Why go
Tram 28 is the ride every visitor wants to take, and with good reason. The small yellow trams, many of them from the 1930s, squeeze through streets too narrow and steep for buses, climbing from the Baixa to Graça, winding down through Alfama past the cathedral and up again through Chiado to Estrela and Campo de Ourique. In one journey you see a cross-section of the old city, from tiled facades and washing lines to grand churches and glimpses of the river.
It is also a working public transport route run by Carris, the city’s bus and tram company, which means local passengers share the cars with sightseers. That is part of the charm, but it also means queues and crowds. Treat the ride as a way of seeing the city’s hills rather than as a quick way between sights, and choose your timing carefully.
Lisbon’s other historic tram lines, including the 12E around the castle hill and the 15E to Belém, are worth knowing about too.
What to see
- Graça. The tram climbs to the neighbourhood of Graça, near the Graça and Senhora do Monte viewpoints.
- Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia. The most popular stop, with two viewpoints over the rooftops of Alfama.
- Lisbon Cathedral. The tram brushes past the fortress-like Sé on one of the route’s sharpest bends.
- Chiado and the Basílica da Estrela. Elegant shopping streets give way to the white dome of the Estrela basilica and its garden.
- Prazeres. The western terminus beside one of the city’s historic cemeteries.
Plan your visit
Paying the driver costs €3.30 a ride in 2026. It is cheaper to buy a reusable navegante occasional card for €0.50 at any Metro station and load a Carris/Metro ticket, which costs €1.90 and gives unlimited Carris rides for 60 minutes, or zapping credit, which costs €1.72 a ride. If you plan several journeys, the 24-hour Carris and Metro ticket costs €7.25 and covers trams, buses and the Metro.
Queues at Martim Moniz can stretch well over half an hour from mid-morning. For a seat, ride before 9am or after dinner, or start at the western end in Campo de Ourique. Keep valuables out of reach, as the crowded cars attract pickpockets. A full journey takes around 40 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.
The trams are old and steep to board, and they are not suitable for wheelchairs or large luggage.
If the queues are too long, tram 12E makes a shorter circuit around the castle hill from Praça da Figueira using the same old cars, and tram 15E runs along the river to Belém. Note that several of Lisbon’s other historic lifts, including the Glória and Bica funiculars and the Santa Justa Lift, were reported out of service through 2026, so check Carris notices before planning a route around them.
Nearby
From Portas do Sol it is a short walk up to São Jorge Castle or down into Alfama. Lisbon Cathedral and the National Pantheon are on or near the route, and the Estrela garden is a pleasant stop at the western end.