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Testing the “Lisboa Card” – is a purchase worth it?



Testing the “Lisboa Card” – is a purchase worth it?

What is the “Lisboa Card”? Is the purchase of a “Lisboa Card” worth it for you? We tested this offer and punched the numbers.

“Lisboa Card” – what is it exactly? How does it work?

Lisboa Card – Only one ticket for local transport + free or reduced admission to sightseeing attractions

The “Lisboa Card” or “Lisbon Card” is the official sightseeing pass of the municipal tourist office. This combination card offers the following:

1  Unlimited use of public transport, free-of-charge. This includes the Metro (subway – to the airport as well), city buses, trams (including the historic line E28), cable cars, and train rides to the seaside resort towns of Cascais and Estoril as well as to Sintra.

2 free admission to currently to more than 25 tourist attractions and museums

3 10% – 50% discount on many sights and sightseeing tours

4 between 5% and 10% discount in all participating stores

Is the purchase of a “Lisboa Card” worth it for you?

We have punched the numbers for you since we asked ourselves the same question before our last trip to Lisbon. Let’s take a closer look at what the “Lisboa Card” has to offer first.

The “Lisboa Card” includes the unlimited and free-of-charge use of all public transport, including trains to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril. The price for a comparable day ticket is 10,55€ per day.

The Lisboa Card with a validity period of 72h (3 days) costs 42€. Compared to the price for 3-day tickets (31.65 €), for an additional 10.35 € you will receive free or reduced admission to many sightseeing attractions.

Sample calculation:

We included some classic sights and museums for this purpose.

Our conclusion:

The surcharge of 10.35€ for the three days compared to a simple public transport day ticket pays off quickly if you are planning on discovering a few of Lisbon’s sightseeing attractions as well.

The comfort and time savings the Lisboa Card comes with, are invaluable in our opinion. However, since it is an individual opinion, we cannot put a price tag on it. How much is it worth it to you when you don’t have to try to figure out ticket machines and tariff systems and waste time waiting in lines while on vacation?

Tip: Purchase the Lisboa Card without a surcharge online

You can purchase the Lisboa Card online via this website – please click here. You will also be able to inform yourself in detail about all available discounts.

Advantages of the online purchase:

If you travel by plane, you can use the card immediately upon arrival to take the Metro from the airport to city center, for example. You won’t have any hassle with ticket machines, tariff systems etc. It saves time and avoids stress locally.

Purchase via an English-language website

The purchase is made via an English-language website. In our experience that avoids misunderstandings. Customer service, either by mail or phone, also takes place in English.

Prices for the Lisboa Card (beg. April 2019):

24 hours: 20€ adults, 13€ children (5-11 years)
48 hours: 34€ adults, 19€ children (5-11 years)
72 hours: 42€ adults, 22.50€ children (5-11 years)

Need more details?

Here you will find discounts / savings of the Lisboa card in detail. Simply click on one of the green bars to open…


Buses, trams (incl. historical lines 28 and 15),
Lifts and funiculars of the urban transport company CARRIS
free & unlimited use
Metro / subway Lisbon (incl. airport line) free & unlimited use
Rail journey to Sintra (small town in the middle of the nature park) free & unlimited use
Rail journey to the coastal towns of Cascais and Estoril free & unlimited use
Fertagus – Railway to Sétubal -25%
Aerobus shuttle / Aerobus shuttle 24h Shuttlebus to the Airport -25%
Teleférico do Parque das Nações
Cable car at the EXPO area “Parque das Nações”
-10%


