getting Around Lisbon. Learn when to walk & when Uber or take transport

Lisbon is a large, but easy to navigate city. Learn about all the options available to you so that you can figure out when to walk & when to take Uber or other Lisbon’s transport options to combine exploration with ease.

What are more authentic ways for moving between points of interest in Lisbon?

Walking, biking, and using scooters are the most authentic ways to travel in the capital, while looking around. So, for me personally, these means are more preferable, especially – walking.

If you choose to walk, you’ll get the chance to enjoy Lisbon’s amazing architecture (read my Lisbon’s things to do guide). Seeing this old architecture, you’ll have such an authentic experience! Walking around is particularly easy if you are staying close to the city center.

Now, if you’re in a hurry, you can use public transport. If you like local experiences, you’re in luck because Lisbon has some fast but very fun options for getting around. There are trams, funiculars, ferries, or even elevators that feel like you’re taking a tour. These travel options are a big part of what made Lisbon enjoyable for me on my visits, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way, too!

Or, you can use rideshare or carsharing for more personable, but slightly less authentic approach.

BTW, how did you arrive in Lisbon? Did you travel by air? If you did, I want to remind you that not all booking companies are equal, and some use questionable practices, read my kiwi.com review. 

But, since you already here in this wonderful city, let’s dive in into these modes of getting around the city to analyze how to make make your Lisbon’s trip convenient and enjoyable.

The best areas for exploring Lisbon by walking?

Read my best neighborhoods in Lisbon Guide for more detailed information, but Barrio Alto, Graca and Alfama are fun to explore on foot: you’ll see more! They might be hilly, but you can find the best gems of old buildings by walking. Some of the prettiest houses hide on quiet residential streets. Check out other posts on Alonga Travel to learn about different old architectural styles in Portugal.

And if you incorporate a trip on public transport into your walks (tram 28 tide for a cheap city tour?), you can reach every major tourist attraction.

Walking is definitely my favorite way to get around Lisbon, and I cover many walking routes in Lisbon with authentic experiences. You won’t feel the true charm of the wonderful Portuguese capital, unless you deviate from the main touristy path and explore Lisbon’s narrow alleys where the locals live.

Bring walking shoes with good grip

Cobblestone Portuguese pavement or the city’s famous Calçada Portuguesa gets quite slippery during wet weather and often even without rain: the sidewalks are slanted and stones are quite polished by people walking! Make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes with good ragged soles.

Besides walking, public transport is another best option to move around Lisbon.

Getting around Lisbon: public transport is a fine option

Lisbon’s public transportation network is wide-spread and gets you almost to any corner of the city. It is a life-saver for navigating the city’s hills and reaching its many landmarks.

Here is a short introduction to Lisbon’s public transport. It is:

• Operating from morning till night, with some night services.
• Famous tram 28 offers scenic routes through neighborhoods.
• Three funiculars and four lifts are part of public transportation.
• Bus and metro have airport stops, a cheap way to get there.
• Use Lisboa Viagem app or Google Maps for navigation.
• Get discounted or free tickets with Lisbon Navegante or Lisboa Card.

And because it’s so extensive, there is a lot to mention, so, I explained all the fine details of Lisbon’s public transportation in a separate post. Just keep in mind for now that it’s a fine option for traveling around the city and let’s continue to explore other available means to get around the Portuguese capital.

Perhaps, you are looking for a more customized route and convenience of taxi and rideshare? There are plenty of options.

Rideshare in Lisbon

Uber, Bolt, and FREE NOW are popular options of getting around in Lisbon and they are cheaper than traditional cabs.

Here’s the corrected version of your text:

Read about ridesharing in Portugal in more detail in my other post. But here, let’s figure out which rideshare apps are available in Lisbon.

Uber or Bolt to airport

Both Uber and Bolt are convenient ways to get to Lisbon city center from the Lisbon airport and for picking up a ride to the airport. This is especially so for the early in the morning flights from Humberto Delgado Airport.

The airport is not far from the city center. When I order Uber (or Bolt) from Lisbon’s Avenida de Liberdade are of Lisbon (where I usually stay), my bill comes to $7-8 early in the morning. I don’t mind taking public transit if my flight is during the day’s hours.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Lisbon’s airport or take a taxi from the airport to the city center. Or, you can rent a car in Lisbon airport. 

How to Use Lisbon’s Rideshare Services

There are a couple of things to know about hailing a ride with rideshare in Lisbon. 

• Remember, rideshare cars sport a TVDE sticker, so there’s no confusion.
• Since all rideshare services require the smartphone app, don’t forget to keep your phone charged. 

Is there Lyft in Lisbon?

Lyft is not operating in Lisbon, Portugal. The main ride-sharing services in Lisbon are Uber and Bolt.

