Lisbon: 72/96-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, Tram & Boat Ticket

Lisbon’s best feature is its variety, and this pass lets you see it from three useful angles: an open-top bus, a vintage tram, and the Tagus River. I especially like the Hills Tramcar Tour, which gives you a more relaxed alternative to the famously crowded public Tram 28, and the boat ride, which shows the city’s waterfront from a completely different position.

I also like that the ticket lasts 72 or 96 hours, giving you time to split the city into manageable outings. The main drawback is coverage: the buses are useful for Belém and modern Oriente, but they do not reach every historic street in central Lisbon. You will still walk, and route names and bus colors can be confusing at first.

Key points to know before you book

• The Hills Tramcar Tour is the highlight: It follows Lisbon’s steep historic districts without the usual crush of the public trams.
• Belém gets its own full route: You can stop near Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Discoveries Monument, MAAT, and the Coach Museum.
• The Modern Lisbon route reaches Oriente: Use it for the Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, FIL, Marvila, and the riverside east.
• The Tagus cruise is a calm change of pace: Boats connect Terreiro do Paço and Belém on selected days.
• Audio commentary comes in 11 languages: Earphones are provided on buses and tram, while the boat uses speakers.
• The pass works best over several days: At $55 per person, it becomes more useful when you take several routes rather than one sightseeing loop.

What the $55 ticket actually gives you

For $55, you get access to two double-decker bus routes, the Hills Tramcar Tour, the Yellow Boat, and Carris public trams during the ticket’s validity. You can choose a 72-hour or 96-hour option, so the pass is aimed at people staying in Lisbon for several days rather than those making a quick overnight stop.

I see the value in the combination. A single bus loop gives you an overview, but it is not usually enough to justify the price on its own. Add the tram, boat, and several practical rides across town, and the arithmetic improves. You can use the bus to reach Belém, the Modern route to reach Oriente, and the tram to see Alfama and Baixa without buying separate sightseeing tickets for each.

The pass also comes with discounts on selected monuments, museums, and leisure activities. Check the benefits attached to your voucher before paying for attractions. Entrance fees, meals, drinks, and hotel transfers are not included.

The best use of the ticket is to treat it as both a sightseeing pass and a transport tool. I would not buy it simply to sit on a bus all day. I would buy it if I planned to cover western Lisbon, eastern Lisbon, the old hill districts, and the riverfront over two or three days.

Day one: use the Belém route for Lisbon’s grandest monuments

Start with the Belém Lisbon Bus Tour, identified as the blue line on the map. Buses leave Restauradores Square from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., usually every 30 minutes. The route also passes Rossio Square, Avenida da Liberdade, Marquês de Pombal, Eduardo VII Park, Amoreiras, Estrela, and Pilar 7 before reaching the monuments beside the Tagus.

The central stops are useful if your hotel is near the old center. Restauradores and Rossio put you close to Lisbon’s main pedestrian streets, while Marquês de Pombal and Eduardo VII Park show how the city opens up north of the old center.

At Belém and the Coach Museum, you can visit the Museu dos Coches, one of the area’s main indoor options. The route then reaches Jerónimos Monastery, the most important stop for Manueline architecture. Its carved stone details reflect Portugal’s seafaring age, so this is a good place to pause rather than simply photograph the exterior.

The bus continues to Belém Tower and the Monument of the Discoveries. These are close to the river and work well as a pair. Belém Tower is compact and highly recognizable, while the Discoveries Monument gives you a broad view toward the river and the bridge. Entry to both is extra, so allow time and budget if you want to go inside.

MAAT offers a very different stop, with modern art, architecture, and technology beside the waterfront. The Docas Cruise Terminal area is better for a break, a riverside walk, or a drink outside the vehicle. Food and drinks are not allowed onboard, so use your stop time rather than trying to carry refreshments onto the bus.

The Belém route is the most important line for first-time visitors, but do not expect it to replace walking. Stops are spread along a long riverside district, and the most rewarding details are often between the major monuments.