Monasterio de los Jerónimos –
Hieronymus Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage) – regular price: 10 Euro
free admission
Torre de Belém –
Tower of Belém (landmark) – regular price: 6 Euro
free admission
Palacio Nacional de Mafra – National Palace of Mafra free admission
Palacio Nacional de Ajuda – National Palace of Ajuda free admission
Panteón Nacional – National memorial and burial site free admission
Monasterio de Batalha – Batalha monastery free admission
Convento de Cristo free admission
Arco da Rua Augusta free admission
Monasterio de Alcobaça – Alcobaça monastry free admission
Casa Fernando Pessoa – House of the writer Fernando Pessoa -40%
Monumento a los Descubrimientos – Monument of the Discoveries -30%
Quinta da Regaleira – Mystic palace & park near Sintra (UNESCO World Heritage) -20%
Palacio Nacional de Queluz – National Palace of Queluz -15%
Castillo de los Moros – masonry fort in Sintra -15%
Palacio Nacional de Sintra – National Palace  of Sintra -10%
Palácio Nacional de la Pena – National Palace of Pena -10%


Sintra Mitos e Lendas –
interactive exhibition “Sintra, Myths & Legends (regular price 4,50 Euro)
free admission
Experiencia Pilar 7 – interactive exhibition on the “Ponte 25 de Abril” bridge free admission
Fundación José Saramago – José Saramago endowment -1 Euro
Planetário Calouste Gulbenkian – planetarium Calouste Gulbenkian” -50%
Pabellón del Conocimiento – Knowledge Pavilion -20%
São Luiz Teatro Municipal – Municipal Theatre “São Luiz” -20%
Centro Cultural de Belém – Exhibitions at the Belém Cultural Centre -20%
Jardin Zoológico de Lisboa – Zoo Lisbon -15%
Oceanário –  Oceanarium Lisbon -15%


Lisboa Story Centre – great interactive museum,
that the history of the city is succinct –
good start to get to know Lisbon (regular price 7€)
free admission
Museo Nacional de Carruajes – National Carriage Museum free admission
Museo Nacional de Arte Antigua –  National Museum of Ancient Art free admission
Casa Anastácio Gonçalves Museum free admission
San Antonio Museum free admission
Palacio Pimenta Museum free admission
Museo Lisboa Teatro Romano free admission
Museo Nacional de la Música – Museum of Music free admission
Museo del Chiado free admission
Museo Nacional de Arqueología –  Museum of Archaeology free admission
MAAT – Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia
Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology
free admission
Museo Nacional del Azulejo – Museum of Azulejos Tiles free admission
Museo Nacional de Etnología – ethnological museum free admission
Museo Nacional del Teatro y de Danza – Museum for Theatre & Dance free admission
Museo Nacional del Traje – traditional costume museum free admission
Museo del Aire – aviation museum free admission
Museo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro – Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro Museum free admission
Fundación Arpad Szenes – Vieira da Silva -50%
Museo del Agua – Water Museum -50%
Museo de Historia Natural y Ciencia
Museum of Natural History and Science
-50%
Centro Científico y Cultural de Macao
Culture and Science Centre for Macau
-50%
Museo de las Comunicaciones Museum of Communication -50%
Museo San Roque São Roque Museum -40%
Museo Sporting – Estadio José Alvalade
Soccer Stadium  José Alvalade (tour) & museum of Sporting Lisbon
-40%
Fundación Medeiros e Almeida -40%
Museo de la Marina- Marine Museum -33%
Museo Collección Berardo -30%
Museo del Fado – Fado Museum -30%
Museo de la Carris – Carris (public transport & tram) Museum -30%
Museo de la Marioneta – Dolls Museum -30%
NewsMuseum -30%
Museo Calouste Gulbenkian – Colecção Moderna
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum – Modern Art Collection
-20%
Museo Arqueológico del Carmo – Carmo Archaeological Museum -20%
Museo del Oriente – Orient Museum -20%
Museo de la Farmacia – Pharmacy Museum -20%
Museo Benfica Cosme Damião y Estadio de la Luz
Soccer Stadium Luz & museum of Benfica Lisbon
-15%


Parque Eduardo VII y Invernadero
Eduardo VII Park & cold greenhouses
free admission
Parque de la Pena Pena Park in Sintra -10%
Convento de los Capuchos – Capuchin Convention in Sintra -15%
Parque Monserrate – Monserrate Park in Sintra -15%




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