Public transport in Lisbon: 7 tips, plus a bonus

Hello! This post is something a bit different from my normal descriptions of life in Lisbon, aiming to introduce you to the wonderful world of public transport in the city. I hope it will be useful to anyone planning a visit to this beautiful place.

Yes, it's a tram, of the traditional sort

So, without further ado:

1. There's no good substitute for planning ahead. The public transport system (known to Lisbonites simply as 'transportes') covers the city really well, but it can be difficult to work out routes on the go, as information at stops can be confusing - that is, assuming you manage to find the stop in the first place! Having a look at the metro (underground) map and the bus/tram network map will go a long way to help you with this. Likewise the suburban train routes, if you're heading further out of the city.

2. If you're waiting at the stop for a bus or tram, you need to make a clear signal that you want to get on, i.e. stick your arm out into the road. If you are facing the wrong way and don't notice the bus approaching (and therefore don't make a signal), it will drive straight past you, leaving you to wait for the next one. Yes, this has happened to me - but it's a mistake you only make once!

3. There are often helpful signs telling you how long you have to wait for a bus/tram. These are generally accurate, but can be completely wrong, especially if the weather's bad and the traffic's busy. Some stops (e.g. ones where only one route stops) do not have them at all.
The metro has a similar system, which is nearly always accurate to within 20 seconds. Yay, efficiency.

This was at about 6am, hence the '76 minutes' until the 738 arrived.

4. There are lots of different ticket options. This could get complicated, so take a deep breath and bear with me. The main types of ticket are:

• Lisboa Viva. A card valid for 6 years for the individual whose name and photo appear on it. To get it, you have to fill in a form and pay a fee (€7 to get it in 10 working days, or €12 if you want it within 1 working day). The card must be topped up with a monthly pass, costing from around €36, or more to include train travel as well as metros/buses/trams. Only worth doing if you are living in Lisbon for a long time, and using more than €36 of public transport (excluding trains) a month.
• Viva Viagem and 7 Colinas cards. These are purchased for an initial fee of €0.50 and can either be topped up with a day pass (€6 - only worth getting if you're making more than 4 journeys in 24 hours), or used for 'zapping' (pay as you go credit). Zapping can be either for a certain number of journeys, or a certain amount of credit. €5, €10 or €15 are the standard top-up amounts at machines, but if you ask at a desk, they can put a specific amount of credit on. You also receive a 'bonus' depending on how much you add, up to an extra €1.15 for €15. For zapping, each journey costs €1.25, whether it's on a bus, metro or tram. Zapping credit can also be used on suburban trains, at very reasonable prices.
  The two cards do exactly the same things, the only difference seems to be that 7 Colinas is sold in shops (e.g. newsagents), and Viva Viagem is sold by the machines in metro stations. They can be used for up to a year after the date of purchase.
Bonus tip: The system in Porto is pretty similar. The Andante card is basically the same as Viva Viagem and 7 Colinas.

5. There are two different types of trams: the traditional sort, pictured above, and the new 'supertrams'. They can use the same lines, but they operate on different routes. The 12E, 18E, 25E and 28E are the traditional sort. The 15E is the modern sort.

An example of a 15E, closely followed by a bus, in case you couldn't recognise it.

6. On the subject of different route numbers - I don't really know how the system works, although bus routes are three digits, 7**. Tram routes are **E.

7. Watch out for strikes. They happen alarmingly frequently (to a British mind). The helpful website Há Greve? (slogan: see if you'll manage to get to work) can tell you whether there are any strikes planned for the next few days.

Have fun! If you have any questions, just ask me in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.