Lisbon is one of the few European capitals with its airport inside the city. Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) is only about 7 km from Baixa, so most journeys into the centre take 20 to 40 minutes whichever way you travel. The right choice depends on what time you land, how much luggage you have and where you are staying.
The quick answer
- Travelling light, in the daytime, on a budget: take the metro.
- One or two people, a normal arrival: a taxi or Uber/Bolt is quick and inexpensive.
- Families, groups, lots of luggage, late-night arrivals, or a hotel in Alfama or Bairro Alto: book a private transfer with a fixed price and a driver waiting in arrivals.
Metro
The Red Line starts at the Aeroporto station, just outside Terminal 1 arrivals. A single journey costs around €2 on a reusable Navegante card, and trains run from early morning until about 1am.
The catch is the change. The Red Line does not reach the historic centre directly, so to get to Baixa, Rossio, Chiado or Cais do Sodré you change lines, usually at Alameda or Saldanha, with your luggage. Many central stations also have long stairways and the streets above them are steep. It is a great option with a backpack and much harder with two large cases.
City bus
Carris buses run from outside Terminal 1 into the city, with a night service for late arrivals. They are cheap but slower than the metro, they stop often, and luggage space is limited. Check the current route and timetable on the Carris website before you fly.
Taxi
There is an official taxi rank outside arrivals. A metered fare to the centre is typically in the €10 to €20 range, higher at night, at weekends and with extra luggage. Use the official rank only and make sure the meter is running.
The queue is the main drawback. When several flights land together, especially in the early morning and late evening, the rank can be long.
Uber and Bolt
Uber and Bolt both operate at Lisbon Airport, with pickups from a designated ride-hailing area rather than the taxi rank. You see the price before you book, often in a similar range to a taxi, but surge pricing at busy times can push it higher. You need mobile data on landing, and the car will not wait long if your bags are slow.
Private transfer
A private transfer costs more than a taxi for a solo traveller, but it changes what the arrival feels like:
- Your driver is waiting inside arrivals with a name board. There is no rank, no app and no need for data.
- The price is fixed before you fly and is for the whole car, not per person. With Privora it is €40 to central Lisbon, including tolls and 60 minutes of free waiting.
- Your flight is tracked, so a delay moves the pickup rather than costing you the car.
- Your driver knows the old town. Alfama, Mouraria, Graça and Bairro Alto are steep and partly closed to traffic. A driver who knows which addresses a car can reach, and which need the nearest square, makes a real difference with luggage.
For three people, €40 is close to what you would pay for three metro tickets plus the effort of carrying cases up a hill. For a family of five with luggage, our 7-Seater takes everyone in one car.
Arriving late at night
Many flights from the US east coast and northern Europe land early in the morning or late in the evening. The metro stops around 1am, night buses are infrequent and taxi queues are longest after midnight. This is when a pre-booked car is most useful, because the driver is already there.
Staying outside the city?
If you are heading straight to the coast or the hills, there are fixed fares from the airport to Sintra, Cascais, Estoril and eleven other destinations. Arriving on a cruise? See Lisbon Airport to the cruise terminal.
Ready to book? Book your Lisbon Airport transfer from €40 per car, or message us on WhatsApp with your flight number.