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

Lisbon’s best feature is its variety of views, and this ticket lets you take them in from an open-top bus, a rattling historic tram, and the Tagus River. I especially like the Belém route for reaching the city’s grand monuments and the Hills Tramcar for its close look at Alfama and the castle slopes. The main caution is coverage: the buses are useful, but they do not reach every old-city street.

I like the freedom to spread the experience over three or four days, using the buses for long distances and the tram or public transit when your legs need a break. The boat ride is calm and photogenic, but its schedule is limited, so you need to plan around the sailing times.

Key points to know before you go

• Three ways to see Lisbon: Combine two double-decker bus routes, a historic tram tour, and a Yellow Boat trip.
• Belém is the strongest bus outing: See the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, Monument to the Discoveries, MAAT, and the Coach Museum.
• The Hills Tramcar is the standout ride: It passes Alfama, the cathedral, Portas do Sol, Graça, the Pantheon, and São Vicente.
• The Yellow Boat runs on limited days: Sailings operate Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with different departure times depending on the current schedule.
• Public trams are included: The ticket gives access to Carris public trams during its validity, but not regular local buses.
• Allow time to find the correct stop: The operator uses yellow buses, but the route names and map colors can be confusing at first.

What the 72 or 96-hour ticket actually gives you

At $55 per person, this is not simply a bus loop with a short commentary. Your ticket combines the Blue Belém Bus Tour, the Purple Modern Lisbon Bus Tour, the Hills Tramcar Tour, and the Yellow Boat. It also includes access to Carris public trams during the ticket period and offers discounts on selected monuments, museums, and leisure activities.

You can choose a 72-hour or 96-hour period, depending on the option available when you book. The longer ticket makes sense if you want to split sightseeing into short outings rather than spend every day racing from stop to stop.

I would not buy this only for transportation. Lisbon’s regular public network is useful on its own, and the buses do not cover every historic street. I would buy it for the combination of transport and orientation, especially if this is your first visit or you want an easy way to connect Belém, central Lisbon, and Oriente.

The audio commentary is available in Spanish, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish. Earphones are provided for the buses and tram, while the boat uses a speaker guide. The commentary gives you context as you move, which is more useful than simply passing buildings without knowing why they matter.

Start with Belém and Lisbon’s Age of Discoveries

The Blue Belém Bus Tour begins at Restauradores Square and travels west through some of central Lisbon before reaching the riverfront monuments. The route operates roughly every 30 minutes, from 9:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon.

The early stops at Rossio, Marquês de Pombal, Eduardo VII Park, El Corte Inglés, Amoreiras, and Estrela are useful if you are staying outside the old center. If you are already near Baixa, you may prefer to stay aboard until Belém rather than hop off repeatedly. The bus route is best used as a connection to the monuments, not as your only way to explore central Lisbon.

At the Coach Museum, you can get off for one of Lisbon’s more unusual collections. The stop at the Jerónimos Monastery brings you to the Manueline masterpiece most associated with Belém. The exterior alone deserves time, with its elaborate stonework tied to Portugal’s seafaring era.

Belém Tower sits farther along the river. Its compact form and waterside position make it one of the city’s most recognizable sights. The Monument to the Discoveries offers another strong stop, with broad river views and a clear connection to Portugal’s maritime past.

The MAAT, or Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, gives the route a modern counterpoint. You can also stop at the Docas Cruise Terminal for the waterfront atmosphere. The route returns through Estrela and back to Restauradores, so you can make a full circuit when you want an overview rather than a series of visits.

A practical point: entrance fees are not included. The ticket gets you to the sights and may provide discounts, but you should budget separately for museums and monuments. Belém can easily fill half a day if you visit the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, and one museum.

Use the Modern Lisbon route for Oriente

The Purple Modern Lisbon Bus Tour heads east from Restauradores toward the newer side of the city. It also runs about every 30 minutes, from around 9:15 in the morning until 5:15 in the afternoon.

