Lisbon airport: metro for 1.90 € or taxi from 16 €
Lisbon Airport sits close to the city center.
Its official name is Humberto Delgado, code LIS. From the jet bridge to Praça do Comércio, the trip takes under an hour, noticeably faster than in many European capitals. The price range is wide: the metro costs 1.90 €, while a private transfer costs several times more.
Below we break down all the working options: metro, city buses, taxis, private transfers, and car rental. For each, we list the price, travel time, and the honest catch.
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What to know about Lisbon Airport
💡 In short:
- Lisbon has one passenger airport, so it's hard to head to the wrong one.
- The metro, Carris city buses, taxis, and car rental all connect the airport to the center.
- A single Carris/Metro ticket costs 1.90 €, a 24-hour day pass costs 7.25 € (as of 09/2026, Metro Lisboa fares).
- Prices and operating hours: 09/2026, verified on the official website
Humberto Delgado Airport lies northeast of the city, a few kilometers from the historic center, and the capital has no second passenger airport. There are two terminals: major carriers such as Air France arrive at Terminal 1, while budget airlines land at Terminal 2.
From the second terminal you first need to get to the first one, because all public transport starts from there. Allow an extra half hour for the transfer and don't book a connecting bus with no buffer.
The Terminal 1 arrivals hall has ticket offices, ticket machines, and rental car desks. Keep a contactless bank card handy: it works at the metro turnstiles (contactless payment on the metro).
Sort out connectivity and cash in advance
Three practical matters are worth handling before you fly, so you don't waste time on small things in the arrivals hall.
The first is internet access. Compare virtual SIM card plans in advance, otherwise you'll spend your first hour hunting for a local SIM in the terminal. With a local number you don't depend on roaming quirks and can easily call a car through an app.
The second is payment. The machines accept cards, but a little cash doesn't hurt: if a machine won't read your card, small change will save you.
The third is navigation. Download an offline map of Lisbon to your phone so you don't depend on internet access in those first minutes. You'll need to find connections in the metro, and a map makes that faster.
Taxi from the airport: price and travel time
The taxi stand is right outside the arrivals hall exit. A taxi company employee assigns you a car, and the wait is usually just a couple of minutes. All cars at this stand are official, so there's nothing to worry about.
© Mister No · CC BYPhoto: Mister No, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), Wikimedia CommonsFrom October 15, 2026, the airport introduces fixed fares: 16 € in the first zone and 19 € in the second during the day, 20 € and 23 € at night, on weekends and holidays, for up to four passengers with luggage (as of 09/2026, fixed taxi fares). Before that date, taxis run on the meter; after it, the price will be known before you get in, which removes the main argument with the driver.
The trip to the center usually takes under half an hour, but during the morning rush hour the time easily doubles. Don't leave a taxi for the last hour before a train or dinner. If there are three or four of you, a car is almost always cheaper than several tickets.
If you need to catch a taxi in the city, go by the meter. Real Lisbon taxis are beige, black, or green, with a "Taxi Lisboa" sign on the roof. The driver is required to start the meter at the beginning of the trip. If he names a price verbally, get out and find another car.
- Price: from October 15, 2026, 16 to 23 € at the fixed rate from the airport; before that, by the meter (as of 09/2026, The Portugal News)
- Who it's for: two or more of you, you have suitcases, or you arrive late in the evening
- Not for: a solo trip with a backpack when saving money matters
- The catch: the trip stretches out at rush hour, and the fare depends on the zone and time
Private transfer with a driver
If queues and haggling don't appeal to you, book a private transfer in advance. You pay a fixed amount online, and the driver waits in the arrivals hall with a sign showing the passenger's name. For a late-night arrival, this is the most stress-free option.
You can book a transfer from Lisbon Airport a day or more in advance. The car is brought to the exit, and you won't have to drag your suitcases through the walkways.
- Who it's for: a night flight, traveling with children, heavy luggage
- The catch: the price is higher than a regular taxi, and you have to pay in advance
Bus from the airport: Carris city lines
The bus stop is next to the taxi stand. The bus is cheaper than a taxi, but it travels through the city with stops, so it takes noticeably longer.
The separate Aerobus line that once carried tourists to the center no longer operates: the service was discontinued in 2023 (according to lisbon-lis-international-airport.com). Count on regular Carris city routes and the metro.
City buses have one important quirk: they're designed for local passengers, with no luggage racks, and they can get crowded at stops. On the plus side, the ride costs the same as a metro trip.
The cheapest way to pay is by card or from your navegante card balance. A ticket bought from the driver with cash costs more, so it's better to top up your card in advance.
- Price: €1.90 per trip with a single Carris/Metro ticket (as of 09/2026, Carris/Metro single ticket)
- Who it's for: you arrive during the day with light luggage and your hotel is on the line
- The catch: slower than the metro, no space for suitcases
Tickets: single, daily and Lisboa Card
Paying in Lisbon is simple: you buy a single trip, a day pass, or a card with a balance.
Ticket | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
Single Carris/Metro | €1.90 | metro and Carris bus trips within one hour |
Daily Carris/Metro | €7.25 | unlimited for 24 hours after first use |
Card payment at the turnstile | €1.92 | single metro trip without buying a ticket |
Zapping on a navegante card | €1.72 per trip | deducted from balance, top up from €3 to €40 |
Daily Carris/Metro/CP | €11.40 | 24 hours, including trains to Sintra and Cascais |
All prices checked on the official Metro Lisboa website (as of 09/2026). You buy the navegante card at a station and can top it up with single tickets or an amount from €3 to €40.
