Lisbon! Our Comprehensive Lisbon Metro Guide
- Charles Jordan
- Jun 28
- 9 min read
Comprehensive Lisbon Metro Guide
Looking for a Comprehensive Lisbon Metro Guide? Here we share all the information and insights we gained while using it over the course of our recent five day visit. Lisbon’s metro, Metropolitano de Lisboa, impresses not just with its efficiency but with how spotlessly clean and thoughtfully designed it feels. From platforms to train cars, it’s consistently well-kept, which makes hopping between lines a surprisingly pleasant part of the day.
In This Article
Navigating Lisbon’s spotless and thoughtfully designed metro system
How to purchase and load your navegante card at the airport kiosk
Understanding directional signage: platform, line, and terminal indicators
The importance of choosing the correct exit at stations like Terreiro do Paço
What line colors and their symbols mean (and how they help you navigate)
How to read the metro map and what to expect from the 2025–2026 expansion
Below is a series of images taken in various metro stations. Let's take a closer look at each.
Metropolitano de Lisboa Ticket Kiosks
In this image we see people purchasing metro tickets in the metro at the airport. The kiosks are easy to use. In addition to Portuguese, you can select English, French, and Spanish. There's a very helpful sign above the ticket kiosks with information. In this image, you can see about 2/3 of the Portuguese version of the sign. The cut-off portion is an image showing how to scan your card at the access gate. Next to the Portuguese sign is one in English and it states the following. Please note that you need one ticket per person (multiple people can't share a ticket.
Welcome to Metropolitano de Lisboa
Buy navegante occasional 1 card per person Cards can be reloaded €0.50
Load
Carris/Metro single ticket: €1.85
Daily ticket (24h):
Carris/Metro: €7.00
Carris/Metro/Transtejo (Cacilhas): €9.70
Carris/Metro/CP: €10.60
Zapping Available for navegante occasional or personalized cards in the following amounts: €3, €5, €10, €15, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40 Metro fare: €1.50 Valid across the entire network
Validate At the access gates, tap your card on the validator on your right Tap only the card, not your wallet Use the same card to enter and exit.
Metro Line Schematic
This image is an abbreviated schematic of the Lisbon metro, specifically highlighting the Linha Verde (Green Line). It shows the full stretch of the Green Line from Telheiras in the north to Cais do Sodré in the south. Each station along the Green Line is listed clearly, forming the spine of the diagram.
The other three metro lines—Blue, Yellow, and Red—are depicted in a minimalist style, only showing their terminal stations and any stations where they intersect with the Green Line.
For example:
The Yellow Line is shown intersecting at Campo Grande.
The Red Line intersects at Alameda.
The Blue Line intersects at Baixa-Chiado.
This format helps travelers focus on the Green Line’s path while orienting them to key transfer points. You can also tell from the bold positioning of the Green Line and the detail in its station list that this sign is located on the Green Line, likely near a transfer hub such as Baixa-Chiado, where both the Green and Blue Lines meet. The arrows on either end of the schematic are directional. The concise layout, with colored lines and terminal names only, helps riders quickly identify possible connections without the visual clutter of a full network map.
Directional Signage to the Platforms
There are also signs directing you to the platforms. In this image, the first sign points to the right for Linha Azul, the Blue Line. The second sign, Reboleira, indicates the terminal station in that direction. If you were heading the opposite way, you’d see a similar sign for Santa Apolónia, the other terminal station on the line. These signs are especially helpful, they confirm that you're on the correct line and headed the right way. And if you're not, they catch your attention early, giving you a chance to reroute before you head down to the metro platform.
Heading Down to the Platform
After passing through the ticket gates, you'll find signage suspended above stairways, and where available, escalators or elevators, showing both the line color and icon as well as the terminal station in that direction. These signs serve as one more layer of reassurance before you reach the platform. In this photo, the sign indicates a descent to Linha Verde (Green Line), specifically in the direction of Telheiras. Here we are looking back from where we came, having turned left, we backed up a little to get this photo. Had we turned right instead, a similar sign would have pointed to Cais do Sodré, the Green Line’s southern terminal. Whether confirming your path or alerting you to a wrong turn, this system of directional signage is one of the metro’s most reliable aids, helping you reroute before you're too far along.
