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Lisbon Airport Arrivals
Welcome to Lisbon! You must be thrilled you’ve arrived after a long journey! When you first land at Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon (airport code LIS), you’ll clear immigration and customs and pick up your luggage if you bring any. To help you further, Lisbon Airport developed the ANA APP. You can download this in the App Store and Google Play, which will help you find the baggage carousel and provide other services. You’ll arrive at Terminal 1 at Aeroporto de Lisboa. When you’re ready and enter the arrivals hall in Lisbon, you’ll notice a few available options.
Meet and Greet
The Meet and Greet section is hard to miss at Lisbon Airport. Airports can be hectic, but the arrival service is very well organised. You’ll spot your name sign on the pillars in the terminal if you’ve opted for the Meet and Greet options. These name pillars are just outside the sliding doors you exited.
ATM machines and money exchange
You’ll also spot the first ATMs and money exchanges in the arrivals hall. Depending on your bank cards and the exchange rates, you can get some euro’s here if needed. Airports usually have a higher exchange rate, though, and it might be wise to exchange some money before your trip. The fees at the ATMs depend on your bank, but it’s good to know you won’t leave without some hard-earned cash in hand!
Pick up your Lisboa card
The Lisboa Card is fantastic if you plan to use the public transport system and want to visit some sights. If you ordered your Lisboa Card online, the airport is the place where you can pick it up! The card is available for 24, 48, or 72-Hours, and provides unlimited free access to the public transport system.
On top of that, you’ll enjoy free admission to top attractions such as the Jerónimos Monastery, the Azulejo Museum, and the Tower of Belém. You’ll get free entrance to 37 museums and monuments, which can be used to obtain 5% to 50% discounts at more than 60 locations in Lisbon. Order yours online, so you’re ready to explore the city!
Your Lisboa Card can be picked up at the VisitLisboa desk, as pictured below. The pass will ‘start’ when you first activate it. So when you arrive today, you can also activate the Lisboa Card tomorrow. Is there a long queue at the airport? There are many other Lisboa Card pick-up points in the city centre! Terreiro do Paço I, Rossio Square, Lisboa Story Centre, and Cais de Sodré, for example, all have pick-up points.
Get a local SIM card
If you travel from outside the EU, a local SIM card might be your best friend. This way, you avoid roaming costs and have access to the internet 24/7. Super handy to navigate Lisbon with Google Maps and make online reservations when you’re on the go.
Vodafone has a small shop in Terminal 1 where you can buy a local SIM card. The shop is open daily between 7 AM and 10 PM. Tip: If you decide to get a SIM card in the city centre, always be mindful of the place where you buy it. Sometimes SIM cards get swapped without you realising it. Prices can also vary a lot so shop around before you make a decision.
How to get from Lisbon airport to the city centre
It’s finally time to leave the airport and go out to explore. Let’s have a look at the different options to travel from Lisbon airport to the city centre.
The location of Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon
Now that you’ve finished organising yourself at the airport, it’s time to go to the city centre. Leaving the airport in Lisbon is super easy, and Humberto Delgado Airport is only a 20-minute ride from the city centre. The airport is around 9 kilometres from Lisbon’s city centre. There is an efficient public transportation network, and there are many taxis that can bring you to Lisbon’s city centre. Let’s dive deeper into the available options.
Transfer services from the airport in Lisbon
The easiest way to get to the city centre is by taxi. But with many people arriving simultaneously, it can be pretty busy at the taxi rank. You can pre-book a taxi service to make your journey more comfortable after a long flight. You can order a taxi of any size, including a bus for groups. When you book online, you can specify the pickup date, a time and choose a payment method. Once booked, you’ll receive a voucher by email.
The driver will pick you up at the airport and will have a nameplate with your details. You take a short walk to your car, and your driver will bring you to your hotel. Book your KiwiTaxi here to enjoy a hassle-free journey to the city.
The taxi rank
Outside Terminal 1, you’ll find the taxi rank. Taxis are available at both departures and arrivals, and a transparent queuing system is in place. In no time, you’ll arrive at your destination! Taxis are available 24 hours at Lisbon Airport, and the one-way fare should be between € 10.00 – 15.00 with luggage fees included. A trip to Sintra costs around € 25.00.
Tip: before you enter the taxi, ensure that the cost of your trip to downtown Lisbon won’t exceed € 20.00. Sometimes taxi meters aren’t used, and prices between € 30.00 to € 50.00 are requested, which is a complete scam! Do not accept offers from taxis outside the taxi rank area, and do not accept dropping you in a random place that is more convenient for the driver.