Lisboa Card is worth it if you plan to visit a lot of museums. The card gives you free travel on all types of transport and free entry to 51 museums and monuments, including Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery (official card guide). Prices for 2026: 24 hours from €31, 48 hours from €51, 72 hours from €62 (as of 09/2026, Lisboa Cards).
Do the math in advance. If your trip lasts two days and you have no museums planned, regular tickets will be cheaper.
- Who it's for: at least three museums and lots of trips around the city
- Not for: weekends spent walking
- The catch: the card is tied to a time period, unused hours are not refunded
Metro from the airport: red line and transfer
The metro is the most predictable option in terms of price. The station is called Aeroporto, it's the terminus of the red line (Vermelha), so you can't get the direction wrong.
© Jaimrsilva · CC BY-SAPhoto: Jaimrsilva, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsIt takes about half an hour to reach the center with one transfer: at Alameda you need to change to the green line (Verde). The best stops are Rossio or Baixa-Chiado, right in the heart of the city.
The Lisbon metro has one honest drawback. At rush hour the cars are packed, and traveling with a suitcase is uncomfortable.
- Price: €1.90 single ticket, €1.72 with zapping
- Who it's for: a backpack instead of a suitcase and time to spare
- The catch: crowded at rush hour, awkward with a large suitcase
Car rental: at the airport or nearby
A car is convenient if you want to get out of Lisbon to Cabo da Roca or drive along the coast. CP trains run to Sintra and Cascais, so you can get there without a car. In the capital itself, a car is more of a hindrance, because parking is paid and the streets are narrow.
Getting to the rental counters is easy: after baggage claim, follow the "Rent-a-Car" signs. You pick up the car in the airport parking lot, and the drive to the center takes about 20 minutes. Avis, Europcar, Goldcar, Budget, Guerin, and Hertz operate at the airport.
It's better to compare car rental prices in advance. At the counters, the selection is smaller and the line is long in high season.
There's also a second option: renting outside the airport. The car is waiting at an agreed meeting point, most often the Vodafone store right after baggage claim. An employee holds a sign with the company name, then you're taken to the car by shuttle. The parking lot is near the airport.
Leave extra time for the return trip. The shuttle ride and car drop-off take about half an hour, and missing your flight costs more than any savings.
- Who it's for: trips out of the city and along the coast
- The catch: parking in central Lisbon is paid, and finding a free spot takes a long time
What to choose: comparing all options
Option | Time | Price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
Metro (red line) | about half an hour with a transfer | €1.90 | light luggage |
Carris bus | longer than the metro | €1.90 | hotel is on the route |
Taxi | usually under half an hour | €16-23 at the fixed rate from 10/15/2026 | two or more people, with suitcases |
Private transfer | predictable, no line | more than a taxi | night arrival, traveling with kids |
Car rental | about 20 minutes to the center | depends on the car class | trips out of the city |
A simple rule works almost always. A solo traveler with a backpack takes the metro, a couple with suitcases takes a taxi, a group of three comes out ahead with a car. Choose based on your luggage and arrival time.
Tours and tickets in Lisbon
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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Lisbon airport to the center?
From October 15, 2026, a fixed rate applies from the airport: €16 in the first zone and €19 in the second during the day, €20 and €23 at night, on weekends and holidays (as of 09/2026, fixed rate from the airport). The price is known before you get in, luggage for up to four passengers is included in the rate, and until that date the meter runs the old way.
How do I get to the center by metro?
Take the red line (Vermelha) at Aeroporto station, it's the terminus. At Alameda, transfer to the green line (Verde) and get off at Rossio or Baixa-Chiado. The ride takes about half an hour with one transfer. A single ticket costs €1.90 (as of 09/2026, metro website).
Which is cheaper, the bus or the metro?
The ticket is the same: €1.90 on the metro and on Carris buses, and with zapping the trip costs €1.72 (as of 09/2026, trip cost). The difference is time. The metro is faster and doesn't sit in traffic. The bus is convenient if your hotel is right on the route and you don't need a transfer.
Is the Lisboa Card worth buying?
The card pays off if museums are in your plans. It gives free transit and free entry to 51 museums and monuments, including Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery (Lisboa Card benefits). For 24 hours, prices start at €31. For two days without museums, regular tickets will be cheaper.
Do I need a car if the trip is limited to Lisbon?
No, a car gets in the way in the center. Parking is paid, and you'll crawl through traffic on the historic streets. Get a car for Cabo da Roca or trips along the coast. Sintra and Cascais are easy to reach by CP trains. If you do, book the rental in advance, cars go fast in high season.
Where do I buy a ticket at the airport?
Tickets are sold at machines and ticket offices at the metro station in Terminal 1. Contactless bank card payment works at the turnstiles, one trip costs €1.92 (as of 09/2026, turnstile payment). You can buy a navegante card there and top it up with €3 to €40. Keep the card separate from your phone so the turnstile doesn't charge you twice.
In short: what's worth booking
The choice depends on your group and luggage.
- If you're traveling as a couple or with kids: a taxi (at the fixed rate from October 15, 2026) or a private transfer.
- If your luggage is light: the metro on the red line for €1.90.
- If you're planning trips out of the city: compare DiscoverCars offers.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.