On the Platform - Station, Direction, Timing
As you arrive on the platform, it’s easy to get your bearings. The name of the station is prominently displayed along the tiled wall, and surrounding it are maps and directional signs, some pointing to other metro lines, others to the nearest exits. Above the platform, a digital sign provides key details at a glance: the terminal station of the line, (in this case, Sentido Aeroporto or Airport Direction), the current date and time (May 16, 2025 – 7:44 AM), and the countdown to the next train (1 minute and 20 seconds). It’s exactly the kind of real-time reassurance that lets you relax, especially if you're on a tight schedule headed to the airport.
One thing we noticed: once you're on board, there were no audio announcements for the upcoming stations, at least during our rides. That makes it doubly important to count your stops ahead of time and pay attention at each platform. Watch through the windows for the station names and line signage, they’re clearly marked, but easy to miss if you're not looking.
Finding Your Way Out - Saida is Exit
As this traveler approaches the exit corridor at Terreiro do Paço station, they’re presented with a clear, deliberate choice between two exits, each leading to a distinct part of Lisbon’s historic riverfront. The left-hand sign points toward Avenida Ribeira das Naus and Cais das Colunas, guiding you to the broad promenade along the Tagus River, where marble steps descend into the water and locals gather to soak in the view. The right-hand sign directs you to Praça do Comércio and Rua da Prata, placing you closer to the northeast corner of the square and just a short walk from the iconic arch that leads to Rua Augusta.
We didn’t know which to choose, it was our first time. So we followed the signs for Cais das Colunas and emerged right by the water and the bright yellow LISBOA sign.
This kind of signage is a used in metros all over the world. It doesn’t just tell you how to leave, it tells you where you’ll arrive. Whether you're chasing sunlight along the river or stepping into the architectural drama of Baixa, the metro orients you before your feet hit the street.
The more we used the system, the more we realized how important it is to choose the right exit. When in doubt, pause and check your map app. A few seconds underground can save you ten minutes of reorienting above. Sometimes, the exits lead to different sides of the same plaza, or entirely different neighborhoods. Baixa-Chiado station is a perfect example: take the long escalator to Chiado, or head the opposite direction toward Baixa. Same station, completely different Lisbon.
Symbols That Guide the Way
One of the small pleasures of navigating Lisbon’s metro is its use of unique line-specific symbols paired with color names. Each line has both a traditional name and a representative emblem, creating a visual identity that’s as memorable as it is functional. Here’s the full set:
Linha Vermelha (Red Line), also called Linha do Oriente (Orient Line), represented by a stylized compass rose.
Linha Azul (Blue Line), also called Linha da Gaivota (Seagull Line), represented by a stylized seagull in flight.
Linha Verde (Green Line), also called Linha da Caravela (Caravel Line), represented by a stylized Portuguese sailing ship.
Linha Amarela (Yellow Line), also called Linha do Girassol (Sunflower Line), represented by a stylized sunflower.
These symbols appear on signage throughout the stations, adding a touch of personality to the city’s transit system and making it easier to navigate, especially for visual thinkers or travelers still brushing up on their Portuguese.
Linha Vermelha (Orient Line)
The Red Line is the airport connection. If you’re starting your Lisbon journey at Humberto Delgado Airport, hop on here and you’ll be gliding toward the modern waterfront in no time. The Oriente station is more than a transit hub, it’s a launchpad to visit the Oceanário de Lisboa, the Vasco da Gama Shopping Center, and the sleek Parque das Nações district.
