Tips for using the Lisboa Card
How to get the most from your tourist card, from collection to the final hour.
The Lisboa Card opens up over 50 attractions and all of Lisbon's public transport. To make the card really pay off, it helps to get the order right and know a few practical tricks. These tips are based on real experience on the ground and help you avoid typical mistakes.
Activate the card in the morning with your first journey
The Lisboa Card's validity starts with the first use, not with collection. According to the official brochure, you validate it on a reader on public transport. So start in the morning with the journey to the first big attraction you want to visit anyway. That way you use the whole day.
Start with the expensive attractions
Put the attractions with the highest single entry prices at the start of your programme. You reach the card's break-even point quickly, and everything after that is pure gain.
Attractions that are especially worthwhile with the Lisboa Card:
- Mosteiro dos Jeronimos: normally €18, free with Lisboa Card
- Castelo de Sao Jorge: normally €17, free with Lisboa Card
- Torre de Belem: normally €15, free with Lisboa Card
- Museu Nacional dos Coches: normally €15, free with Lisboa Card
- Panteao Nacional: normally €10, free with Lisboa Card
Use public transport from the start
The Lisboa Card includes unlimited access to all public transport in Lisbon: metro, buses, trams (including the famous line 28), lifts and funiculars (both currently out of service) and suburban trains to Sintra and Cascais. That alone saves you several euros a day.
From the moment of activation, take public transport for every journey instead of walking or taking a taxi. Every ride adds to your savings.
Collect the card strategically
After buying online you receive a voucher by email. You exchange it for the physical card at one of the Ask Me Lisboa points. You have 28 days from your chosen collection date to do so.
Most travellers collect their card at the airport, where the Ask Me point is right in the arrivals hall. There are also points in the city centre, including Terreiro do Paco (Praca do Comercio) and Cais do Sodre.
Plan Belem as one block
The district of Belem lies a little outside the centre and is home to several of the most valuable attractions: the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, the Torre de Belem, the Museu Nacional dos Coches and the Padrao dos Descobrimentos. At MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) you get 15% off. Depending on your pace, you can spend a whole day here. The Lisboa Card pays off even then.
Step-by-step guide
Visit attractions in the morning
Popular sights such as the Castelo de Sao Jorge or the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos get very busy in the afternoon. Plan the highlights for the morning, ideally right at opening. You avoid queues and have more time for spontaneous discoveries in the afternoon.
Do not forget the discounts
Besides the completely free attractions, the Lisboa Card also gives discounts at over 80 partners, from shops and boat tours to museums that are not in the free list. Always show the card at the ticket desk, even if you are not sure whether there is a discount.
- Oceanario de Lisboa: 15% off
- Selected boat tours and ferry connections: 10 to 25%
- Selected shops: 5 to 15% or fixed amounts
Use the last hour for public transport
When your card's validity is about to run out, a museum visit is no longer worth it. But you can still use public transport until the last minute. Ride the famous Tram 28 through the old town, for example, or take a bus to a viewpoint. Journeys count right up to the card's final minute.
Children under 4 do not need a card
Children under 4 get free entry at most attractions in Lisbon and travel free on public transport. There is a reduced child card for ages 4 to 15. Children aged 16 and over need the regular adult card.
Check current closures in advance
Individual attractions may be temporarily closed for renovation or seasonal maintenance. Check the current status before your visit so you do not plan your route for nothing. The official websites of the museums and sights will tell you.
What many visitors do not know
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The Lisboa Card is also valid on the CP trains to Sintra and Cascais. That makes a day trip to Sintra possible without an extra ticket. The train journey alone normally costs €5.10 return.
Plan a day trip to Sintra - The ferry to Cacilhas is not included in the Lisboa Card, but it is still worth it: for €1.60 per journey you get the best view of Lisbon's old town, especially at sunset.
- Some attractions have separate entrances or queues for cardholders. Look out for signs with the Lisboa Card logo.
- When you buy, you receive a digital voucher by email. Print it to be safe or save it offline on your phone. The QR code is scanned at the collection point.
- The card can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before your chosen collection date. If your travel plans change, you stay flexible.
Want more inspiration?
A route for 2 days in LisbonIs the card worth it for your plan?
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Sintra with the Lisboa CardGet your Lisboa Card now
- Over 50 attractions free, plus unlimited public transport.
- Voucher by email straight away, 28 days to collect from your chosen collection date.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your chosen collection date.
- Secure SSL payment · Instant voucher by email
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before