TRAVEL
HOW TO REACH LISBON?
The capital of Portugal - Lisbon is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe. Located on the estuary of the Tagus River, Lisbon sits in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. It can be reached by plane or by bus; there is no direct train from abroad.
Travel by plane
Humberto Delgado Airport (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT) — informally Lisbon Airport is an international airport located seven kilometres northeast of the historic centre of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The unofficial name Portela Airport is derived from the nearby suburb. With over 35 million passengers per year, it is the busiest airport in Portugal and the 12th-busiest airport in Europe by passenger numbers.
Travel by bus
One can take a direct bus from Madrid to Lisbon, with operators like Alsa and FlixBus UK offering daily services from Madrid's Estación Sur de Autobuses (South Bus Station) to Lisbon's Sete Rios bus terminal. The journey takes approximately 7 to 8.5 hours, depending on the service and traffic conditions. Please, visit the sites of specific bus companies like Alsa and FlixBus directly to book tickets and see their schedules. The same companies operate also direct buses from Seville to Lisbon.
TRANSPORTATION IN LISBON
More detailed information about transportation can be found here and here.
Lisbon’s public transport system is a well-developed and efficient network that offers a variety of options for getting around the city and in Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The major means of transport are: the metro, trams, buses, funiculars, ferries and trains.
The Lisbon Metro is the fastest way to get around the city and a good option if you’re traveling long distances. It's considered to be one of the best-kept and cleanest metros in Europe, comparable to Paris' subway system. In Portuguese, the Metro in Lisbon is called “Metropolitano de Lisboa”.
Currently, Lisbon Metro has about 60 stations and four lines:
Blue (Seagull): Reboleira - Santa Apolónia
Yellow (Sunflower): Odivelas - Rato
Green (Caravela): Cais do Sodré - Telheiras
Red (Orient): São Sebastião - Aeroporto
Operating Times - the Lisbon Metro opens at 6:30 am and closes at 1 am. However, note that certain stations close before this time.
The trams in Lisbon are not only one of the most practical ways to get around the city, but also one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.
Portugal’s capital currently has 6 different routes and 58 trams, of which 40 are vintage streetcars. The heritage trams are small, nostalgic, and an emblematic symbol of Lisbon, making for great photos.
Of the six regular routes, we recommend two:
The nostalgic tram 28 is an institution in itself. This wooden tram will transport you to another era. Its horn rings constantly to warn absent-minded pedestrians to move out of the way when it runs past the city’s long and narrow streets.
The tram links São Jorge Castle and Bairro Alto, crossing various picturesque neighborhoods for 4.5 miles (7 km), including Graça, Mouraria, Alfama, Baixa, Chiado, Madragoa, and Bairro Alto. Thousands of tourists take this tram every day.
Tram Nº 15
The tram 15 is the most frequently used tram in Lisbon because it connects the city center and Belém.
This tram is not romantic. It is useful, modern, and is always jam-packed with people, mostly tourists. If you take tram 15, keep an eye on your belongings as there are pickpockets.
The tram 15 departs from Praça da Figueira and winds its way along the riverfront through Cais do Sodré, Alcântara and the historic Belém district (Jeronimos Monastery, Belém Tower) before terminating in Algés.
Lisbon buses are a less used option than the metro and trams by tourists, but they are essential for certain routes in Lisbon. Lisbon has an extensive bus network that covers areas not served by the metro. Buses are a reliable means of transportation, and they provide access to various neighborhoods and attractions within the city. Lisbon has a fleet of 758 buses and 88 different routes, 11 of which are night buses. There are two types of night buses in Lisbon: Rede da Madrugada (lines 201-210) and Night Bus (lines 1 and 2). The former runs every day during the intervals when the daytime lines rest, while the latter operates only on weekends and the eve of public holidays. Night buses are completely free of charge.
Buses also operate in Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Among the numerous lines two of them (2790 and 2791) are connecting conference venue - Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear with Praça do Areeiro (in the vicinity of Areeiro Green Line metro station).
Lisbon Ferry Routes
Lisbon has multiple ferry routes to take you across the Tagus river. The majority of these are local transport links and are used for workers on their daily commute into the centre of Lisbon.
The most common route for tourists is the Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas route. This route offers excellent views of the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Baixa district, but also allows visitors to explore the countless excellent seafood restaurants in Cacilhas – a special place for seafood in Lisbon.
Other than the Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas route we wouldn’t really recommend any of the other ferry trips for tourists, with none of the major Lisbon tourist attractions being easily accessible from the ferry destinations.
Trains
Lisbon has a suburban train network operated by the state-owned company Comboios de Portugal (CP) and the private company Fertagus. CP offers extensive urban and interurban lines , connecting the city center to the suburbs with four main lines, while Fertagus primarily serves the route between Lisbon and Setúbal.
Two lines of our interest are Alcântara-Terra to Castanheira do Ribatejo and Santa Apolónia to Azambuja on the route Sintra -Lisboa-Azambuja, since they are connecting conference venue - Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear with eastern part of Lisbon.