Hop on Hop off Bus Tours in Lisbon

Lisbon is a captivating city with scores of landmarks, museums, neighborhoods and attractions to explore. But taking on the city by foot can be a monumental task. Save yourself the effort of navigating the complex streets and enjoy a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Lisbon instead.

These tours allow you to take in the stunning sights of the city from an open-top bus while enjoying an informative audio guide. You can choose from several routes with convenient stops, taking you right to the action.

Here's all you need to know about hop-on hop-off bus tours, one of the most captivating sightseeing tours in Lisbon.

What are the best hop-on hop-off Lisbon bus tours? What are their prices?

Yellow Bus Tours

Yellow Bus Tours covers several cities across Portugal and is one of the most trusted tour operators in the country. They take you to both old and new areas of the city, offering incomparable convenience.

Routes

There are two routes through Lisbon. Both tours start and end at Praça da Figueira in the center of the city.

• Belém Lisbon Tour: From Praça da Figueira, you will drive along the Tagus River and to the main historic sites of the city. Some of the highlights include the Jerónimos Monastery, Monument to the Discoveries and Belém before returning to the starting point. There are 16 stops on the Belém Lisbon route.
• Modern Lisbon Tour: This tour takes you to the east of Lisbon where you can visit several of the city’s more modern attractions. Along this route, you can expect to see the Oceanarium, Campo Pequeno , Vasco da Gama Shopping Center and Pavilhão de Portugal. The Modern Lisbon route has 12 stops.

Timetable

Both the Belém Lisbon and Modern Lisbon hop-on hop-off tours take around 1.5 hours to complete their route.

The Belém Lisbon tour bus runs every day from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM and departs every 30 minutes from Praça da Figueira.

The Modern Lisbon tour bus departs slightly later and the first one leaves Praça da Figueira at 10 AM. During winter it runs until 5 PM, and in summer it runs until 7 PM. This route is less frequent and there are departures every hour.

Tickets

Your hop-on hop-off bus tour ticket in Lisbon gives you unlimited rides for the duration of your ticket. You will also have access to an audio guide in 12 languages.

• Belém or Modern Lisbon Tour: A hop-on hop-off tour for either the Belém or Modern Lisbon ticket is valid for 24 hours and costs €21 for an adult. Youth aged 11 to 16 will pay €16 and children between 4 and 10 will pay €10.50. There is also a family ticket for two adults and two children for €52.50.
• Belém and Modern Lisbon Tour: A combo ticket of the Belém and Modern Lisbon routes is valid for 48 hours. Ticket prices are €27 for adults, €20 for youth aged 11 to 16 and €13.50 for children aged 4 to 10. Family tickets are €67.50 for two adults and two children.

Gray Line Bus Tours

Gray Line offers cost-efficient hop-on hop-off tours in Lisbon where you can combine various routes to create your ideal itinerary. You will also receive discounts on certain attractions and enjoy free Wi-Fi on board their comfortable open-top buses.

Routes

There are four Gray Line routes through Lisbon and you are allowed to combine up to three of them. For a one-day hop-on hop-off ticket you can explore along the Belém or Castle line, but adding two more routes on your ticket extends your experience to 48 hours.

• Belém Route (Red Line): This is the main route with 16 stops into the city’s historical district. You will find the major attractions of Lisbon on this route, including Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower of Belém. It starts at Marquês de Pombal square and also includes stops at Rua do Comercio, MAAT and El Corte Inglês.
• Oriente Line (Blue Line): This line covers the modern part of Lisbon and travels along the Tagus River. It also starts at the Marquês de Pombal but you will pass attractions like the Zoo and Oceanarium and you can hop off in Bairro Alto and Chiado among the 19 stops.
• Castle Line (Green Line): This line takes you to some of the oldest sights in the city and you can enjoy stunning views of the city from Portas do Sol and from St. George's Castle viewpoint. There are 11 stops on this line and you will also start the tour at Marquês de Pombal.
• Cascais Line (Yellow and Orange Line): This route is perfect for a day trip to Cascais. You will start on the orange line at Marquês de Pombal and there are 10 stops on the way to Cascais. The yellow line brings you back and only makes six stops along the way.

