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

The best feature of this Lisbon pass is the change of viewpoint. In one outing, you can roll past Belém’s grand monuments, rattle through old hill districts in a vintage tram, and then watch the city slide by from the Tagus. It turns sightseeing into a useful transport plan, not just a ride around town.

I like the Hills Tramcar Tour, which follows the old neighborhoods many visitors want to see but may find tiring on foot. I also like the freedom of a 72 or 96-hour ticket: you can use the buses for major crossings, public trams for short local trips, and save the boat for a slower afternoon.

The main drawback is coverage. The two bus routes reach Belém and modern Oriente, but they do not cover every historic street. The old tram tour also has no hop-on, hop-off stops along its route, so you need to plan your stops carefully.

Key points to know before booking

• The Hills Tramcar Tour is often the highlight: It passes Alfama, Graça, the cathedral, São Vicente, Martim Moniz, and the National Pantheon without the crushing queues common on Lisbon’s regular trams.
• Belém gets its own route: The blue bus takes you to Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, MAAT, and the Coach Museum.
• The purple route reaches modern Lisbon: Ride east to the Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, Marvila, Beato, and the Vasco da Gama Tower.
• The Yellow Boat adds a worthwhile change of pace: It runs between Terreiro do Paço and Belém, offering views of the 25th of April Bridge and Lisbon’s waterfront.
• Public Carris trams are included during the ticket period: This is useful for short trips around the center, but local buses are not listed as part of the package.
• The pass is best used over several days: At $55, it makes more sense if you take several rides and use the boat and tram, rather than treating it as one sightseeing loop.

What the $55 pass really gives you

The ticket costs $55 per person and lasts either 72 or 96 hours, depending on the option you choose. That is not the cheapest way to make a single trip to Belém, but it can be good value if you use several parts of the package.

You receive access to the blue Belém bus, the purple Modern Lisbon bus, the Hills Tramcar Tour, the Yellow Boat, and Carris public trams during the ticket’s validity. Audio commentary is provided on the buses and tram, with a speaker guide on the boat.

The pass works best as a flexible sightseeing tool. You might use the bus on your first morning to understand Lisbon’s layout, then return to one or two places by public tram. On another day, you can combine Belém with the boat instead of retracing the entire road route.

The 96-hour option gives you more breathing room. Lisbon’s hills, museums, cafés, and viewpoints can easily turn a tightly planned day into a slow one. If you have four days in town and want to use the transport often, the longer ticket should be easier to justify. With only a short stay, the 72-hour version is likely enough.

The included discounts on monuments, museums, and leisure activities may improve the value, but you should check the benefits listed on your voucher before counting on a saving. Entrance fees are not included.

Riding the blue bus to Belém

The blue Belém route begins at Restauradores Square and runs west toward the Tagus. Departures are listed every 30 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., which gives you a useful daytime link between central Lisbon and the monuments of Belém.

The route starts with central stops at Rossio Square, Marquês de Pombal, El Corte Inglés, and Eduardo VII Park. You can stay on for a broad city overview, or use the stops near the center to connect with your hotel and other parts of town.

The Belém section is the main reason to use this line. The stops include:

• Coach Museum
• Jerónimos Monastery
• Belém Tower
• Monument to the Discoveries
• MAAT
• Docas Cruise Terminal

Jerónimos Monastery is the major sight here, with its detailed Manueline stonework and strong connection to Portugal’s seafaring era. Belém Tower is farther along the river and gives you one of Lisbon’s most recognizable views. The Monument to the Discoveries faces the water and offers a clear reminder that Belém was tied to Portugal’s maritime ambitions.

MAAT provides a different type of stop, focused on art, architecture, and technology. The nearby waterfront and Docas area are also useful places to pause for a drink or meal, though food and drinks are not included in the ticket.

Give Belém plenty of time. The bus is useful for getting there, but you still need to allow for museum and monument visits, walking between stops, and possible lines. Trying to complete every attraction while also following the bus timetable can make the day feel rushed.

