The 24-hour Lisbon public transport pass gives unlimited rides after the first tap, with options from €7 to €11 depending on the network.
Want one card that covers metro, buses, trams, funiculars, and even local trains? Lisbon sells a day pass that unlocks unlimited travel for 24 hours from your first validation. You load it on a reusable navegante occasional card (the green/white smartcard many visitors still call “Viva Viagem”). Pick the bundle that matches your plans, tap in, and ride as much as you like until the clock runs out.
24-Hour Lisbon Transit Pass: Prices, Coverage, And How It Works
There are three flavors of the day ticket. The base option covers city buses and the entire metro. A second adds the short ferry hop across the Tagus to Cacilhas. The third folds in urban trains to Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja, and Sado lines. All three versions run for 24 hours after your first tap, not by calendar day.
Day Pass Options At A Glance
| Ticket | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Carris + Metro (24h) | €7.00 | All city buses (Carris), metro, trams, funiculars, and Santa Justa lift |
| Carris + Metro + Transtejo (Cacilhas) (24h) | €10.00 | Everything above, plus the Cacilhas ferry segment |
| Carris + Metro + CP Urban Trains (24h) | €11.00 | Everything above, plus Lisbon urban trains (Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja, Sado) |
Prices and inclusions come from the official metro “Buy” page, which lists all three day-pass variants and their current fares. You can confirm details on the Metropolitano de Lisboa fares page. The rail combo is also outlined on CP’s 24-hour ticket page. These two pages are the best references while planning.
What The 24-Hour Window Really Means
The clock starts on the first validation. Tap the card at a metro gate or bus reader at 14:10 today, and the pass runs until 14:10 tomorrow. You can enter the metro and change lines freely. On buses and trams you just tap in; on metro you must tap in at gates every time you enter a station. Keep the card handy in case staff ask to check it.
Card You Need To Load The Pass
The day ticket lives on the rechargeable navegante occasional card (the visitor version). The card costs €0.50 and stays valid for one year, so you can reload it on a later trip. The metro spells this out on its navegante occasional card page. If you already have a compatible card, you can overwrite what’s on it with a new day ticket, but only one product sits on the card at a time.
Where To Buy And Load
You can buy and load at metro Ticket Vending Machines and station ticket offices. Machines offer English prompts and accept cards and cash. You can also buy online at Portal VIVA and then pick up the load at a station machine. The official metro page lists sales points clearly under “Where to buy occasional journeys.”
Quick Steps At The Machine
- Choose the day ticket variant you want.
- Choose “load on existing card” or buy a new card for €0.50.
- Pay by card or cash. Keep the receipt with the control number.
- Tap to validate at the gate or on board your first bus or tram.
What’s Covered In Practice
With Carris + Metro (24h)
Ride the full metro network and the yellow Carris vehicles: modern buses, classic Remodelado trams, funiculars (Glória, Bica, Lavra), and the Santa Justa lift. This bundle is the sweet spot for a full day of city sightseeing on both rails and roads.
With Cacilhas Add-On (24h)
Planning waterfront views and lunch across the river? The Cacilhas ferry segment turns the pass into a cross-river deal. Board at Cais do Sodré and reach Almada’s Cacilhas terminal in minutes, then hop the bus to Cristo Rei or wander the quayside.
With CP Urban Trains (24h)
Thinking beach time on the Cascais line or palaces in Sintra? The CP add-on opens both lines along with the Azambuja and Sado urban services. Pair it with an early start and you can do a seaside morning and a palace walk before dinner back in the center.
When The Day Ticket Beats Pay-As-You-Go
Metro sells single rides and “zapping” credit. Zapping charges per ride at a reduced metro fare, and bank card tap also works at metro gates. If you expect lots of hops and transfers in one day, the 24-hour product usually wins on price and convenience.
Simple Break-Even Math
The metro’s zapping fare is €1.66 per ride, while a metro tap with a bank card shows €1.85. The Carris + Metro day ticket is €7. That means five or more metro or Carris rides in a day push you past the day-ticket price when using zapping, and four or more rides leave you close. If you’re mixing buses, trams, and gates a lot, the pass saves not just money but the mental overhead of counting rides.
Break-Even Guide With Zapping
| Rides In A Day | Cost With Zapping (€1.66) | Compare To Day Ticket (€7) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 rides | €4.98 | Single rides cheaper |
| 4 rides | €6.64 | Close call |
| 5 rides | €8.30 | Day ticket wins |
Fare points for zapping and day tickets are listed on the metro’s “Buy” page. That same page mentions contactless bank-card taps and the single-ride price at the gate.
Airport Arrivals: Easiest Way To Start
Landing at LIS with luggage? Go straight to the Airport metro station. Machines sit steps from the gates. If the plan is a heavy sightseeing day, load the day ticket before leaving the station. Your first tap through the gate starts the 24-hour clock.
