very close to each other: T1 (commercial flights) and T2 (low-cost). Free shuttle runs T1 ↔ T2 every 10 minutes. Closer to the city than most European capital airports — 7 km from Praça do Comércio.
Your options, ranked
First option = the editor’s default sane choice for the average traveller.
1Metro Red Line (Aeroporto → Saldanha → São Sebastião)
- Cost
- €1.85 single (with €0.50 zapping card).
- Door-to-centre
- 20-30 minutes to central Lisbon, depending on changes.
- Best for
- Default cheap+fast option; almost every central hotel is one or two transfers away.
Buy a 'Viva Viagem' card at the metro station; the €0.50 reusable card carries through your whole stay. Trains every 6-9 minutes.
2Aerobús 1 (city centre) / Aerobús 2 (financial district)
- Cost
- €4 single; €6 return.
- Door-to-centre
- 25-30 minutes to Cais do Sodré (line 1); ~30 minutes to Marquês de Pombal (line 2).
- Best for
- Bag-heavy travellers, or hotels not near a metro stop.
3Taxi or rideshare (Bolt / Uber)
- Cost
- €10-20 to most central neighbourhoods; flat-rate options are not the norm.
- Door-to-centre
- 15-25 minutes off-peak.
- Best for
- Group of 2+, or late arrivals after metro stops at 1am.
Bolt and Uber are usually €4-8 cheaper than a taxi. Pickup is at the dedicated rideshare zone, signposted from arrivals.
Gotchas — what most people get wrong
Don't buy individual metro tickets — the Viva Viagem card pays itself back within two trips and works on bus, tram, ferry, and metro.
The metro stops running at 1am. After that, taxi or Bolt. The Aerobús runs only until ~21:00.
Tram 28 is the famous tourist route — not an airport line. Don't confuse it with regular transit.
Lisbon's hills are real. Hotel addresses 'near' a metro stop can still mean a steep cobbled climb.
Last reviewed . Prices drift — check the airport site for live fares before travel day.
See also: visa & entry · currency & payments · weather & climate.