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

Lisbon is easiest to understand from three angles: the hilltop streets, the broad Tagus River, and the long waterfront road to Belém. This ticket brings all three together, with two bus routes, a historic tram tour, and a river boat in one pass. I especially like the calm boat ride under the 25th April Bridge and the vintage tram route through Alfama and Mouraria. The main caution is coverage: the buses reach major districts, but they do not replace a careful walk through every old-city street.

I like the ticket’s three to four days of use, which gives you time to spread the rides out instead of trying to cram Lisbon into one loop. The audio guide is also clear and useful, and the included access to Carris public trams can save separate fares. Just allow extra time for road works, changing schedules, and confusing route colors at the start.

Key points to know before you book

• The Hills Tramcar Tour is the highlight: Ride through Alfama, Graça, Mouraria, Baixa, and past Lisbon Cathedral without fighting the packed public Tram 28.
• The Yellow Boat changes your view: Cruise between Terreiro do Paço and Belém, with fine views of the waterfront and Lisbon’s seven hills.
• Two bus routes cover opposite sides of town: The Blue Belém route goes west, while the Purple Modern route reaches Oriente and the Oceanário.
• The pass works best over three or four days: You can use the buses for orientation, the tram for the old quarters, and public Carris trams for short trips.
• Audio commentary is included: Choose from Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, or Swedish.
• Route signs need attention: The company uses yellow buses, but the windshield signs and map colors can be confusing, especially around the Blue, Pink, and boat routes.

Start with Belém and Lisbon’s Age of Discoveries

The Blue Belém route begins at Restauradores Square and heads west through some of Lisbon’s most important sights. You can also board at Rossio Square, Marquês de Pombal, Eduardo VII Park, Amoreiras, Estrela, and several points along the river.

The western ride is the best choice for your first major outing. It carries you from central Lisbon to Belém, where the city’s grand monuments face the Tagus. The audio guide explains the Manueline decoration and the Age of Discoveries, giving you useful context before you step off.

At the Coach Museum, you can stop for one of Lisbon’s more unusual collections. The route then reaches Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries. These stops are close enough to combine on foot, though entrance fees are not included, and you should allow time for queues and visits if you plan to go inside.

Jerónimos Monastery is the major cultural stop on this route, with elaborate stonework that rewards a slow look. Belém Tower is smaller but more dramatic from the riverfront, while the Monument to the Discoveries gives you a broad view along the Tagus.

The Blue route also passes MAAT, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, and the Docas cruise area. These stops suit you if you want contemporary architecture, riverside cafés, or a break from monuments. You do not need to get off at every stop. Staying aboard for the full loop is a useful way to learn the shape of the western part of the city.

Departures from Restauradores are listed every 30 minutes from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. That frequency is good for casual sightseeing, but service ends earlier than many people expect. If you want a late dinner or evening walk, do not rely on the tour buses for your return.

Use the Modern route for Oriente and the east

The Purple Modern Lisbon route gives you a different city from the one around Alfama and Belém. It runs from Restauradores through Avenida da Liberdade and Graça, then continues east to the National Pantheon, Lisbon Cruise Terminal, the Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, and the Parque das Nações district.

This is the route to choose when you want to see Lisbon beyond the traditional center. The eastern waterfront has wide promenades, modern buildings, and the Oceanário. You can also stop near Vasco da Gama shopping center, the FIL exhibition center, and the Vasco da Gama Tower beside Hotel Myriad.

I like this loop because it prevents Lisbon from feeling like one long historic quarter. The eastern district shows how the city rebuilt and expanded its waterfront, offering a cleaner, more open contrast to the steep lanes in the center.

The route is also useful for reaching the Oceanário without arranging another ride. Still, keep an eye on the timetable. Departures from Restauradores run about every 30 minutes from 9:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., so a late afternoon visit may leave you waiting for the next bus or finding another way back.

The route names and colors can cause needless confusion. All the buses are yellow, while the Blue bus has a blue windshield sign and the Modern route has a pink sign. The boat may be shown in a different color on the map. Before boarding, check the windshield and confirm the direction with staff.

Ride the Hills Tram through the old quarters

The Hills Tramcar Tour is the most distinctive part of the pass. It starts and ends at Praça do Comércio, and the route passes Portas do Sol, Lisbon Cathedral, Rua da Conceição, Graça, the National Pantheon, São Vicente, and Martim Moniz.

There are no hop-on hop-off stops on this tram route, so treat it as a narrated sightseeing ride rather than public transportation. That is not a weakness. It means you can sit back while the tram handles the narrow, steep streets that make Lisbon famous.

The ride gives you a look at Alfama, Mouraria, Baixa, and the hills around São Jorge Castle. You get the feel of the old neighborhoods without squeezing into a packed public tram. It also offers a more authentic sense of Lisbon than a large bus can provide, even though it is still a planned sightseeing circuit.

The tram runs roughly every 35 minutes, with departures listed from 9:30 a.m. through 5:05 p.m. I would use it early in the day, especially in high season. The tram is popular, and getting there near the first departure gives you a better chance of boarding without a long wait.

Do not confuse this included tram tour with Lisbon’s regular Tram 28. The public tram is a working city service and can be extremely crowded. The Hills Tramcar Tour is designed for sightseeing and follows many of the same old neighborhoods in a more relaxed format.