Day two: take the Modern route east to Oriente

The Modern Lisbon route is marked purple on the route information, although the buses themselves are yellow. This is where the naming system can cause confusion. The operator uses yellow buses, the Belém route is shown with a blue sign, and the Modern route has a pink sign. Other sightseeing companies use different colors and similar-looking vehicles, so check the windshield and stop information before boarding.

Buses run from Restauradores roughly every 30 minutes between 9:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. The route passes Rossio, Avenida da Liberdade, Graça, the National Pantheon, Lisbon Cruise Terminal, the Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, FIL, and the Vasco da Gama Tower area.

This route is less about old Lisbon and more about the city’s newer riverfront. The Oceanário is the obvious reason to get off, especially if you want a substantial indoor attraction. The Vasco da Gama shopping center offers a practical pause, while FIL serves as a major exhibition venue.

Marvila and Beato give you a look at Lisbon’s eastern side, an area that feels very different from the tiled lanes and steep alleys of Alfama. The ride is useful even if you do not stop often, since it shows how far the city stretches beyond the postcard center.

Oriente is the route’s main payoff. The contemporary buildings, broad avenues, riverside paths, and Vasco da Gama Tower area make a sharp contrast with Belém’s monasteries and towers. I would give this route most of a half day if you plan to visit the Oceanário, and less time if you only want the overview.

One limitation is that this route does not cover every historic neighborhood in the center. You will not get a full tour of the narrow streets around Baixa, Alfama, or the castle from this bus. That is the job of the tram and your own feet.

The Hills Tramcar Tour gives you the old city without the worst crush

The Hills Tramcar Tour begins and ends at Praça do Comércio. It has no regular hop-on, hop-off stops along the route, so think of it as a scenic circular ride rather than public transport.

The tram passes close to Portas do Sol, Lisbon Cathedral, Rua da Conceição, Graça, the National Pantheon, São Vicente, and Martim Moniz. It also climbs through the historic hill districts, giving you views toward Alfama and the Castelo de São Jorge area.

This is my favorite part of the pass. You get the wooden tram feel and the steep streets that make Lisbon distinctive, but with a more organized sightseeing ride than the standard public trams. The route is also a good choice if you want the atmosphere of Tram 28 without committing to its long queues and packed cars.

There are no stops at each attraction, so you need to plan carefully. If your main aim is to visit the castle or cathedral, use the ride to get your bearings, then return on foot or by another service. The tram is best for the ride itself, photographs, and the audio commentary.

Departures are listed from about 9:30 a.m. to 5:05 p.m., every 35 minutes. It is sensible to ride early or later in the day if you want a better chance of boarding without a long wait. During busy periods, this service can fill up, even though it is generally less crowded than the public tram.

The ticket also provides access to Carris public trams during its validity. That is useful for short local connections, but remember that regular public trams are still part of Lisbon’s daily transport system. They may be crowded, and the sightseeing tram is a separate, more comfortable way to view the hills.

The Yellow Boat changes your view of Lisbon

The Yellow Boat runs between Terreiro do Paço and Belém, near Belém Tower. From the water, you see the city’s seven hills, colorful facades, towers, and waterfront monuments in one broad sweep. The route passes beneath the 25th of April Bridge, a memorable viewpoint that you cannot get from the streets in quite the same way.

The boat is scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Departures from Terreiro do Paço are listed at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m., with departures from Belém at noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. Updated times are also supplied for departures from February 20, including 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. from Terreiro do Paço, and 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. from Belém.

Because the boat operates on selected days, check the current schedule before building your day around it. Some departures from Belém are one way only, so do not assume that every sailing returns you to your starting point.

I would pair the boat with the Belém route. Take the bus west, visit the monuments, then use the boat back to Terreiro do Paço if the timing works. That gives you sightseeing on land and a restful return by water without repeating the same road.

