Lisbon Card
The Lisbon Card is the tourist card for visiting museums and attractions in Lisbon while saving money.
Overlooking the Tagus estuary and kissed by the Atlantic sun, Lisbon is a city of irresistible charm, rich in history, culture and breathtaking views.
From historic neighborhoods such as Alfama and Bairro Alto to the majestic monuments of Belém, every corner of the Portuguese capital recounts centuries of traditions, art, and authentic flavors.
To explore the city conveniently and inexpensively, you can purchase the Lisbon Card (or Lisboa Card), a tourist pass that offers unlimited transportation, free admission and exclusive discounts on major attractions.
It guarantees tangible savings compared to visiting attractions and using public transportation by paying for tickets, without a pass.
In this guide I will explain how it works, what benefits it offers, and whether it is really the right choice for your trip.
We will also look at possible alternatives for those who are looking for different solutions or may have specific needs.
INDEX
What is the Lisbon Card?
The Lisbon Card (or Lisboa Card in Portuguese) is the official pass for tourists to explore the city conveniently and economically.
With this all-inclusive card, within its validity, you will be able to:
- ✅ Use unlimited public transportation (metro, streetcar, bus, funicular and elevador de Santa Justa).
- ✅ Get free access to more than 50 attractions, including Belém Tower, Monastero dos Jerónimos, and the iconic Elevador de Santa Justa.
- ✅ Get exclusive discounts on museums, tours and activities.
The validity of the card is flexible: you can choose between 24 hours (1 day), 48 hours (2 days) or 72 hours (3 days), depending on the length of your stay and the itinerary you have planned.
There is the convenience of having everything in one card, with an already defined cost, without spending any more money on sightseeing.
And if well taken advantage of, it also allows you to save a lot of money.
Does the Lisbon Card pay off?
The convenience of the Lisbon Card depends on the type of trip you have in mind and the attractions you wish to visit.
If your itinerary includes major tourist stops, the savings are obvious.
A concrete example of savings
To better understand the cost-benefit ratio, let's do a quick calculation:
- Admission to Monastery dos Jerónimos: 18€
- Entrance to the Torre de Belém: 15€
- National Carriage Museum:15€
- Public transportation for 2 days: about 14€
💰 Total: 62€ (without card)
🆕 Lisbon Card 48 hours: 51€
With these three attractions and public transportation alone, the cost of the Lisbon Card for 48 hours pays for itself, and already offers 11€ savings per person!
If you then add more visits or use more transportation, the savings grow even more.
Convenience and extra benefits
In addition to financial savings, the Lisbon Card offers other practical benefits:
- Entrance without going through the ticket office: for many attractions, you won't have to waste time in line to buy a ticket.
- Skip the line at some museums: priority access at places like the National Azulejo Museum and the Carriage Museum.
- Unlimited transportation: getting around the city becomes easier and carefree.
What to know about queues at attractions
During peak season, some popular attractions such as the Torre de Belém and Monastero dos Jerónimos may have long lines.
🔹 Torre de Belém: with the Lisboa Card you skip the line at the ticket office, but you may still find a queue at the entrance because of limited capacity. Best to go early in the morning.
🔹 Monastero dos Jerónimos: even if you buy the ticket online, you cannot select an entrance time. With lacard it's the same: you avoid the ticket office, but you still have to get in line to enter. Here it is best to arrive just after the opening.
Beware of closed days
Many museums and monuments in Lisbon are closed on Mondays.
If you are visiting the city on a long weekend (e.g., Saturday-Monday), it is best to activate the Lisbon Card for the first two days only, so you can make the most of it.
When the Lisbon Card doesn't pay off
👩🎓 Are you a student? Many attractions already offer reduced tickets for students, so the convenience of the card may be less.
🏛️ Do you visit few attractions? If you have a more relaxed itinerary and just stroll through historic neighborhoods without entering many museums, the Lisbon pass may not be necessary.
Conclusion: is the Lisbon Card worth the price?
For those who want to visit multiple attractions and move around often by public transportation, the Lisbon Card is a practical and economical solution. It saves you money, time and stress, especially on busy days. However, if you prefer to explore the city without too many entrance fees or are a student with access to discounts, it may not be the most convenient choice.
Lisbon Card: what does it include?
The Lisbon Card includes unlimited public transportation,free admission to more than 50 attractions and discounts ranging from 5 percent to 50 percent on additional museums, tours, restaurants and stores.
Major attractions included
Among the most prominent included attractions are:
- Monastery dos Jerónimos
- Torre de Belém
- Interpretive Center Myths and Legends of Sintra
- Santa Justa Elevator
- National Carriage Museum - fast track
- National Museum of Ancient Art - fast track
- Pilar 7-Bridge Experience
- Lisbon History Center
- National Palace of Mafra
- National Pantheon
In addition to these, the card includes admission to numerous other museums, monuments and attractions, both in the city center and the surrounding area.
