Tram 28
The yellow vintage tram that grinds through Graça, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela on a route built for hills, not tourists.
The call
Worth it if you're watching the budget and you're traveling as a couple.
Short answer
Is Tram 28 worth it?
Tram 28 deserves a place on most first itineraries. Go early or reserve ahead. Crowds are part of the cost.
The answer depends on your budget, time and travel style; the breakdown below shows who gets the most value.
Why
- 01
When it works — an off-peak winter morning, a seat by the open window — the 28 is pure Lisbon: the wooden carriage groans and tilts up gradients no modern tram could climb, the bell clangs, and you brush past laundry lines and tiled facades close enough to touch.
- 02
That's the payoff everyone's chasing.
Is it a fit?
Go if
This is your first trip to Lisbon
Worth it only at 7am or off-season; otherwise you'll spend the ride crushed and guarding your pockets. The fallback that actually delivers the magic is walking the route on foot.
You're watching the budget
Tram 28 earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You're traveling as a couple
As a couple, Tram 28 is an easy yes.
You're traveling solo
Solo, Tram 28 is an easy yes.
Think twice if
You want context, not just the photograph
Tram 28 is the wrong stop for depth & learning.
You want something active
Tram 28 is the wrong stop for adventure.
You only have one day
Keep Tram 28 only when it outranks a half-day elsewhere.
You're traveling with kids
With kids, Tram 28 needs the right timing and tolerance.
Plan it well
- Cost
- €3.10 onboard / cheaper on Navegante card
- Timing
- Around 7am before the crowds; avoid late-morning to afternoon peaks
- Booking
- No booking; cheaper on a rechargeable Navegante card than the €3.10 onboard fare
- Allow
- 40–60 min full loop
- Getting there
- Board at Martim Moniz for the full route, or pick it up mid-line to skip the start queue
Consider instead
Sources and method (2)
- Route 28 was inaugurated in 1914; today it runs vintage 'Remodelado' trams retaining 1930s features (polished wood, brass dials). lisbonlisboaportugal.com ↗
- Connects Martim Moniz to Prazeres through Graça, Alfama, Baixa and Estrela; onboard single fare ~€3.30, and it is among Lisbon's highest-risk routes for pickpockets. lisbonportugaltourism.com ↗