Timetable

Gray Line tours have two timetables throughout the year. Summer times are from April to October while winter times are from November to March.

• Belém Line: Buses arrive hourly year-round. In the summer they operate from 10 AM to 7 PM and in the winter they operate from 10 AM and stop at 5 PM.
• Oriente Line: The Oriente Line is less frequent and buses only arrive every 2 hours. In the summer they operate from 9:45 AM to 6 PM and from 10:15 AM to 5:15 PM in the winter.
• Castle Line: The green line departs every 45 minutes and runs from 9:45 AM to 6 PM in the summer and from 10 AM to 5 PM in the winter.
• Cascais Line: Only four buses run daily between Lisbon and Cascais. They depart from Lisbon at 08:30 AM, 10 AM, 3 PM and 5:45 PM and return from Cascais at 09:30 AM, 11:50 AM, 4:50 PM and 7 PM. This route does not operate in the winter.

Tickets

You can choose to do either the Belém or Castle line and your ticket will be valid for 24 hours. This will cost €24 for an adult or €13 for a child (aged 6-10 years). Children under 6 can ride for free.

Combining the Belém line with another will extend your ticket’s validity to 48 hours. This combo costs €28 for an adult and €14 for a child. Children under 6 will pay €1.

You can also combine three lines costing €33 for an adult and €16 for children. Children under 6 will pay €1.

Taking full advantage of all four of Gray Line’s hop-on hop-off tours in Lisbon, you will pay €37 for an adult and €18 for a child. Children under 6 can ride for free. This ticket is valid for 72 hours.

How do hop-on hop-off bus tours in Lisbon work? What is included in the price?

Hop-on hop-off tours in Lisbon work by allowing you board and disembark the board at any stop along your chosen route. These buses include a few extras to make your experience even more worthwhile.

Yellow Bus tours

The Yellow Bus tour company offers an audio guide in 12 languages. You will also get access to the Santa Justa Lift and viewpoint as well as the Bica, Gloria and Lavra funiculars and Carris trams. They also offer discounts on various monument tickets and leisure activities. If you want to book more Yellow Bus tickets you will get a 10% discount.

Gray Line

This tour company offers an audio guide in 16 different languages and there is free WiFi on board the bus. You may also get discounts at various monuments, attractions and restaurants.

Can I combine hop-on hop-off bus tours with other sightseeing activities in Lisbon?

Lisbon hop-on hop-off boat and bus tours

Hop-on hop-off boat tours are a unique way to sightsee Lisbon if you are growing weary of the city’s winding streets. Hop on a boat on the Tagus at the Terreiro do Paço and see icons like the São Jorge Castle, the 25th Abril Bridge and the Belém Tower from a new perspective.

These boats leave less frequently with only a few departure times, and they usually make 3 stops along the Tagus. They also don’t operate every day and are usually bought as part of a combo tour with a regular hop-on hop-off bus ticket in Lisbon.

Lisbon hop-on hop-off bus and tram tours

Hop-on hop-off tram tours are another popular way of sightseeing in Lisbon, and you can join these tours with a combined ticket option including bus tours. Trams are among the oldest transport in Lisbon, and have been in operation since 1873.

With this combo ticket, board old and modern transport to gain a view of Lisbon's past and present, stopping at notable locations such as Alfama, Belém Tower and St. George's Castle.

What other sightseeing opportunities are there in Lisbon?

• Walking tours in Lisbon
• Free walking tours in Lisbon
• City tours in Lisbon
• Street art tours in Lisbon
• Segway tours in Lisbon

Travel tips

• Some tours offer flexible dates while others require you to pre-book your date. Make sure you choose the correct one for your itinerary.
• The top deck has the best views of the city but you need to wear sunscreen as there is no shade.
• Create a rough outline of your itinerary to make the most of your ticket.