You can check the list of attractions included on the pass provider's page by clicking open the "Description" box on the page.
Discounts and concessions
- Discounts on guided tours, hop-on hop-off tour buses, Tagus cruises and other experiences.
- Facilities in restaurants, stores and malls.
- Reductions on tickets to other attractions not included in the pass.
Transportation included in the Lisbon Card
🚇 Lisbon Metro
🚋 All streetcars, including the famous Tram 28
🚌 City buses
🔼 City elevators and lifts (including the Elevador de Santa Justa)
🚆 CP trains to Sintra, Cascais, Vila Franca de Xira and Azambuja
🚆 Fertagus trains to cross the Tagus.
This total transportation coverage allows you to travel unlimited and at no extra cost, making the card even more convenient.
What is NOT included?
❌ The Palacio Nacional da Pena in Sintra is not included in the pass, but the card only offers a 10% discount.
💡 Recommended solution: if you plan to visit, you'd better buy the special Lisbon Card + Pena Palace package, which includes:
- Lisbon Card for 72 hours
- Ticket for Park and da Pena Palace (with online reservation and guaranteed time slot)
- Two audio guide apps
- Additional 10% discount on other attractions
📌 Why it pays off.
The Palacio da Pena is one of Portugal's most visited attractions, and during peak season it can be difficult to find available tickets.
Booking in advance is essential to avoid surprises!
Lisbon Card Prices
The cost of the Lisbon Card depends on the duration of validity you choose. You can purchase the pass for 24, 48 or 72 hours, depending on your travel needs.
| Validity | Adult | Child (4-15 years old) |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | € 31 | € 21 |
| 48 hours | € 51 | € 28 |
| 72 hours | € 62 | € 35 |
It is not distributed for children under the age of 4, as they would still get in free at almost all of the included attractions, negating the convenience.
Check Lisbon Card pricesWhere to buy the Lisbon Card
The Lisbon Card can be purchased online (via Tiqets website) or at official outlets in the city.
The most practical way to obtain lacard is to buy it online.
You can do this through Tiqets, an English site that allows you to buy the pass in just a few clicks and receive instant confirmation.
When you purchase on Tiqets, you have (included in the price) a free cancellation and refund policy within 24 hours prior to the indicated date of use.
Although one always hopes for no travel impediments, this is a great protection that is worth taking advantage of.
If you prefer, you can purchase this pass directly from the Lisbon Tourist Office website.
Where to pick up the Lisbon Card?
Once purchased online, the Lisbon Card must then be physically picked up at one of the "Ask me Lisboa" tourism offices.
- Lisbon Airport--convenient if arriving by plane, located on the ground floor near the metro exit.
- Tourist offices in the city - scattered in major tourist areas.
- Sintra - useful if you plan to visit the city without passing through Lisbon first.
Here you can find the wholelist of Ask me Lisboa points, with updated opening hours.
How to use the card?
The operation of the Lisbon Card is very simple.
You purchase the card, once you arrive in Lisbon you pick it up by presenting the QR code that comes to you via email, and you are ready for your journey of discovery of the Portuguese capital.
Many choose to pick it up as soon as they arrive at the airport, so they can start using it for the ride to their hotel as well.
To start using it, you will simply place it on the subway turnstiles to use the means, or show it to the attendant staff to enter the various attractions.
Validity and refunds
The Lisboa Card is automatically activated the first time it is used, either on public transportation or when entering an attraction.
Once activated, the validity is consecutive, so it is important to choose the time of first use carefully to make the most of it.
For example, if you use it for the first time at 3 p.m., it will be valid until the same time as the corresponding expiration day.
If you purchase the Lisbon Card online at Tiqets, you are entitled to:
🔹 Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the selected date of use.
🔹 Full refund, without penalty or additional fees.
Other Lisbon Passes and Tourist Cards
The Lisbon Card is the only tourist card offered by the Portuguese capital's Tourist Office.
If you are not interested in entrance fees to museums and monuments, but just want a card to take advantage of unlimited transportation, there is the VIVA VIAGEM CARD.
VIVA VIAGEM CARD: the pass for transportation only
VIVA VIAGEM CARD is the Lisbon transport card.
It is a reloadable card for travel on Lisbon's subways, streetcars, buses, funiculars and elevators.
It is purchased at any metro station at a cost of €0.50 for issuance.
You can load single tickets or day passes according to your needs.
🎟️ Daily pass recommended for tourists:
💳 24-hour pass (1 day): €7.00
✅ Valid on all Carris (bus and streetcar) and Metro lines.
If you are making some comparisons with respect to the Lisbon Card, consider that at a cost of €7 you have the basic season ticket. If you also want CP train lines, for example to go to Sintra, you have to spend more than €10 (in Lisboa Card they are already included instead).
On the official Lisbon transport website you will find all the updated prices and ticket variants available.
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