Tram 28 (Lisbon) is a landmark, public transport and an attraction all at once. For locals, it is a common way to get around the city, but tourists use the old yellow carriages to see the sights. The tram route passes through many famous places in the capital, namely through the entire historical center of Lisbon.
Tram 28 in Lisbon – General Information
The route has existed for over a century, and has remained virtually unchanged. The carriages have wooden seats, and to notify the driver of a stop, you just need to pull a rope inside the car. The tram travels through streets so narrow that passengers can reach out and touch the walls of the houses.
Today, the route is served by restored carriages built at the beginning of the last century. Their appearance has been preserved as much as possible.
Interesting to know! In the past, the tram had to be stopped frequently, and passengers waited until the owners closed the shutters that prevented them from passing.
What can you see along the tram route?
Tram route 28 in Lisbon on the map.
1. Mouraria Quarter
Tram 28 in Lisbon starts at Praça Martin Moniz and goes through the Mouraria quarter. This is the old Moorish quarter with narrow streets and small, doll-like houses. Fado is performed in the taverns.
2. Alfama Quarter
The oldest quarter of the capital, it is where the history of Lisbon began. The fortress was built by the Romans and reconstructed by the Arabs. Today, poor families of fishermen live in the once luxurious area.
Interesting fact! The name of the area translates as “hot spring”. During the Middle Ages, a warm spring flowed from the wall, and the residents of Lisbon used the water.
3. Temple of Santa Engracia
The church was built 300 years ago and today amazes with the amazingly snow-white color of the walls. The church is called Santa Engracia – Martyr of Braga.
This is interesting! The construction of the temple lasted for 284 years.
4. Castle of St. George
The castle is one of the main attractions of the capital . It is located on a hill, so it will be clearly visible from the window of tram 28. The building in different eras was a castle, a theater, a place for holding prisoners, an arsenal. In the 15th century, the triumphal return of Vasco da Gama from the legendary journey to India was celebrated within the walls of the castle.
In 1755 the castle was completely destroyed. Reconstruction was carried out until the end of the last century. The exterior of the building has been preserved and supplemented with a large amount of greenery and luxurious peacocks.
5. Cathedral of Se
The name of the oldest cathedral is an abbreviation meaning – the residence of the bishop. Similar temples have been built in all major cities of the country.
The main object of veneration of the shrine is the relics of St. Vincent. There is a legend according to which in the 12th century a boat driven by ravens appeared on the Tagus River. The boat contained the body of Vincent, tortured to death by the Arabs. When the boat moored to the shore, the birds made a nest on the roof of the cathedral. That is why the symbols of the cathedral are a raft and ravens. If you decide to ride tram 28, you will definitely see this temple.
6. Baixa Quarter
This part of the city is built in the Pombaline style. Calle Augusta is the Portuguese equivalent of the French Champs Elysees.
The emergence of a new architectural style is associated with tragic events in Lisbon, namely the devastating earthquake of 1755. The catastrophe destroyed the city in just 3 minutes and took the lives of almost all residents. The Marquis of Pombal was in charge of rebuilding Lisbon. After the earthquake, the Marquis acted very decisively. First of all, he ordered the city to be closed and armed guards to neutralize the panic. The surviving residents were busy putting out fires, clearing rubble and fighting gangs of marauders.
The Marquis took a risky step, thanks to which he protected the city from possible terrible consequences – epidemics. Immediately after the disaster, all the dead were drowned in the sea.
7. Commerce Square
The square features a statue of the monarch José I on horseback. Locals call the statue the Black Horse, although today the bronze horse has acquired a greenish tint – even stone cannot withstand time.
In 1908, the penultimate Portuguese monarch, Carlos I, was assassinated in the square. The king died immediately during the assassination attempt, and his son Luis Felipe was wounded, from which he died soon after. Prince Manuel II suffered the least – a bullet hit his arm. It was he who would later rule Portugal. The attackers, representatives of the Republican Party, were shot dead on the spot, but their followers managed to overthrow the monarchy a few years later.
In 1974, a bloodless revolution took place here.
8. Elevator Santa Justa
The structure connects two parts of the capital – the upper and lower. The structure goes from Golden Street to Carmo Square. The height of the rise is 32 meters.
The elevator is the creation of the French architect Raoul Messnier du Ponsaro. Some historians believe that he borrowed the technical idea of the elevator from his famous fellow countryman, Gustave Eiffel, who gave the world the Eiffel Tower. The elevator lift is made in a refined neo-Gothic style and decorated with an openwork pattern.
9. Chiado district
This is the most sophisticated of the Portuguese capital’s districts . The name means “creak” in translation. Probably, the locals named this part of Lisbon this way, because the creaking of carriage wheels that overcame steep slopes could be heard here constantly. In the century before last, people who wanted to hang out and creative people who wanted to become famous came here.
Note! Today, Chiado is home to the best restaurants and bars in the capital.
10. Basilica of Estrela
This is the last stop of the tram. Construction began in the 18th century and, according to legend, is connected with a vow made by Queen Maria I. Addressing the higher powers, she promised to build a temple after the birth of her son.
Soon after this vow, the queen gave birth to an heir, and construction of the basilica began. Unfortunately, the child died of smallpox, and his mother lost her mind before the construction was completed. The basilica took 11 long years to build.
Fare and timetable
The fare for all Lisbon trams is the same:
- 1.35 euros with VIVA viagem card;
- 3 euros if you buy a ticket from the driver.
If you plan to travel around Lisbon a lot, the best option is to buy a travel card, which is valid for one day and costs €6.40. You get the right to travel on all public transport.
Tourists are advised to purchase a green Viva Viajen card and top it up. There are several ways to top up the card:
- by number of trips;
- money – this system is called Zapping, you will have to pay up to 15 euros.
Cards are sold in:
- metro ticket offices;
- special machines;
- bookstores;
- kiosks.
Please note! If you topped up your card using the Zapping system, you can use it to pay for travel on any public transport. To pay, when entering a tram, place your card on the circle on the yellow device. After that, a green light comes on, and information about the remaining funds appears on the screen.
If you load the card with trips, remember that each one is only valid for an hour. This means that you can transfer to any public transport for 60 minutes, each time you put the card to the machine. Money is debited only once per hour. Read about how to use the metro in Lisbon in this article .
This is important! Children under 4 years old travel free of charge, older children pay the same as adults.
Tram 28 schedule:
- Monday through Friday – from 5:40 to 21:15;
- on Saturday – from 5:45 to 22:30;
- Sundays and holidays – from 6:45 to 22:30.
The journey from the starting point to the final stop takes 40-60 minutes.
Useful tips
- To get the most impressions and a lot of positive emotions, it is better to come to the final stop early in the morning. In this case, you will be able to take comfortable seats in the carriage. Between 9:30 and 18:00, the tram is always full of people.
- Since this is a regular city tram, you will not hear any information about the sights. Read about the objects located along the route in advance.
- While traveling, keep an eye on your personal belongings and pockets; unfortunately, thefts are not uncommon.
A trip on a sightseeing tram is a popular activity among tourists. Tram 28 (Lisbon) runs through the entire historical center. During the ride, you can enjoy the views without leaving the carriage.
