How to get to Lisbon Airport by Bus

Lisbon Airport is found in Portugal, and is the country’s main air gateway, serving over 29 million passengers per annum. The airport is found very nearby Lisboa, the capital city of Portugal, and is one of the few European airports which are located within a major city. Lisbon Airport is also a hub for airline companies such as TAP Portugal, SATA International, Easyjet, Portugália and White Airways. Passengers have a wide choice of destinations from these and many more airline companies, and will find the airport’s terminal buildings to be well equipped with all required facilities. The Lisbon Airport buses provide daily transport to and from the airport. By bus is a very popular way to travel in Lisbon as well, as the city offers an excellent public transport system.

The bus services at Lisbon Airport can be found outside the arrival areas of the terminal buildings, of which there are two. Terminal 1 is considered as the main building, handling all international flights of the airport, and Terminal 2 is the newer construction, completed in 2007, and is dedicated to scheduled domestic flights. The airport buildings are well organised with all facilities clearly marked in Portuguese and English. Arriving passengers will therefore easily find the bus stops once they have collected their baggage items. Buses from Lisbon Airport are the cheapest form of transport available, although passengers do have the choice of using a taxi as well.

The best way to travel to and from Lisbon Airport is by the Aerobus, which is a service with regular daily departures. It is also a bus which offers connections between the airport and all the main areas of the city. The Aerobus also stops at the coach terminals of Parque das Nacões, Sete Rios and Oriente, as well as the train station of Entrecampos, Cais do Sodré and Oriente.

The other bus services at the airport are operated by the Carris Bus Company, which is the main provider of bus and tram transport in Lisbon. However, these buses do not accept large items of luggage, therefore it is better to use the Aerobus if you have larger luggage to carry. Carris buses will only take luggage with the maximum measurements of 50x40x20 cm.

The Lisbon Airport Aerobus has three routes, Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3.

The Line 1 bus travels to the city centre, and is available every twenty minutes between the hours of 07:00 and 23:00, however, from 21:00 it is only available every half an hour. The end destination of this bus is Cais do Sodré. In the alternative direction, the buses travel from Cais do Sodré between 07:45 and 22:30.

From Oriente, the Line 2 bus can be taken to the airport between 07:30 and 22:00, or from the airport between the hours of 08:50 and 21:50. The Line 2 bus is available every half an hour from both locations.

The third Aerobus from Lisbon Airport travels to the Financial Centre, Av. José Malhoa. From the airport, the Line 3 Aerobus is available between 07:40 to 22:10, and every half an hour, and from the city, between 08:15 and 21:15.

Carris Buses

Bus tickets for the Aerobus can be purchased from the bus driver, or from the Tourism Office counter in the public arrivals area. A single ticket will cost €3.50, and is valid for 24 hours on the Aerobus or on the Carris buses. Another option for arriving passengers is to purchase the Adult Lisbon Card at the Tourism Office, and receive a 43% discount on the bus ticket price. The Lisbon Cards offer free entry on the city’s public transport options, and also free or reduced price tickets to many of the most popular museums, art galleries and other tourist attractions in the region. The cards are available in various denominations.

The Carris Buses at Lisbon Airport are also frequently available, and the airport is generally their mid-journey stop for the majority of routes they offer. The Carris bus lines which include the airport, and their start and end destinations are as follows:

• No. 22 from Portela and Marquês do Pombal,
• No. 44 from Moscavide/Qta. das Laranjeiras and Cais do Sodré,
• No. 83 from Portela to Amoreiras,
• No. 208 from Est. Oriente to Cais do Sodré
• No. 705 from Est. do Oriente to Est. Roma/Areeiro
• No. 745 from Prior Velho to Est.Sta.Apolónia.

These bus services are mostly offered every day of the week, only the No.83 and No.705 buses do not operate on weekends, while the No. 208 buses are a night service.

The easiest way to travel on the Lisbon public transport system, which includes buses, trams (electrico) and metro (trains) is to purchase a card 7 Colinas, or Viva Viagem Card. The cards are valid for most buses (operated by Carris), and the trams and trains in the city. It is a re-chargeable card, and the owner will add routes to his/her card by what is known as ‘zapping’. The card itself is available for as little as €0.50. When travelling, the card is swiped at the beginning and end of your journey. A trip in a single zone will cost €0.79, while a further €0.31 will be added if you arrive in a second zone. Other options include a multiple-day ticket, for unlimited travel during a 24 hour period, an unlimited pass for a week of travel or more, and a one-month unlimited pass.

The buses mentioned above provide a valuable mode of transport for passengers within the city of Lisboa, but there are also extensive bus services to further destinations. The majority of the cities nearby Lisboa, and in Portugal, can be reached by the coach services of Rede Nacional de Expressos, from the main bus terminal in Lisboa known as Sete Rios.