The audio guide adds short explanations as you pass churches, viewpoints, and old streets. Keep your camera ready, but remember that the tram’s pace and traffic can make photographs quick affairs.

See Lisbon from the Tagus on the Yellow Boat

The Yellow Boat is a simple river cruise between Terreiro do Paço and Belém. It is not a long excursion, but it adds something the buses cannot: a clear view back toward Lisbon’s waterfront, hills, towers, and colorful facades.

From the water, the 25th April Bridge becomes part of the experience rather than a distant landmark. The boat also gives you a fresh look at Praça do Comércio, Belém Tower, the waterfront promenades, and the relationship between central Lisbon and Belém.

The scheduled pattern is limited. Departures run on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Times listed from Terreiro do Paço are 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 from Terreiro do Paço at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m., and from Belém at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.

Because the timetable changes, check the current departure times before building your day around the boat. Some departures from Belém are one-way only, so confirm if you need to return by boat or bus.

Boarding at Belém can be less obvious than boarding at the central station. Follow the signs toward the correct side of the small pier and ask the Yellow team if you are unsure. Leave a little extra time rather than arriving just as the boat is leaving.

The boat has a speaker guide, and refreshments may be available onboard. I would schedule it after a morning in Belém, when your feet need a rest and the river gives you a quiet change of pace.

Make the 72 or 96 hours work for you

At $55 per person, the ticket is not automatically a bargain for a short stay. It becomes good value when you use several parts of it: one or two bus routes, the tram, the boat, and public Carris trams during the validity period.

For a 72-hour stay, a sensible plan looks like this:

• Day one: Ride the Hills Tram to understand the old center, then use public trams for shorter trips.
• Day two: Take the Blue Belém route, visit the monuments that interest you, and return by bus or Yellow Boat.
• Day three: Ride the Purple Modern route to the Oceanário and Parque das Nações.

The 96-hour version gives you more breathing room. You can split Belém across two visits, return to a favorite neighborhood, or use the pass mainly for transport on a day when you do not want to climb Lisbon’s hills.

I like the pass most for first-time visitors who want an overview before choosing where to spend serious time. It is also useful when someone in your group tires easily, since the buses provide regular rest periods between walks.

The value is weaker if you only want public transportation. Lisbon’s regular trams, metro, and other city services may suit you better if your main aim is to move between specific addresses. This ticket is for sightseeing as much as transport.

Audio guides, staff, and day-to-day comfort

The bus audio guide uses personal earphones, while the boat uses a speaker system. Commentary is available in 11 languages, which makes the pass easy to share among a mixed-language group.

The explanations focus on the places along the route rather than offering a live guide who stays with you. That gives you freedom, but it also means you must pay attention to stop names and decide for yourself how long to stay at each sight.

The buses are comfortable for long stretches, and drivers must handle Lisbon’s tight turns, hills, and narrow streets. Staff at the depot and meeting points can help with validation and route questions. Raquel is specifically noted as helpful at the bus depot.

You receive the physical ticket on the bus in some cases, so do not waste time searching for a separate downtown office if the instructions are unclear. The exact meeting point can vary by booking option. Before your first ride, ask where to validate the voucher and which stop is closest to you.

Food, drinks, and alcohol are not allowed in the vehicles. Museums, monuments, hotel transfers, and meals are also not part of the price.

Road works can temporarily suspend service or alter routes. Check for updates with the Yellow team, especially if a particular stop or road crossing is important to your plans.

Who should book this Lisbon pass?

I would book it if you have three or four days, want to see both Belém and Oriente, and like having transport plus sightseeing commentary in one purchase. It is particularly useful for first-time visitors, families, older people, and anyone who wants a break from Lisbon’s steep streets.

I would hesitate if you have only one day, mainly want to explore on foot, or expect a bus to cover every historic lane. The central old quarters are best explored by walking, and the bus routes do not reach every corner of Alfama, Baixa, or Mouraria.

The strongest reasons to choose this pass are the Hills Tram, the river ride, and the ability to combine several outings without buying separate sightseeing tickets. The main weaknesses are limited boat days, early bus finishing times, confusing route colors, and occasional changes caused by road works.

At 72 hours, use it actively from the first day. At 96 hours, it becomes easier to justify because you can spread out the major rides and still have time for museums, cafés, and unplanned walks.

FAQ

How long is the ticket valid?

You can choose a 72-hour or 96-hour ticket, depending on the option available when you book.

What transport is included?

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

Does the ticket include museum and monument entry?

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

Where does the Belém bus route go?

It runs from Restauradores through central Lisbon toward Belém, stopping near the Coach Museum, Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, MAAT, and the Docas cruise area.

Where does the Modern Lisbon bus route go?

It travels from Restauradores through central Lisbon and onward to areas including the National Pantheon, Lisbon Cruise Terminal, the Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, the Oceanário, Vasco da Gama shopping center, FIL, and the Vasco da Gama Tower.

Does the Hills Tramcar Tour have hop-on hop-off stops?

No. The tram tour begins and ends at Praça do Comércio and has no stops along the route.

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.

How often do the buses run?

The Belém route generally departs from Restauradores every 30 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The Modern route generally departs every 30 minutes between 9:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

When does the Yellow Boat operate?

The listed boat service runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Departure times can change, so check the current schedule before planning your day.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option may also be available, depending on the booking choice.