Navegante Card: The Cheapest Way To Experience Lisbon

The Navegante Card lets you travel by public transport in Lisbon at much lower fares.

There are two types of Navegante Cards: the Navegante Occasional Card, which you can use with 99% certainty, and the Navegante Card, which is for frequent use of public transport in Lisbon.

The card option you choose depends on the neighborhoods you plan to visit and how far apart they are.

You can buy the Navegante Card at any metro station in Lisbon, then load it with credits using your credit card or cash at the ticket vending machines.

What Is The Navegante Card?

The Navegante Card is a contactless card that allows you to use public transportation in Lisbon easily and get discounts on your journey.

It allows you to zap your way through the public transportation system. When you get to the train station to take the train, you just zap your card, and off you go.

Without this card, you’ll have to buy tickets each time, which is time-consuming and more expensive.

There are two types of cards: the occasional card(Made of paper) and the fixed card(Made of plastic). The occasional card costs 0.5€ and can be loaded with money or specific ticket types.

The fixed card costs €40, and then you can travel unlimited in Lisbon using the trams, buses, metros, and trains.

You get unlimited rides if you pay €6($6.5) daily for the occasional Navegante Card.

I highly recommend getting the occasional card if you plan on using public transport more than once.

Be aware that you can load up your card by buying tickets or just transferring an amount(Min: €3). If you load your card with specific tickets, you can’t mix the transportation choices.

That’s why I recommend using zapping and just load your card with a good amount, then you can mix transport types, it makes it much easier.

Where Can You Buy The Navegante Card?

You can buy the Navegante card primarily at metro stations, but there are other options.

• Metro Stations: You buy the Navegante Card at most metro stations, ticket vending machines, and ticket offices in Lisbon. This is often the most straightforward option for travelers arriving by metro from the airport or other parts of the city.
• Carris Outlets: Carris is the main bus and tram operator in Lisbon, and their customer service centers or kiosks at the many transportation hubs usually sell the Navegante Card.
• CP Stations: If you’re arriving in Lisbon by train, the CP (Comboios de Portugal) stations also sell the Navegante Card.
• Authorized Retailers: Some shops, newsstands, and convenience stores across Lisbon are authorized to sell the Navegante Card. Look for the “Navegante” logo displayed at the entrance or counter.

Where Can You Use The Navegante Card?

You can use the card in public transportation in general, such as buses, ferries, metros, trains, and the famous trams.

It’s a personal card that replaces buying single tickets, but this also mean if you’re a family you have to buy a card per person.

You can use the card in all these municipalities: (Alcochete, Almada, Amadora, Barreiro, Cascais, Lisbon, Loures, Mafra, Moita, Montijo, Odivelas, Oeiras, Palmela, Seixal, Sesimbra, Setúbal, Sintra, and Vila Franca de Xira)

How Much Is The Navegante Card?

The occasional card costs €0.5; you can load it with your bank card.

The “normal” card costs 40€ and allows unlimited use of public transport. Just scan it in the green areas when boarding your preferred mode of transport, and once the green light appears, you’re good to go.

If you’re also planning to visit museums and monuments, compare it with the Lisboa Card, which bundles public transport with free entry to 26+ attractions, though at a higher daily cost.

You can always check your smart card balance at the ticket offices, metro stations, and ticket vending machines around the city.

Here is an overview of ticket costs with and without the Navegante card. As you can see, you can save significantly.

	Cash (To Driver)	Single Ticket	Zapping
Bus	€2.1	€1.8	€1.61
Tram	€3.1	€1.8	€1.61
Metro		€1.8	€1.61
Train		€1.45 – €3.75 (1 – 8 areas)	€2

How To Use The Navegante Card

• Purchase and Activation: Buy the Navegante Card at metro stations, Carris outlets, or selected retailers. If it’s your first time using the card, you need to load it with credits in the same place you buy it.
• Boarding Transport: When you board a bus, tram, metro, or any other mode of public transport, tap your Navegante Card on the designated card reader near the entrance. Tap the card at the beginning and end of your journey to register for the entire trip.
• Transfers and Validity: The Navegante Card is valid for transfers between different modes of transport within a specified time frame (e.g., 1 hour for metro to bus transfers). Ensure your card has sufficient credit for your trip.
• Exiting Transport: For metro stations and specific tram stops, you’ll need to tap your card again when exiting to calculate the fare based on your journey’s distance and the zones traveled.

Wrap-Up

If you plan on using public transport in Lisbon, especially from Lisbon airport, I recommend buying a Navegante Card.

It costs €0.5 to get the card as a one-time fee, and then you can tank up with credits using your credit card.

You’ll save money on each ticket you buy for trams, buses, and the metro, and it also gives you discounts on some monuments, like the Santa Justa lift and the famous Tram 28.

Alternatively, you can buy the Navegante Card, which is not the occasional one. It costs €40 and gives you unlimited access to public transport in Lisbon.

After you’ve bought the Navegante card, I recommend you read my guide on how to use public transportation in Lisbon.

Frequently Asked Questions