Sightseeing with the historic tram line 28 (Eléctrico 28E)

You should not miss out on a ride onboard the tram line (Eléctrico) 28E. She will drive you through the old quarters of the city in vintage, historical wagons and you will see the most beautiful streets and plazas of Lisbon. She practically replaces a sightseeing tour of the city and is considerably cheaper to boot.
The Eléctrico 28E is not only a tourist attraction, but also a “normal” part of the public transport system in Lisbon. No new and modern trams ride along this route as the tracks run through very narrow alleys. You can see it nicely in the video below.

Tram 28 E: tickets & prices

Since the Eléctrico is part of the Lisbon public transport system, all regular tariffs and tickets of the public transport company Carris apply. The price for an onboard ticket (purchase of a ticket with the driver) is currently 3 Euro (as of 2019). A ride with, for example, the „Viva Viagem“ or „7 Colinas“ card is cheaper than the onboard ticket.

Owners of the Lisboa Card ride free-of-charge and can hop on and off as many times as they wish.

Route of the tram line 28E

The final stops of line 28E are “Martim Moniz” in the east of the Baixa (city center) and „Prazeres“ at the cemetery “Cemitério dos Prazeres” which is worth a visit.

The fact that all passengers must deboard tram 28E at both final stops sometimes confuses tourists. If you want to continue your journey, you will have to walk a few steps and then get back on. One cannot just simply stay put in one’s seat.

On the way you will pass the districts of Bairro Alto, Chiado, Baixa (city center) and Alfama. The drive through the narrow alleys of the old town quarter Alfama is particularly impressive. Although the wagons of tram line 28E are small and narrow, there is often only a few centimeters of room to the left and right in these tight alleys.

The windows of the tram are often opened when the weather is warm. That allows an even better view of the city of Lisbon.

Schedule & stops of the Eléctrico 28E:

→ Schedule and route of tram line 28 E (Eléctrico) (.pdf, 280 kB)

Video: a trip with Eléctrico 28E

The video shows scenes from a ride onboard the Eléctrico 28E through Lisbon. The film also makes it very clear why it is not allowed to lean your head or body out of the window – the route, especially in the Alfalma is so tight in some areas that you can barely fit a hand’s width between the tram and the wall of a house.

We also deliberately omitted the typical background noises you hear onboard the tram, they simply belong with it and one must experience it. Enjoy climbing on board and the journey!



Note – pickpockets on the tram

Please be mindful of your belongings while onboard line 28E. Pickpockets could take advantage of the crowds in the small, tight tram! Here you can find more information regarding safety and crime in Portugal in general and Lisbon specifically.

More about Lisbon and Portugal in this travel guide