Metro, Lisbon

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The Metro system in Lisbon isn’t extensive, and is more used by residents than by visitors, but it can be useful for some trips as well as journeys to and from the airport. We used it a few years ago when staying in the city for a football match at the Sporting Lisbon stadium and again on our latest visit for travel to Benfica's Stadium of Light.

The system is easy to use for anyone used to similar ones elsewhere. The four lines are colour coded and intersect at a few points. You buy a ticket from the machine, and validate it on entering the platform. This ticket will take the form of a card which can be charged with any number of journeys and used interchangeably with other public transport in the city. The current fare (2013) for a single trip in one zone is €1.40, plus an additional 50 cents for a rechargeable multi-use "viva viagem card" (you should add you subsequent journeys to this rather than buying one each time). A 30 day pass will cost €35 should you be staying long enough to merit buying one. Alternatively the Lisbon Card will allow you to use public transport for free.

The metro in Lisbon has four lines. Each of these are colour coded, as in other cities. It doesn't cover the whole city, but it is useful to reach places which are quite far from where you are. You can also go to the airport by metro.

It runs from 6.30 a. m. until 1 a. m.

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Depending on your needs, you have many possibilities to choose the right ticket.
Single one way ticket: a single travel costs 1.25 EUR. For the first trip, you have to buy a card for 0.50 EUR.
24 hours ticket: This ticket costs 5.0 EUR and allows you to travel in underground, buses, trams and elevators for 24 hours after validation. For example, if you validate your ticket at 10:00 a.m., your last validation to get in is at 09:59 a.m the following day.
Recharching: You can recharge "zapping" a amount which is discounted when you validate a trip. Using this option, fares are cheaper. A single underground ticket costs 1.15 EUR instead of 1.25 EUR. Urban trains may be used as well, but you pay always the same fare, 1.80 EUR. It is a good option if you travel to a last train station, such as Sintra. Otherwise, when travelling by train for short distances, it is cheaper to buy / recharge the ordinary ticket.

Please note: when entering and leaving stations, tickets must be validated. Keep always your receipt. You may receive your 0.5 EUR, returning back your card, along with the receipt, to the station within 5 days after purchase!

For more information, go to the website.

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Lisbon's metro network consists of four colour-coded lines (blue, yellow, green and red). The first parts of the metro were inaugurated in 1959 and since then the network has always been extended. Nowadays the 4 lines consist of 48 stations and cover a distance of 37 km.

The metro operates from 6:00 a.m. until 01:00 a.m. Tickets are available from machines at all stations. A single metro ticket is 0,70 Euro. Other tickets which combine the use of the metro with the use of buses and trams can be bought at Carris kiosks.
Please read my "Explore Lisbon by bus" and "Explore Lisbon by tram" for more information about the public transportation and the fares.

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Lisbon metro is great way for fast and easy traveling around city. There ate 4 lines. Price of ticket is about average compared to other countries. Metro stations are very clean and it is easy to change different lines without getting worried if you will get lost.
I suggest you take Lisbon card that can be used in all sorts of transportation. It is cheaper that way.
But at the same time, make sure you visit all main squares and then walk along beautiful streets from one square to another, instead of using metro all the time. That way you won't miss anything and you will probably discover many interesting things.

Metro stations are also interesting. These 2 photos are example of artistic design of some metro stations when we went to aquarium.

Lisbon subway is modern, clean and efficient. It runs from 6:30 am to 01:00 am. Many of its station are decorated with contemporary art.
Important stops in metro are:
Cais do Sodre: if you want to catch train to Cascais and Estoril, trams for Belem and ferries to the Monument to Christ
Entrecampos: for visiting Sintra
Sao Sebastiao: Gulbenkian Museum
Jardim Zoologico: for the Sete Rios bus station if you want to go with express buses to all over Portugal
Colegio Militar-Luz: For the Colombo shopping mail
Oriente: For national and international trains, city buses

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The first photo shows the Lisbon Metro Card, you purchase this from a machine at the entrance to the Metro station (before you go through the turnstile of course). The card can be purchased and reused for any number of trips. You can "recharge" it with new trips, so don't forget to save it. The number of trips can be any number, we for instance put enough money into the card for two full days. When you arrive at the turnstile with card in hand you pass it through a small slot, it accepts it if you have "charged" the card and you collect the card back and pass through. On buses, trams and trains, there are small yellow boxes near the entrance doors where you press your card to and it reads it electronically, signaling also that it is "accpeted". If your card is NOT charged, it will reject it and you will have to find one of those machines to recharge it.
The card can be used on the metro, bus, tram and train within Lisbon District. The Elevadore is NOT included in this deal. Go to the website I have posted to learn more.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO MOVE AROUND LISBON.
The second photo shows the old fashioned tram that has a number of routes, including one that takes you to the castle above Lisbon.
The third photo shows the Oriente Metro Station, just across the street from the Vasco deGama Shopping Mall (the largest in Portugal).
The fourth shows the exit from the Baixa metro station, it is "buried" 6 or 7 escalators below ground.
The fifth and last photo was photographed by Gloria and it shows Zohara, Carlos and I on one of the Elevadores, a cable car that takes you up one of the super steep streets of Lisbon, thanks Gloria for the photo.

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Lisbon is a city that is covered by different transport options, and one of the easiest, though least scenic, is the metro.

There are 4 lines that cross the city, giving a pretty good coverage of the lower lying areas. Some of the stations also inter-connect with railway stations.

Ticket prices start from 0.70 euro for a single trip in one zone. If you plans to use the metro, along with other methods of transport, a few times in a day, it will probably be cheaper and a whole lot more convenient to buy a day travel pass that allows you to travel as much as you want on all types of transport in the metropolitan area.

We found using the metro very easy. All stations are sign posted clearly with the red metro signs. One thing to be aware of is that sometime there may be more than one exit from a station, which could cause confusion.

Although not very interesting, except for some artistic interventions in some stations and the occasional musician, the subway remains the fastest way to get around Lisbon.
Nevertheless, not all parts of the city have stations. You can view the network diagram at http://www.metrolisboa.pt/diagrede_uk.htm

The easiest way to get around is definitely the metro. It runs between 6.30 a.m. and 1 a.m. You can buy 1 (EUR 2.85) or 5 days (EUR 11.35) tickets (also valid for the 'Carris' buses - the yellow ones). You can also buy single or return tickets for the metro alone.
It's not advisable to travel without a valid ticket, because the fine is around EUR 60.