Uber and car-sharing apps
There are also ride-sharing services available at Lisbon Airport. Uber, Bolt, FREE NOW (previously MyTaxi), Taxis de Lisboa and Coop Taxis are available, but you might want to be very clear about where they should pick you up. From experience, however, these rides get cancelled often, and the pick-up place is never clear as they won’t enter the taxi rank area.
Lisbon airport to city centre by Metro
For many, taking the Metro from Lisbon airport to the city centre is the most convenient way. It’s cheap, easy, and pretty quick. On average a journey takes 30 to 40 minutes to the city centre. You can find the metro entrance outside the main exit at Terminal 1. Here you can take the escalator down to buy a metro ticket.
Viva Viagem
To use the public transport system, you’ll need an electronic card. The 7 Colinas / Viva Viagem costs only € 0.50, and it’s a cheap way to explore the city. The Viva Viagem card is personal, meaning no more than one person can use it at a time. At the ticket machine, you have the following three options :
A single journey (Carris/Metro) costs € 1.50; the ticket is valid for one hour on the metro and Carris. A single ticket does not allow two consecutive entries on the metro, so once you’ve clocked out, you’ll get charged another € 1.50.
Day tickets
Do you arrive early and want to use public transport the whole day? Then a day ticket is available for € 6.45. The ticket is activated on the first journey and is valid for 24 hours. You can use the ticket as much as you like, and it can be used on the metro and Carris, including buses, trams, funiculars and lifts. If you want to go further afield (Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja and Sado lines), a day ticket costs €10.70, or €9.60 for the metro, Carris and the ferry to Cacilhas.
Zapping
Zapping is the cheapest way to get around if you’d use public transport throughout the day, but less than € 6.45 (the day ticket price). You can top up the Viva Viagem with a minimum of € 3.00 and multiples of € 5.00. Then each journey costs only € 1.35 for the metro and Carris. You can easily top up again when you’re out of balance on your card.
Buying public transport tickets
There is usually staff to help you buy a ticket at the machines if you struggle. You can also select the language English to make buying a ticket easier. Tip: you might get approached by someone claiming they have a Viva Viagem card for you with some credit left. Only buy your card from the dedicated machines and not from strangers. To read more about Lisbon’s public transport system, click here.
The red line, the Aeroporto – Saldanha line, will then take you to the city centre. The metro runs between 06:30 AM and 01:00 AM and the waiting time is usually between 6 to 9 minutes. If needed, you can change to the green line at Alameda, the yellow line at Saldanha, and the Blue line at São Sebastião.
The Aerobus routes
A special airport bus also drives from Lisbon airport to the city centre. The Aerobus departs outside the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 1, and there is a special place to store your luggage. On board, you’ll enjoy a free Wi-Fi connection and USB chargers. There are two routes to choose from.
Line 1 drives to Cais do Sodré (city centre) and runs daily between 08:00 AM to 09:00 PM. A bus departs every 20 minutes.
Line 2 goes to the Sete Rios Coach Terminal and runs between 08:00 AM to 07:00 PM. This bus leaves every hour.
A one-way trip costs € 4.00 for adults and € 2.00 for children. A round trip costs € 6.00 for adults and € 4.00 for children. You can already purchase tickets online.
Carris buses to the city centre
Carris operates several bus routes from Lisbon airport LIS. The 722 drives to Praça Londres, the 744 to Moscavide and Marquês Pombal, and the 783 to Amoreira and Prior Velho. If you need to travel to Oriente, a big train station in Lisbon, you can take bus 705. The fares are the same as above, and buying a 7 Colinas / Viva Viagem electronic card is highly recommended.
How to rent a car at Lisbon airport
To enjoy the ultimate feeling of freedom, renting a car is fantastic! Not only can you decide where to drive to, but you can also easily pack your things and discover the whole country independently! One note before renting a car: when you stay in Cascais, Sintra town or Lisbon, there is NO need to rent a car. As a matter of fact, it will be a pain to park and traffic in the city is super busy! So, a vehicle is unnecessary unless you want to discover Sintra beaches and explore places further afield.
Booking your rental car
If you want to rent a car, it’s a recommendation to book this well in advance. For a price comparison, you can look at Rentalcars.com or Auto Europe. Both companies will show you the best offers with big car rental companies like Hertz, Sixt, Europecar, and many others. You’ll need a credit card for the deposit, and the amount depends on the car rental company.
Many extras are bookable when you rent a car. These are optional things like damage waivers, a navigation system, and an additional driver. The optional E-Toll Service might be easy because Portugal has a toll system on the motorways. It costs only a small amount per day and will save you time manually paying tolls. With the E-Toll Service, a little box will be active in your car, with which you can drive through the fast lane at the toll checkpoints. When you return your vehicle, you’ll receive an end bill totalling the costs for the toll roads.