Best Itineraries For Each Version
City-Only Day (Carris + Metro)
Morning in Baixa and Alfama by tram and foot. Tap into Tram 28 for a scenic loop, switch to the metro at Martim Moniz, ride to São Sebastião for the Gulbenkian, then head back to Cais do Sodré for sunset at Miradouro de Santa Catarina. Add funiculars when hills get steep. This routine racks up rides fast, and the pass keeps it simple.
River And Views (Cacilhas Add-On)
Start on the green line to Cais do Sodré, ferry to Cacilhas, grab Bus 101 to Cristo Rei, come back to the riverside for lunch, then ferry back for a tram to Belém. With the ferry segment built in, you’re covered end to end.
Two-Stop Explorer (CP Add-On)
Early metro to Rossio, urban train to Sintra for the morning, metro back from Oriente after an afternoon on the Cascais line. That’s trains, metro, and buses in one loop, all included. Time your palace entries and beach strolls, and you’ll squeeze the full value out of the €11 combo.
Common Rules, Gotchas, And Tips
One Card, One Person
The smartcard is personal in use. Each rider needs their own card and ticket product. Gate readers and inspectors assume one card per traveler.
Keep The Receipt
The receipt shows a control number that helps staff replace a defective card. Metro spells this out on its card page. Tuck it in your wallet until your travel window ends.
Tap Every Time You Enter
On metro, tapping at the gate is mandatory. On trams and buses, tap on board even if you have a day ticket. It validates your ride and keeps the system logs clean.
Mixing Products On One Card
The card can’t hold two different products at once. If you have unused credit or a previous ticket, the machine will prompt you to overwrite or use what’s left first. If you want to keep zapping for another day while you use a day ticket now, buy a second €0.50 card.
Does The Pass Cover Elevators And Funiculars?
Yes—the Carris network includes the three hillside funiculars and the Santa Justa lift. That’s handy because single tickets on those lifts cost more than a typical bus ride, so the pass stretches further here.
Picking The Right Variant
Choose Carris + Metro If…
- You plan a city day with five or more rides.
- You want unfussy transfers among metro, buses, trams, and lifts.
- Your plans stay this side of the river.
Choose Cacilhas Add-On If…
- You want ferry views plus a riverside walk in Almada.
- Your lunch plan sits across the river.
Choose CP Add-On If…
- Sintra’s palaces or Cascais beaches sit on your list.
- You like the freedom to hop city trams after your train ride back.
What If You Only Ride A Little?
Short travel day? Load zapping credit and pay per ride or tap a bank card at metro gates. Zapping often suits airport arrival evenings or light days with two or three hops. On a big sightseeing day, the day ticket takes the lead fast.
Where Official Info Lives
Keep two official pages handy during your trip. The metro’s fares page lists day-ticket prices, zapping, bank-card taps, sales points, and support cards. The CP page lists the urban-train combo. Both sites reflect current fare tables and product texts, which is what staff follow at stations.
How To Avoid Queues And Snags
Buy Two Cards For A Pair
If you’re traveling as a couple, grab two smartcards at the first machine you see. Swap each card back into the same wallet pocket every time, so you don’t cross them at the gate.
Load Before Rush Hours
Station halls fill up on weekday mornings and late afternoons. Load your card outside those times. You’ll breeze through the gates while lines form at the machines.
Check The Printer Roll
If the machine shows a printer error, move to the next one so you leave with a receipt. Ticket offices can reprint only if the sale happened in their own network.
Accessibility And Family Notes
Metro stations post step-free paths on maps by the gates. Trams have steep steps; buses are easier with strollers. If you’re splitting rides with kids who love trams, the day pass prevents surprises since those iconic routes can add up on pay-per-ride.
Quick Answers You’ll Want Handy
Does The 24-Hour Clock Freeze Overnight?
No. The clock runs continuously. If you start late at night, your window still ends 24 hours after the first tap.
Can You Combine With An Attraction Card?
Yes. Attraction cards sit on a separate system. Many travelers pair a day pass for transit with timed entries at palaces or museums.
Can You Buy Online?
Yes. You can purchase a voucher via Portal VIVA, then collect at a station machine. Many riders still buy at the station since it’s quick and the machine offers English prompts.
Why This Pass Keeps Trips Simple
One tap opens the network. Trams for hill climbs, buses for door-to-door links, metro for fast cross-town jumps, and trains for day trips—no tallying fares, no second-guessing. For a busy day, the 24-hour product is the stress-free pick.
Sources: Official pricing and product details from the Metropolitano de Lisboa “Buy” page and the CP 24-hour ticket page. The €0.50 smartcard fee and card behavior are described on the metro’s navegante occasional card page.