The boat has a speaker guide rather than individual earphones. Refreshments may be available onboard, but food and drinks are not allowed on the buses or tram, so follow the crew’s instructions.

Audio guides, staff, and the practical details

Audio commentary is available in Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish. Buses and tram use earphones, while the Yellow Boat uses speakers. The commentary adds useful context to a ride that might otherwise become a simple parade of monuments.

Earphones are supplied, but bring your own if you prefer familiar earbuds. The commentary is one of the reasons I would choose this pass over an ordinary public transport ticket when you are new to Lisbon.

Finding the first pickup point can take a little work. You can usually have the mobile voucher validated on the bus or tram, but the exact meeting point depends on the option booked. Staff at the main stops can help, and Raquel at the bus depot has been singled out for being especially helpful.

Use the route map and the bus windshield together. Do not rely only on the vehicle color. The yellow buses, blue Belém sign, and pink Modern sign are easy to mix up until you have taken one ride.

Roadworks can temporarily suspend a service, so check updates with the Yellow Bus team on the day. The buses generally run every 30 minutes, but the service ends in the late afternoon. If you want evening sightseeing, you will need to continue with public transport or on foot.

The pass is not a hotel shuttle, and it does not include admission to the monuments. Plan extra time for queues at popular sites, especially when you want to enter rather than simply see them from the road.

Who should buy the 72-hour or 96-hour option?

I would recommend the 72-hour ticket to a first-time visitor staying three full days. Use one day for Belém, one for Oriente and the eastern riverfront, and one for the Hills Tramcar Tour, the boat, and local tram rides.

The 96-hour version makes sense if you prefer shorter outings, are traveling with children or older family members, or want time for museums and cafés between rides. It also gives you more room to work around the boat’s limited operating days.

This pass suits you best if you want a broad introduction before exploring on foot. It is especially helpful if steep streets are tiring, since Lisbon’s hills can turn a short distance into a serious walk.

I would be less keen on it if you plan to spend nearly all your time inside the old center. The buses cover major districts, but they do not replace a walk through Alfama, Baixa, Mouraria, or the streets around the castle. You may also prefer regular public transport if you are mainly making short point-to-point trips.

Should you book this Lisbon pass?

Book it if you have at least three days, want to see Belém and Oriente, and value having the tram and boat bundled with the bus routes. The strongest combination is the Belém bus, Hills Tramcar Tour, and Yellow Boat, with the Modern route added when you want to see the Oceanário and eastern riverfront.

At $55, the pass is good value when you use it across several days and take advantage of the public tram access and attraction discounts. It is not a magic ticket for every corner of Lisbon, and you still need to walk the old center, check schedules, and watch for route confusion.

For a first visit, I would choose the 72-hour option unless you know you prefer a slower pace. Choose 96 hours when you want flexibility and several relaxed half-days rather than a packed sightseeing schedule.

FAQ

How long is the ticket valid?

You can choose a 72-hour or 96-hour ticket. Check the selected option and its starting time when booking.

What transport is included?

The ticket includes the Belém double-decker bus tour, Modern Lisbon double-decker bus tour, Hills Tramcar Tour, Yellow Boat Tour, and access to Carris public trams during the ticket’s validity.

Does the ticket include museum and monument entry?

No. Entrance fees to museums and monuments are not included, although the voucher provides access to selected discounts.

Where does the Hills Tramcar Tour start?

The Hills Tramcar Tour starts and ends at Praça do Comércio. It is a circular sightseeing ride and has no regular hop-on, hop-off stops along the route.

Does the Yellow Boat run every day?

No. The listed operating days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Check the current departure times before planning your outing.

What languages are available for the audio guide?

Commentary is available in Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish.

Are food and drinks allowed onboard?

Food, drinks, and alcoholic drinks are not allowed in the buses or tram. Food and drinks are also not included in the ticket.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve now and pay later option is also available, depending on the booking choice.