This route takes you through Avenida da Liberdade and Graça before reaching the National Pantheon, Feira da Ladra, the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, the Tile Museum, Beato, Marvila, and Oriente. The route covers a different side of Lisbon from Belém, with contemporary buildings, former industrial districts, exhibition spaces, and broad riverside views.

The Oceanário is one of the most useful stops for families and anyone interested in Lisbon’s modern waterfront district. Nearby Vasco da Gama shopping center offers food and a break from sightseeing. The route continues to the FIL exhibition grounds and the Vasco da Gama Tower and Myriad Hotel area.

Oriente is a good place to see how much Lisbon changed after the 1998 World Expo. The architecture is modern and spacious, a sharp contrast to the narrow lanes of Alfama. You might find this route less immediately atmospheric than the old center, but it gives you a fuller picture of the city.

The route returns to Rossio. Check the bus windshield before boarding. The Blue Belém route uses a blue sign, while the Modern route uses a pink sign. All the buses are yellow, which makes the route colors more important than the vehicle color.

Ride the Hills Tramcar through Alfama

The Hills Tramcar Tour begins and ends at Praça do Comércio. Unlike the bus routes, it is not a hop-on, hop-off circuit with regular stops. It is a sightseeing ride, so you stay aboard for the route and use it to see the steep old neighborhoods without tackling every hill on foot.

The tram passes Rua da Conceição, Lisbon Cathedral, Portas do Sol, Graça, the National Pantheon, São Vicente, and Martim Moniz. The path follows the kind of streets that make Lisbon memorable: tight lanes, sharp turns, tiled façades, and sudden glimpses across the rooftops.

Portas do Sol is especially important for the views over Alfama and the Tagus. The cathedral shows up along the route, while the Pantheon and São Vicente offer a sense of how far the tram climbs through the old quarters.

The tram departs about every 35 minutes, with service listed from 9:30 in the morning until around 5:05 in the afternoon. I would make this one of your first priorities, not an afterthought. At busy times, seats can become difficult to find, and a delay on the tracks can affect the circuit.

This tram is also a practical alternative to the famous public Tram 28. The regular tram can be crowded and difficult to board, while the Hills Tramcar is designed for sightseeing. You still get the old neighborhoods and the hilly route, but with a clearer purpose and a dedicated service.

Do not confuse the Hills Tramcar with the included public tram access. The sightseeing tram follows its own tour route, while the Carris inclusion lets you use public trams during the ticket’s validity. Regular local buses are not listed as included.

See Lisbon from the Yellow Boat

The Yellow Boat connects Terreiro do Paço, also called Praça do Comércio, with Belém. It travels beneath the 25th of April Bridge and gives you a broad view of Lisbon’s waterfront, hills, towers, and colorful buildings.

The boat is a particularly good change of pace after walking through Alfama or standing in museum lines. From the river, Lisbon’s hills read as one dramatic sweep rather than a collection of separate neighborhoods. Belém Tower and the riverside monuments also make more sense when viewed from the water.

The route operates Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The listed schedule changes, with one set of times showing departures from Terreiro do Paço at 11:00, 13:00, and 15:00, and another updated schedule showing 11:30, 14:30, and 16:30. Departures from Belém are also listed at different times, so check the current timetable before building your day around the cruise.

Some Belém departures are one way without a return. That can work well if you visit Belém by bus and return to central Lisbon by boat, but you should confirm the direction and final departure before boarding.

Finding the pier requires care. At Belém, the boarding point can be hard to spot, and the correct side of the small pier may not be obvious. Leave extra time and ask the Yellow team if the entrance or gate seems unclear.

Plan your days around the operating hours

The buses and tram stop running well before late evening. The Belém bus finishes around 5:30, the Modern route around 5:15, and the Hills Tramcar around 5:05. Several people would prefer service until 7:00 or 9:00, but that is not the timetable here.

I would use the ticket in this order:

• First morning: Ride the Hills Tramcar before the old neighborhoods become harder to navigate, then explore Alfama and the castle area on foot.
• First afternoon: Take the Yellow Boat if the sailing time fits, or use public trams to reach another part of central Lisbon.
• Second day: Spend most of the day on the Belém route, getting off at the monastery, tower, and Monument to the Discoveries.
• Third day: Use the Modern route for the Oceanário, Oriente, the Tile Museum, or Marvila.
• Fourth day, if purchased: Repeat a favorite route, use public trams, or take a slower second look at the waterfront.

