Figuring out the bus system in Lisbon took me a full afternoon

I thought I'd save cash by using the local buses instead of taxis. I spent about four hours trying to understand the routes, the different ticket types, and where to buy the reloadable card. The map at the stop was only in Portuguese, and my phone data was almost gone. I finally asked at a small grocery store, and the clerk showed me the Viva Viagem card machine. Has anyone else found a simpler way to get around there without spending a fortune?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavin_flores122mo ago

Check the city's official transit app next time. They have an English option and live route updates that saved me. The Viva card is still needed but the app makes the whole system way less confusing.

owens.willow1mo ago

Blame the app all you want, but the real problem is that the signage at the actual bus stops is still garbage. I spent a whole afternoon last month bouncing between two stops because the map on the pole was from 2019 and had routes that don't even exist anymore. The app is fine once you get used to it, but if the city can't even keep the physical signs updated, the app is just a bandaid on a broken system.

casey8432mo agoMost Upvoted

Great, now I need an app just to figure out how to use the app...