Lisbon Airport to City Centre: Metro, Uber, Bolt, Taxi or Transfer

“What’s the best way from Lisbon airport into the city?” is one of the questions we see most in our groups. The good news: Lisbon’s airport is right on the edge of the city, so whatever you choose, you’ll be in the centre in 15 to 40 minutes.

Quick answer: travelling light and staying near a metro stop? Take the metro (under €3). Got big bags, kids or a late arrival? An Uber or Bolt (usually €10–20) or a taxi (fixed fares of about €16–23 from 15 October 2026) is worth every cent.

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Your options at a glance

Option	Rough cost	Time to centre	Best for
Metro (red line)	€0.50 card + €1.90 ticket	25–40 min	Light luggage, budget
Uber / Bolt	€10–20	15–25 min	Most travellers
Taxi	About €16–23 fixed fare (luggage included)	15–25 min	No app, cash or card
Private transfer	From about €30	15–25 min	Families, groups, late flights
City bus (Carris)	€1.90 (city fare)	30–50 min	Very light luggage only

Prices checked October 2026. Fares change, so treat these as a guide.

Which terminal are you in?

Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 handles most flights, including TAP and the big European and long-haul airlines, and it’s where the metro, the taxi rank and the ride-hailing pick-up are. Terminal 2 is a small, basic building used mostly by low-cost airlines. It has no metro, so you take the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1 first. Allow an extra 10 to 15 minutes for this, more at busy times.

Passport control can be slow at peak times, especially for non-EU passports, and the EU’s Entry/Exit System has added registration steps for many visitors. Don’t book a tight onward train or tour for the first hour after you land.

1. The metro

The airport has its own metro station, Aeroporto, at the end of the red line. Follow the metro signs from arrivals in Terminal 1. Trains run from about 6:30am to 1am.

• Buy a navegante card (the reusable green card, €0.50) from the machines, then load a single ticket (€1.90) or put credit on it for “zapping” (€1.72 a trip). Or skip the card and tap a contactless bank card at the gate (€1.92 a trip).
• Change lines depending on where you’re staying: at Alameda for the green line (Baixa, Rossio, Cais do Sodré) or at São Sebastião for the blue line (Avenida, Restauradores).
• Each person needs their own card. You can’t share one card between two people on the same journey. More in our Lisbon public transport guide.

The catch: Lisbon is hilly and many stations have long stairs. With a big suitcase, the last 10 minutes on foot can be the hardest part of your trip.

Metro routes to popular areas

• Baixa, Rossio and Chiado: red line to Alameda, then the green line towards Cais do Sodré. Get off at Rossio or Baixa-Chiado. About 30 to 35 minutes in all.
• Avenida da Liberdade and Marquês de Pombal: red line to São Sebastião, then the blue line towards Santa Apolónia. About 30 minutes.
• Cais do Sodré (and trains to Cascais): stay on the green line to the end of the line.
• Parque das Nações: just three stops from the airport on the red line, at Oriente. Handy if your hotel is there.
• Alfama: there’s no metro in the old lanes. Santa Apolónia (blue line) or Baixa-Chiado are the nearest stations, then it’s uphill on foot, so a taxi or Uber is often easier.

2. Uber and Bolt

Both apps work well in Lisbon and are usually the cheapest door-to-door option for two or more people. Pick-up is not outside arrivals: follow the signs for TVDE (the Portuguese name for ride-hailing) to the pick-up zone in the P2 car park next to Terminal 1.

• Flying with a low-cost airline? All flights arrive at Terminal 1, so you start from there. Terminal 2 is used only for some low-cost departures, linked to Terminal 1 by a free shuttle bus. See our Terminal 2 guide.
• Prices rise at busy times. If one app is surging, check the other.
• Uber and Bolt surge pricing has had no legal cap since September 2026, so late-evening fares after a big wave of arrivals can be higher than you expect. A new law will also let taxis take app jobs, but it hadn’t started by mid-October 2026.
• Read our full comparison: Uber vs Bolt vs taxi in Portugal.

3. Taxis

The official taxi rank is right outside arrivals at Terminal 1. From 15 October 2026, taxis at the airport that join the scheme charge fixed fares into Lisbon, so you know the price before you set off, whatever the traffic. Expect €16 or €19 on weekdays between 7am and 10pm and about €20 or €23 at night, at weekends and on holidays, depending on which zone of the city you’re going to. Central areas such as Baixa, Alfama, Chiado and Belém are in the dearer zone. Luggage is included, and higher fixed fares apply for bigger vehicles (about €20 to €28 for five or more passengers) and for places outside the city such as Cascais or Sintra (from about €37).