Taking the purple bus east to Oriente

The Modern Lisbon route heads east from Restauradores Square. It departs about every 30 minutes between 9:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., although service hours can change.

This is a good contrast to the old center and Belém. The route passes through Graça, the National Pantheon area, the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, the Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, and the former Expo district.

The eastern end includes the Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, FIL, and the Vasco da Gama Tower near Hotel Myriad. The Oceanário is one of the area’s main attractions, while the former Expo zone gives you wide promenades and contemporary buildings rather than narrow lanes and tiled façades.

I would use this route on a separate half-day. It reaches places that are less convenient to connect by foot from central Lisbon, and it shows how different the eastern waterfront feels from Alfama or Baixa.

The coverage is not complete. One passenger found that the bus routes left out a large part of the old historic center. That is a fair criticism. The buses are designed to link major districts and sights, not to replace every local street or tram route.

The Hills Tramcar is the star attraction

The Hills Tramcar Tour leaves from Praça do Comércio and returns to the same square. It runs roughly every 35 minutes, with departures listed from 9:30 a.m. to 5:05 p.m.

Unlike the bus routes, this tram has no regular stops where you can get off and rejoin later. It passes points of interest including Portas do Sol, Lisbon Cathedral, Rua da Conceição, Graça, the National Pantheon, São Vicente, and Martim Moniz. Because you cannot freely hop off along the route, treat it as a complete scenic ride.

This is the most satisfying way to see the old hills without committing to a long uphill walk. The tram climbs through Alfama, Mouraria, and Baixa, giving you close views of steep streets, old façades, church towers, and city viewpoints.

It also offers a practical alternative to the famous regular Tram 28. Lisbon’s public trams can become extremely crowded, and boarding is not always possible when a vehicle arrives full. The dedicated Hills Tramcar Tour is not the same local service, but it gives you a more relaxed way to see similar old-city scenery.

Try to ride early in the day if you want the best chance of getting a seat. Demand can rise sharply, and waiting times may become long at busy periods. The tram’s open or vintage-style feel is part of the appeal, but it is still subject to Lisbon traffic. A past service interruption caused a lengthy delay, so keep a little flexibility in your schedule.

Seeing Lisbon from the Yellow Boat

The Yellow Boat connects Terreiro do Paço, also called Praça do Comércio, with Belém. The boat stop in Belém is near Belém Tower, making it easy to combine the river ride with the blue bus route.

The crossing gives you a fresh view of Lisbon’s seven hills, colorful buildings, towers, and waterfront. Passing beneath the 25th of April Bridge is the visual moment to watch for. The ride is also a welcome rest after walking around Belém or climbing Lisbon’s older streets.

Boat service is more limited than bus service. The listed operating days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. One schedule gives departures from Terreiro do Paço at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m., with Belém departures at noon, 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. A later schedule lists departures at 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.

That difference matters. Check the current schedule before planning your whole day around the boat. Some listed Belém departures are one-way only, so confirm the direction if you need to return to the city center.

The boat includes a speaker guide. Refreshments may be available on board, but food and drinks are not part of the ticket, and the vehicle rules prohibit food, drinks, and alcohol on the buses and tram.

Using the public trams without confusion

The special offer includes access to Carris public trams during the ticket’s validity. This can be handy for short trips in central Lisbon, especially after you have used the tourist routes to understand the city.

Do not assume every local transport service is included. The information supplied specifies public Carris trams, not local buses. Discounts for other attractions may also appear on your voucher, but entrance fees are separate.

The ticket and route colors can be confusing at first. This is the Yellow Bus company, yet the vehicles are generally yellow and the route signs use different colors. The Belém bus has a blue sign, while the Modern Lisbon bus has a pink sign. The boat uses its own Yellow Boat branding.

There are also other sightseeing companies operating in Lisbon, with similar route colors and bus designs. Look at the sign in the windshield and confirm the route before boarding. Staff at the depot and main stops can help, and Raquel was specifically noted as being helpful at the bus depot.

You can usually have the mobile voucher validated and receive or activate the proper ticket at a bus or tram point, depending on the option booked. The exact meeting point can vary, so read the booking instructions rather than wandering around Restauradores Square looking for a ticket office.

