Before You Arrive in Lisbon
augusta street arch in lisbon

So you have decided to pay the Portuguese capital a visit. Here is everything that you’ll need to know before you embark on your adventure to explore luminous Lisbon.


Taxi

With an airport only 6km away from the center of Lisbon, access to the capital is simple and easy. When arriving in the city, you will be met by a taxi rank in front of the arrivals exit of the airport. While the charge into the center should cost around 10€ (plus 1.60€ per piece of luggage that exceeds hand luggage size), taxi drivers near the airport arrivals often charge up to 30€. We advise you to be attentive to fares and be careful of possible scams.

Metro

When traveling light, the cheapest, quickest and essentially best way to get to your next destination is via the underground service. Connecting the city through 4 lines, one metro journey will cost you 1.40€ (with an additional 0.50€ for the rechargeable ticket card, reusable in most public transport outlets, i.e. bus, train, etc.). The service is quick, and orientation is simple.

Aerobus

Provided that you are going straight into the city centre, the airport-provided Aerobus is a viable option for you. Running every 20min at the price of 3.50€, the Aerobus will drop you off at the most central or common destinations across Lisbon downtown.


The best mean of transportation when visiting Lisbon is its underground network. Acquire your ‘Viva Card’, found in automatic machines in every metro station. You will be able to purchase a rechargeable ticket for 0.50€, and recharge it either with individual tickets (1.40€), day passes (6€) or through a zapping system, in which you can top up your card with amounts ranging from 3€ to 40€ (noting that if you top up your card, each individual trip is reduced to 1.25€). The ticket is rechargeable and reusable through a range of public transportation, including buses and suburban trains. While the metro closes between the hours of midnight and 1am, a system of night buses operates throughout the night. Suburban trains are the best option when going to beach locations along the coast, such as Cascais. Alternatively, if you are located near the city centre, walking is a great option to travel around the city.

Lisbon is blessed with a temperate weather, being neither boiling hot nor freezing cold. Despite the milder, often sunny winters, Portuguese summers can reach above 35ºC during their hottest peaks. Due to its seaside location, snow and frost are rare occasions, and rain is mostly to be expected only during autumn and winter seasons. Springs are often sunny and mild in weather, whereas summers are quite warm and dry.

While the official language of the country is Portuguese, the majority of the population is able to communicate in English, and in some tourist locations in a number of European languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

In case of any emergency, contact the 24-hour operational line 112. The service connects you to the police, fire brigade and ambulances. It is reachable through any landline or mobile phone, even if it is locked or doesn’t have a SIM card.


Australia
Avenida da Liberdade, 198-200 2F
+351 21-310-1500
[email protected]

Canada

Avenida da Liberdade, 198-200 3F
+351 21-316-4600
[email protected]

China

Rua Pau de Bandeira, 11-13(A LAPA)
+351 1-3928438
[email protected]

Egypt

8 Avenida Vasco Da Gama
+351 213018301
[email protected]

Greece

Rua Alto Do Duque 13, Restelo, 1449-026
+351 21-303-1260
[email protected]

India

Rua Pero da Covilhã - Restelo 16, 1400-297
+351 - 21 304 10 90
[email protected]

Ireland

Rua da Imprensa à Estrela 1-4
+351 21-392-9440
[email protected]

Japan

Avenida da Liberdade, 245 6F
+351 21-311-0560
[email protected]

South Africa

Avenida Luis Bivar 10
+351 21-319-2200
[email protected]

UK and Northern Ireland

Rua de São Bernardo 33
+351 21-392-4000
[email protected]

United States of America

Avenida das Forças Armadas 1600-081
+351 21-727-3300
[email protected]

Venezuela

Avenida Duque de Loulé, 47 - 4.º 1050-086
+351 213 573 803
[email protected]