Taking part is voluntary for drivers, and the fixed fares only apply to trips leaving the airport. Taxis in the scheme carry a special sign and must take card payment, and you can also buy a fixed-fare voucher at the Ask Me Lisboa tourist desk in the arrivals hall. A metered taxi under the 2026 tariff (a €2 flag fall plus distance and time, with no luggage supplement) usually comes to a similar amount. Most drivers take cards, but ask before you set off.

Tip from the groups: make sure the meter is running when you leave (or that you’ve agreed the fixed fare), and have your address written down (or on a map) to show the driver.

4. Private transfer

A driver waiting with your name at arrivals is the least stressful option after a long flight, especially with kids, car seats or lots of luggage. Prices start at around €30 for a car into the city. Several of the drivers on our local guides page do airport pick-ups and can carry on to Sintra, Cascais or further afield.

Our pick: Welcome Pickups has fixed prices you pay in advance, an English-speaking driver waiting at arrivals with a name sign, flight tracking for delays, and free child seats on request.

Give the company your flight number rather than a landing time, so they track delays. Ask whether waiting time is included (an hour is common for international arrivals) and confirm car seats in writing if you need them. Uber and Bolt drivers rarely carry child seats.

5. City bus

Regular Carris city buses stop at the airport and charge the normal city fare. They’re fine with a small backpack, but they get crowded and aren’t built for suitcases. Routes such as the 744 and 783 run towards Saldanha and Marquês de Pombal; check the Carris site for current routes and times. Your navegante card works on buses too.

Heads-up: lots of older guides still mention the yellow Aerobus airport shuttle. It no longer runs, so don’t go looking for it.

Going straight on from the airport

• Trains to Porto, Coimbra or the Algarve: long-distance CP trains leave from Oriente station, three stops from the airport on the red line. That’s much quicker than going into the centre first. See Lisbon to Porto by train and Lisbon to the Algarve.
• Buses to Porto: FlixBus and Rede Expressos run direct coaches from the airport bus park to Porto, so you don’t need to go into the city first. See Lisbon to Porto by bus.
• Sintra: trains run from Rossio station (green line, then a short walk) and also pass through Oriente. See Lisbon to Sintra.
• Cascais: metro to Cais do Sodré, then the coastal train, about 40 minutes.
• Early flight home? The metro doesn’t start until about 6:30am. For a dawn flight, book a ride the night before or stay near the airport.

Which one should you pick?

• Solo with a backpack: metro.
• Couple or friends with suitcases: Uber or Bolt.
• Family with small children: pre-booked transfer (ask for car seats).
• Landing after midnight: taxi, Uber or a transfer. The metro stops around 1am.
• Picking up a hire car? The rental desks are at the airport. See our car rental guide, but you won’t need a car inside Lisbon itself.

Before you land

• Get mobile data sorted before you fly so you can book a ride the moment you land. See our eSIM guide. The airport also has free wi-fi.
• Download Uber or Bolt (or both) at home and add a payment card.
• Save your accommodation address offline.
• Choosing an area? See where to stay in Lisbon.
• Our free Portugal trip checklist covers everything else.

Related: Lisbon stopovers and layovers.

FAQ

How much is a taxi from Lisbon airport to the city centre?

From 15 October 2026, taxis in the fixed-fare scheme charge €16 or €19 on weekday daytimes and about €20 or €23 at night, at weekends and on holidays, with luggage included. Central areas such as Baixa and Alfama are in the dearer zone.

Does the metro go to Lisbon airport?

Yes. Aeroporto station is at the end of the red line by Terminal 1, and trains run from about 6:30am to 1am. A single costs €1.90, plus €0.50 for the card.

Where do Uber and Bolt pick up at Lisbon airport?

In the P2 car park next to Terminal 1. Follow the TVDE signs from arrivals, as drivers can’t collect you at the arrivals door.

Is there still an Aerobus from Lisbon airport?

No, the Aerobus shuttle no longer runs. Use the metro, a Carris city bus, a taxi, a ride app or a pre-booked transfer instead.

Flying into Porto or Faro instead? See Porto airport to the city and Faro airport to the Algarve resorts.

Flight delayed or cancelled? Under EU rules (EC 261) you may be owed up to €600 per person if your flight to or from Portugal arrived three or more hours late or was cancelled at short notice, unless the cause was outside the airline’s control, such as bad weather. You can claim from the airline yourself for free, or let AirHelp handle it; it only takes a fee if your claim succeeds.

See also: flight delays and compensation, Lisbon Airport Terminal 2 and luggage storage in Lisbon and Porto.

Some links in this guide are affiliate or referral links (GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Discover Cars, Welcome Pickups, Airalo, Yesim, Saily, Tiqets, Radical Storage, EKTA, AirHelp, Uber). If you book or sign up through them we may earn a small commission or ride credit at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our groups and this site free.