Car rental desks
Each car rental company has a little desk where you can finalise the paperwork before you pick up the car. The desks are open daily, but the times depend on the car rental company. The car rental desks are conveniently located in Terminal 1, and you can easily follow the signs to the correct location.
Picking up you car, and Lisbon Airport parking
The cars are parked in the large car park close to Terminal 1. You’ll see the entrance behind the entrance of the Metro station. Your car rental company will tell you exactly where you’ll need to go to pick up your car. Car returns are at the same location, and it’s only a short walk from the terminal.
Lisbon Airport Departures
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and there will be a time when you need to go back to the airport to catch a flight elsewhere. Hopefully, you had a wonderful time in Portugal, bringing many memories with you!
Terminal 1, or Terminal 2 at Lisbon airport?
Terminal 2 is a boarding terminal only; all arrivals are in Terminal 1. When you fly back, your boarding card might already mention from which terminal you’ll depart. But as a rule of thumb, all intercontinental flights depart from Terminal 1, and all low-cost airlines fly from Terminal 2. Some of the low-cost airlines are Ryanair, Vueling, Transavia, Norwegian, Wizz Air, Blue Air, and Eurowings. EasyJet departs from Terminal 1.
Free shuttle bus to Terminal 2
From outside Terminal 1, a free shuttle bus travels to Terminal 2 every 10 minutes. The journey takes only 3 minutes, and the buses run between 03:30 AM and 00:30 AM. Don’t attempt to walk the distance as there are no pavements!
Check-in
Both terminals have several self-check-in machines and check-in desks where you can drop your luggage. Please note Lisbon Airport Terminal 2 has fewer facilities than Terminal 1. Tip: leave ample time to arrive at the airport. Your airline will advise you how many hours in advance you should arrive at the airport to enjoy a smooth check-in experience.
Connecting flights at Lisbon Airport
Maybe you fly into Lisbon, but there is no time to leave the airport. Chances are that your luggage is already labelled to your end destination, so you don’t have to worry about that. Thankfully, there are several services available to you. You can look at the shops, there is free WiFi, and there are multiple restaurants to grab something to eat.
Lounge Ana at Aeroporto de Lisboa
Lounge Ana is the perfect space to chill if you want to relax. The lounge is located in Terminal 1 before passport control (Schengen area) and is open from 6 AM until 11 PM. There is free WiFi in the lounge, there are newspapers, and you get to enjoy a drink and snacks. An optional shower kit is bookable on top of the standard lounge offers, so you can freshen up if you wish. There is also a unique child lounge for children between 3 and 12 years old. Time will fly by, and before you know it, you’re en route again!
Other lounges in Terminal 1 are the Blue Lounge, the Airport Business Center, and the TAP Premium Lounge. These are also hugely helpful if your flight is delayed. Be aware of any compensation you might be entitled to. For more information about delays and compensations, click here.
Hotels around the airport
Nothing is worse than sleeping on an airport floor; thankfully, this won’t be needed in Lisbon. Staying in a hotel is ideal for connecting flights and early departures from Lisbon airport. Several hotels are very close to the airport, and most have free shuttle bus service.
Some of the favourite hotels are the Star inn Lisbon Airport, Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto, the Holiday Inn Express Lisbon Airport, Stay Hotel Lisboa Aeroporto, and the Lisbon Airport Hostel. The map below might help you finding the right hotel for you.
Storage lockers
If you have time to explore Lisbon, you can leave your luggage in the storage lockers at the airport. The lockers are located outside Terminal 1 on the upper level. In the city centre, there are plenty of spots where you can leave your belongings safely for some time. It’s advisable to book tours in advance to avoid disappointment in case excursions are fully booked. It will also save you a lot of time during your short trip so you can fully explore Lisbon! Happy holidays!
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and will be updated as often as needed. As things at airports change constantly, certain parts might become outdated quickly. Always check with your airline or the airport to be absolutely sure about critical things. Discover Portugal is not responsible for any arrivals, departures, or services used at the airport.
5 Responses
Quite an informative post. I travelled to Lisbon via motorcycle a few months ago and had a wonderful time. I wish to go back so this might come in handy. Thanks!
This is a great post. I love when practical pictures are included. It makes using public transport abroad so much easier.
This is so handy! Nothing worse than landing in a new city and feeling overwhelmed with where to start and how to get around.
This is such valuable information and it’s nice to have it all in once place instead of having to search various sources to get all of the required info. I have been nervous to use a SIM card in my phone for fear that it will mess up my phone or I’ll lose my SIM! What do you think about the burner phones that they sell? These are answers to what are usually my first questions when I book a trip. Well done.
I would love to go back to Lisbon! Saving this!