Or, you can grab a taxi. Let’s continue to learn about all ways to travel around Lisbon.

Taxi Lisbon

Lisbon has an array of taxi services that are widely available. They are often a ride of choice after dark. You can get these by hailing one from the street, calling a taxi company, or going to a taxi stand

Are taxis expensive in Lisbon?

In general, they’re cheaper compared to other European cities. All Lisbon taxi drivers must use a taximeter to calculate fares based on the distance traveled.

Prices increase by 20% during nighttime hours (21:00 to 06:00). Additional charges may apply for luggage, waiting time, traffic delays, pets, and telephone bookings.

The recent base price of a taxis in Lisbon:

During the day (from 6:00 to 21:00):

• – Starting fee: €3.25
• – Cost per kilometer: €0.47
• – Cost per minute (applied in traffic or when waiting): €0.25

During the night (from 21:00 to 6:00):

• – Starting fee: €3.90
• – Cost per kilometer: €0.56
• – Cost per minute (applied in traffic or when waiting): €0.25
• In addition to these prices, there are extra charges for things like luggage (€1.60), waiting time per hour (€14.80), every minute in traffic (€0.25), pets (€1.60), and telephone bookings (€0.80).

How to get a taxi in Lisbon

There are three main ways to get a taxi in Lisbon:

1. Hail a Taxi: You can flag down a taxi on the street. Look for the green light on top of the taxi, which means it’s available.

2. Taxi Stands: Taxis can be found at taxi stops in train and bus stations, Lisbon city center, shopping centers, and near major transportation hubs like the bus station, train station, ferry terminal, and airport.

3. Call a Taxi: If you want to book a taxi in advance, you can call companies like:

Teletaxis at +351.218111100 or

Radiotaxis at +351.218119000.

Official taxi companies in Lisbon

Here are the main taxi companies in Lisbon:

• Taxi-Link
• Taxi Lx Mar
• Nemofeltro
• Lisboa Taxi
• Teletaxis
• RadioTaxis
• Autocoop/CoopTaxis

Or, you can just rent a car if you’re planning to drive a lot. 

Renting a car in Lisbon

The traffic and parking situation in downtown tourist areas can be tough, so I suggest avoiding renting a car. Luckily, you can get to almost all of the city’s top attractions by walking or using public transportation like buses, trams, and trains.

If you still prefer to rent a car to get around Lisbon or for exploring the other towns around Lisbon, here is the information about car rentals and parking fees. You can rent your car the traditional way, or do a carshare. Let’s compare the difference!

Carshare in Lisbon

Do you know that you don’t need to rent a car in Lisbon for an entire day? Carshare in Lisbon is fairly new service (Emov (main provider) began its operations in Lisbon on April 18,2018), compared to the traditional car renting ordeal. Carshare allows you free-floating rentals, meaning you can start and end your rental anywhere within the Lisbon area, including at the airport.

Main carshare providers

There are 2 car-share option in Lisbon as of 2025. The primary carsharing service in Lisbon is called Emov, and the second one is Bolt Drive. Let’s compare them:

• Emov is great if you want electric-only option ( no gas refills) with no hidden fees. Emov has a lange fleet of electric cars (more than 150 electric vehicles available for shared use), specifically the Citröen C-Zero make.
• Bolt Drive offers more variety in vehicles and is expanding rapidly (it is still smaller than Emov’s fleet), but pricing can vary more.
• ShareNow was once popular but is no longer operating in Lisbon, following the merger of Car2Go and DriveNow (in 2020). Both Car2Go and DriveNow were offering flexible car-sharing with premium vehicles like BMWs, MINIs, and Smart cars. However, they have ended their operations in Lisbon shortly after. Probably, they were too expensive for consumers?

I, actually, like carsharing services a lot, because they have some nice advantages over renting a regular car. I’ve listed them below, using Emov (the main service) as an example, and I compare it to the second service later.

So, here was everything to know about carshare in Lisbon. Now, some information on the regular car renting.

Traditional car renting service

If you plan on going on a daytrip, you can easily rent a car from kiosks at the airport or offices in the city center, using traditional car rental services you know by now well.

You can use your U.S. driver’s license, but it’s a good idea to consider getting an international driver’s permit from AAA or DMV as well.

Best rent a car Lisbon

Here are some of the best car rental services in Lisbon, Portugal:

• Address: Avenida São João de Deus 41 B/C, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1000-280
• Phone: 21 841 4000
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Address: Rua Braamcamp 52, Santo António, Lisbon, 1250
• Phone: 21 383 9700
• Rating: 4.3/5

They offer a variety of options and you can filter by car type, free cancellation and more.

You can rent car online on Kayak and Rentalcars.com. Or, rent a car through city-friendly applications.

Alternatively, you can use carshare service for a one-way rental, as explained above.