We liked how it felt a world apart from Lisbon’s tiled hillsides, more open, more contemporary. Along the way, stations like Saldanha and Alameda let you transfer easily to the Yellow and Green lines, and the terminal stop at São Sebastião connects directly to the Blue Line. If you're staying at a hotel near El Corte Inglés or the Gulbenkian Museum, it's especially convenient.
Linha Azul (Seagull Line)
This is the one we used most often. From São Sebastião, we headed straight into the historic heart. Baixa-Chiado was our go-to for shops, cafés, and the kind of tiled charm that makes you stop and pull out your camera every five steps. Restauradores station put us right in the middle of the action, with Praça dos Restauradores, Avenida da Liberdade, and the Glória funicular all just a stroll away. Terreiro do Paço dropped us near the riverfront at Praça do Comércio, a perfect spot for a sunset walk or catching a ferry. On the opposite end, Santa Apolónia station makes for easy access to Alfama and the National Tile Museum, and serves as a train hub for longer regional trips. The Blue Line felt like a lifeline threading together the old, the iconic, and the everyday.
Linha Verde (Caravel Line)
Starting down by the waterfront at Cais do Sodré, this line runs through some of Lisbon’s most dynamic neighborhoods. We loved Cais do Sodré for its river views and the food stalls at Time Out Market, and from there it was a straight shot to Baixa-Chiado, Rossio, and Martim Moniz. The latter was especially memorable as the starting point for Tram 28, with a lively, multicultural energy all its own.
What stood out about the Green Line was how it felt embedded in the rhythm of city life, markets, music, cafés, and normal weekday bustle.
Linha Amarela (Sunflower Line)
We didn’t use this line as heavily, but it proved useful when moving through Lisbon’s business and residential areas. Rato station is tucked away near the Amoreiras neighborhood, while Marquês de Pombal serves as a major transfer point to the Blue Line and gets you close to many of the upscale hotels and shops along Avenida da Liberdade.
At Saldanha, you can link back to the Red Line or stop for a local lunch away from the tourist crowds. It’s a line that locals seem to use most, but for visitors staying slightly outside the old center, it offers smooth connections and a peek into Lisbon’s more modern personality.
One standout feature of the Lisbon Metro is the metro map itself. It’s color-coded and visually intuitive, and includes smart icons along each route. You’ll spot symbols for connecting forms of transportation including the airport, train stations, bus terminals, and ferries. There are even wheelchair icons indicating accessibility. The inclusion of this visual information is hugely helpful for travelers with luggage or mobility needs. It struck us as really well thought out. And you can find more concise representations of the lines within each station and on the train cars. And, if you're not one to carry a foldable map in your pocket or download it to your smartphone, there are maps in the station near the turnstiles (now "glass optical swing gates") and on the platforms. Below we share the version of the map that we screen clipped from the metro website on June 27, 2024.
And the metro is expanding to improve circulation and add stations. Below we share what the future map will look like, also a screen clipping. The red and blue lines are not included in the expansion project. So, they've been grayed out. The southern portion of the yellow line will become part of the green line and the green line will add two stops between Rato and Cais do Sodré, forming a circular line in the heart of the city. According to the official metro network expansion plan, "this expansion of the network will reach parts of the city still not covered by the Metro and will link to other public transport operators, namely CP’s Lisboa-Cascais railway network and river ports linking Lisboa and Montijo / Seixal / Almada. This increase in public transport supply will comprise new connections and the improvement of existing ones." (https://www.metrolisboa.pt/company/inform/network-expansion-plan/, downloaded June 27, 2025)
The metro website has a page with more tips on how to use the metro. It has information in text followed by links to guides and helpful videos. Check it out!
In Closing
Whether you're a first-time visitor trying to get your bearings or a return traveler looking to explore deeper corners of Lisbon, the metro offers a clean, reliable, and beautifully designed gateway to the city. With a little preparation and a curious eye, each ride becomes more than just a commute, it’s an orientation to the rhythm, history, and quiet brilliance of how Lisbon moves.
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