This plan leaves room for cafés and unplanned walks. That matters in Lisbon, where the most rewarding moments often come between the official stops.

How the price compares with the effort saved

At $55, the pass can be good value if you use several parts of it. The strongest calculation is not the number of bus rides. It is the time saved reaching Belém and Oriente, plus the separate value of the tram tour, boat ride, public tram access, and available discounts.

The ticket is less compelling if you only want one bus loop or have a short stay. A two-day visit may not leave enough time for both bus routes, the tram, the boat, and museum visits. In that case, choose your priorities carefully.

The 96-hour option works best for a relaxed visit. You can use the buses for orientation on the first day, then return to specific districts later. The 72-hour ticket is enough for a focused Lisbon stay if you plan each route in advance.

Keep food, drinks, museum admissions, and hotel transport outside the price calculation. Food and alcohol are not allowed aboard the vehicles, although the waterfront stops give you chances to eat before or after each ride.

What can go wrong, and how to avoid it

The biggest practical problem is route confusion. This is the Yellow Bus company, but the buses themselves are yellow, the Belém route is marked blue, the Modern route pink, and the boat information may use another color on the map. Other sightseeing companies also operate in Lisbon with similar color names.

Read the sign in the windshield before boarding. At the main stops, staff can help, and Raquel at the bus depot has been particularly helpful to visitors needing directions. You can also use the operator’s app to check approximate bus arrival times.

Roadworks can temporarily interrupt service. Check for updates with the Yellow team before setting off, especially if a particular stop or route is central to your plans.

The boat is the part most likely to disrupt a carefully timed day because it runs on fewer days and fewer departures. The tram can also be delayed by traffic incidents or problems on the tracks. Give yourself room in the schedule rather than planning a museum entry immediately after a ride.

The ticket can be validated on the bus or tram, but meeting instructions may vary by booking option. If you have a mobile voucher, confirm where it is exchanged or activated before spending time searching around the wrong square.

Who should book this Lisbon pass?

I recommend it for first-time visitors who want an easy city overview, families who need occasional rest from Lisbon’s hills, and anyone staying three or four days. It is also useful if your group wants to split up, since one person can explore a museum while others continue by bus or tram.

It suits people who value context. The audio guide explains the sights in several languages, and the commentary helps turn a long ride into a guided introduction to the city.

I would hesitate if you prefer walking every old street or want late-night transport. The bus routes do not cover all of the historic center, and the operating day ends in the late afternoon. You will still need to walk, use other transit, or pay separately for transport at times.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are useful if your arrival schedule is still changing, but they do not solve the main planning issue: checking the current boat and roadwork schedules.

Should you book it?

Book this pass if you want to connect Belém, central Lisbon, and Oriente without arranging each ride separately. The Hills Tramcar and Yellow Boat add experiences you would not get from a standard bus ticket, while public tram access helps fill the gaps.

Skip it if your Lisbon stay is very short, you plan to walk almost everywhere, or you mainly want the famous old center. For three or four days, though, the ticket gives you a practical rhythm: ride to the far districts, step off when something catches your eye, and return to the hills and river when you want the best views.

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. The validity begins according to the activation arrangements for your selected option.

What tours are included?

The ticket includes the double-decker Belém Bus Tour, the Modern Lisbon Bus Tour, the Hills Tramcar Tour, and the Yellow Boat Tour.

Does the ticket include regular Lisbon public transport?

It includes special-offer access to Carris public trams during the ticket’s validity. Regular local buses are not listed as included.

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.

When does the Yellow Boat operate?

The Yellow Boat operates on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Departure times vary, and the schedule may change, so check the current times before planning your day.

Are museum and monument admission fees included?

No. Entrance fees are separate, although the ticket includes exclusive discounts for selected monuments, museums, and leisure activities.