Audio guides and the pace of the ride

The audio guide is available in Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish. Earphones are supplied for the buses and tram, while the Yellow Boat uses a speaker guide.

The commentary helps you make sense of what you are passing, especially on the longer Belém and Modern Lisbon routes. It is also useful when you stay on board for a complete loop and want a basic introduction before exploring independently.

Bring patience for the timetable. Buses are listed every 30 minutes, but roadworks, traffic, and narrow streets can affect service. One of the pleasures of Lisbon is stopping for coffee or wandering into a side street, so I would not plan a museum reservation immediately after an expected bus arrival.

The routes generally operate during daylight sightseeing hours and do not run late into the evening. Several schedules end around 5:15 or 5:30 p.m., and the tram also finishes in the late afternoon. If you want dinner in another district, plan to use ordinary city transport or walk.

Who gets the best value from this ticket

This pass suits a first visit to Lisbon when you want an easy overview before choosing where to spend more time. It is especially useful if you want to combine distant Belém with the eastern waterfront, rather than arranging each trip separately.

I would also recommend it to anyone who finds Lisbon’s hills difficult. The bus and tram reduce the amount of uphill walking, and you can sit down between museum visits.

Families and mixed-age groups may appreciate the simple hop-on, hop-off format. The boat and tram also give the itinerary some variety, so every day does not feel like another bus loop.

Independent visitors should know the limits. If your main aim is to explore every lane of Alfama, Mouraria, Bairro Alto, and Baixa, you will still need to walk. The buses pass near historic areas, but they do not cover all of them.

Practical tips for using 72 or 96 hours well

• Start with the Hills Tramcar Tour before the day gets busy.
• Use one day for Belém, including Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, and MAAT.
• Use another half-day for the Modern Lisbon route and the Oceanário area.
• Save the Yellow Boat for a clear afternoon and check the operating day first.
• Keep the public tram access for short central journeys.
• Confirm the bus sign before boarding: blue for Belém and pink for Modern Lisbon.
• Carry the voucher on your phone and allow time to validate it.
• Check roadwork notices and current departure times before setting out.
• Do not count on late evening departures.
• Look at the listed discounts before paying full price for an attraction.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, and you can reserve now and pay later. That flexibility is useful when your Lisbon plans depend on weather, arrival time, or changing sightseeing priorities.

Should you book the Lisbon bus, tram, and boat pass?

Book it if you have three or four days, want to see Belém and Oriente, and like having transport plus sightseeing in one ticket. The tram and boat make this more than a standard bus pass, while the public tram access can save extra ticket purchases during a longer stay.

Skip it if you plan to spend most of your time walking the old center or visiting only one major district. The $55 price is harder to justify when you use just one bus route.

For most first-time visitors, I would choose the 72-hour ticket and plan around the tram and boat first. Choose 96 hours if you want a slower pace, several museum visits, and repeated use of the buses and public trams.

FAQ

How long is the ticket valid?

You can choose a ticket valid for 72 or 96 hours. Check the available starting times when booking.

What transport is included?

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

Does the ticket include museum and monument admission?

No. Entrance fees to museums and monuments are not included, although the voucher may provide exclusive discounts for selected attractions.

Which languages are available for the audio guide?

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

Where does the Belém bus route go?

The Belém route runs from Restauradores Square toward Belém, with stops near the Coach Museum, Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, MAAT, and the Docas Cruise Terminal.

Where does the Modern Lisbon bus route go?

The Modern Lisbon route travels east from Restauradores Square through areas including the National Pantheon, Lisbon Cruise Terminal, Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, the Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, FIL, and the Vasco da Gama Tower.

Can I hop off during the Hills Tramcar Tour?

The Hills Tramcar Tour has no stops along the route. It begins and ends at Praça do Comércio and passes several historic sights without scheduled hop-off points.

When does the Yellow Boat operate?

The listed operating days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Departure times vary, so check the current schedule before planning your river trip.

Can I cancel the booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.