It was a gloomy day in January when I impulsively bought a £45 flight to Lisbon as a result of finding a great deal on accommodation at hotels.com.

It seemed wise to investigate my travel options before departing due to my late arrival time. This therefore allowed me to relax and reduce the stress of flying. After investigating I discovered four potential options that seemed straight forward. The options I had were clearly the best ways to travel around the city;

Bus and Metro

Metro cards are available from the ticket machines at the airport. The fare would apparently double in price without a metro card . Because I did not use a bus or metro from the airport, I purchased a metro card from the train station in the city center. A Metro card cost’s €0.50. These allow payment for the bus, metro and trams (including the original Lisbon trams).

There is a bus and metro service from the airport. Google suggests these run frequently. However as I was on the continental time-zone, I did not want to rely on it. It seemed less frequent services run on Saturday, Sundays, bank holidays and late at night.

The cheapest options from the airport for a single traveller is almost certainly the bus or metro.

Uber

Quick, Cheap and cheerful for 75% of the Uber journeys on this trip. From the airport to the hotel I should say, “quick, cheap, cheerful and hint of nervousness.” It was obvious I was back on the continent.

The Uber app quoted €8 to the hotel. After booking, the ride arrived in 2 minutes. I approached the back passenger door however the driver insisted I sit in the front. He warned me not to panic if the police stopped him. I should keep quiet and smile. For that reason I replied nervously, “I am super relaxed” (Alarm bells were ringing with red lights flashing in my head). Finally 15 minutes later I safely checked in at the hotel. Panic over!

This driver had really poor English while compared to other locals. However it is worth pointing out that although it was scary, he was actually rather nice. I stood outside the hotel for 5 minutes before entering. As I entered the hotel I noticed he was waiting to ensure I was perfectly safe before driving. All the other drivers I had were friendly and made the experience relaxing. Uber in Lisbon has some of the friendliest drivers I have come across in the world. The cheapest ride was €2.50. I had to tip as I was not comfortable paying that little. Due to Ubers cheap prices and reliability I would recommend this method of travel.

Enjoy the Beautiful weather

Due to the beautiful weather Lisbon had to offer, I enjoyed walking round the traditional streets of Lisbon as my first choice. A great alternative to walking if you are feeling fun is the E-Scooter.

E- Scooter

Wow! This is fun, quick, easy, and rather annoying.

I downloaded the apps Hive and Lime S. Once in the zone (city centre) I opened the app and located the nearest scooter using GPS. There was almost always one just behind me. I scanned the Qr code on the scooter to unlock. €1 to unlock and  €0.15 per minute. When I wanted to hop off and explore by foot, the scooter could be parked for 10-30 minutes (depending on the brand). The scooters can be left anywhere in the zone as they do not require a docking station. Opening the app when finished, I could easily  select end ride. However it is worth pointing out please respect other pedestrians.

The annoying part is people park them in the middle of the narrow pavements. Imagine if these scooters were in your home city. It would probably annoy you if people left them lying inconveniently around the roads.

First of all the App sets out the rules for the scooters. This did not appear to be enforced but according to the city’s regulation the scooters must be used on cycle paths and walkways which aren’t specifically just for pedestrians. The scooters reach 25Km/h, so understandably local’s might find them annoying. I noticed a lot of older residents and I guess it is a worry for them.

So how do I register for the E-Scooters?

I suggest registering for these App’s before travelling to Lisbon. It is worth pointing out a lot of people were struggling to receive a verify your account email. Seems like this was due to a surge of people signing up at once.

Lime (use to code and we both can earn free rides)

Hive (use code s9mm4k23 and we both get some free minutes)

Beware

The only obvious transport option I did not use is the Taxi service. This was due to people from Lisbon speaking negatively about taxis. They don’t appear the have much presence anymore. I was warned the driver would try to scam me. As I did not use a taxi, I can not comment.

Verdict

Lisbon had cheap transport options which were convenient. To add an exciting and fun transport option to your travels the scooter is top choice.

Lisbon is a place where we should use our legs if we are able. The amazing weather and all the beautiful scenery made it a great place just for a wander, even if you get lost. However if you intend to enjoy Lisbon’s chilled out nightlife then making use transport should allow you to save your energy.