Apps to rent a car in Lisbon

• Emov
• Drive now

Lisbon: Parking

Parking in Lisbon can be quite a challenge due to the sheer number of vehicles and limited availability of parking spots.

The parking is rather expensive as well. This is one of the reasons renting a car in not recommended for Lisbon, unless you’re planning out of town sightseeing.

But you don’t really need to rent a car in Lisbon. Let’s see what other options for getting around are out there. 

Electric scooters

Want a fun ride? Try the electric scooters (e-bikes) and scooter-bikes. from Lime, Hive or Voi. They’re easy to rent – just download the app, locate, scan, and go.

Or you can go pedaling and combine getting around with exercise. 

Biking in Lisbon

Renting a bike and cycling is a practical, cost-effective, and environment-friendly way to get around and explore fun streets of Lisbon. Riding a bike allows you to experience Lisbon’s atmosphere and charm in a more connected way.

Biking routes in Lisbon

While in general Lisbon’s bike lane network is limited and not well-connected, there are some very nice bike lines along Lisbon’s waterfront. In fact, there are 20 kilometers of flat bike lanes from the City Center heading east to Parque das Nações and to Belém.

You can find maps online or at tourist information centers. Use the Gira app with a Lisbon bike map for the easiest experience.

Biking routes near Lisbon

There are a few beautiful bike routes around Lisbon:

Estrada do Guincho – Ciclocascais loop from Pampilheira, a cycling route located near Estoril, Lisbon, Portugal. It’s a moderately trafficked loop trail spanning 10.3 miles (approximately 16.6 km).

The Praia de Caxias – Padrão dos Descobrimentos loop from Belém, a popular 31.7 mile (51.0 km) cycling route in Lisbon, Portugal. It has moderate traffic and is a great trail to explore.

Remember that you can  take your bike on some public transit options in the city. 

You will really enjoy biking around Lisbon!

Tuk-Tuk in Lisbon

Getting a tuk-tuk is a fun way of getting around Alfama district of Lisbon, Portugal. Read more about them in my other post.

Use hop-on hop-off bus tours for getting around Lisbon with city sightseeing as a bonus!

You can travel in Lisbon on a tourist bus. There are a few flexible tours that allow you to freely visit the top attractions, such as the Castle of São Jorge and Lisbon Cathedral, by hopping on and off at your preferred spots.

With knowledgeable local guides, it’s an excellent option for history lovers seeking to travel between different attractions.

The city offers numerous routes, including a special night bus service. You can choose between two hop-on, hop-off options:

1. Yellow Bus Official Sightseeing Tour is recognized by its yellow color, provides various tours like the Lisbon Hills Tramcar tour and the All-In-One: Hills Tramcar, Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus, Boat Ride & more.
2. Alternatively, Gray Line Lisbon offers three lines of Hop-On, Hop-Off tours.

Keep in mind some cons of traveling on hop-on hop-off tourist buses:

• It can get crowded during peak hours.
• Limited seating on the top deck.
• Weather conditions can impact the experience, especially on open-top buses.

Tips for Getting Around Lisbon Efficiently

Here are few tips for getting around Lisbon efficiently.

• Get yourself familiar with the city’s map. Navigating Lisbon is easy when you are familiar with the city map.
• Metro is your quickest route from the airport to the city center and many attractions.
• Have all the apps for getting around Lisbon handy on your phone (below).

Best Lisbon transit apps

To make your public transportation experience in Lisbon easier, use apps to track and find the best routes and order ride-share rides.

• Google Maps can simplify the vast public transportation network. Just input your destination and let the app guide you. Download Google map for off-line use before leaving for Lisbon.
• Alternatively, use MAP ME.

• Ask Me Lisboa app is good to find cabs with fair pricing, avoiding unexpected tourist surcharges.
• Use Lisboa Viagem app for public transport.
• If you are planning to bike, the Gira app with a Lisbon bike map is a resourceful tool.
• Have Uber, Bolt and FREE Now apps on your phone before you leave for your Lisbon trip.
• Rent a car through Emo and Drive Now applications.

What is the cheapest way to move around Lisbon?

The cheapest way to get around Lisbon (besides walking) is to use Public transportation with the Navegante card to save money.

Conclusion 

Public transport, rideshare and walking are the best ways to explore Lisbon, but there are many other good options as well.

Walking is a particularly attractive option of getting about Lisbon while enjoying the surroundings.

Tuk tuk services, Uber, Bolt, and private cabs provide a personal touch.

Biking is pleasant and you can bring your bike on public transport.

Because of all these easy and convenient options for getting around, visiting Lisbon is even more enjoyable city. This is especially for a solo traveler, you don’t need to worry about renting a car. 

I hope you found my post useful for you Lisbon planning. Check out my other topics about Portugal.

If you are interested, here are other interesting European destinations to consider.