Air
It’s possible to fly direct to Lisbon from many European cities. From the United States, it will probably mean a connection at one of the European hubs such as London or Paris. Lisbon’s Portela airport is only a little over 4 miles north of the city centre and the easiest way in is by taxi. There’s a cab stand outside arrivals and the fare on the meter should read 2.35 Euros (daytime pick-up) or 2.50 Euros (night-time). Fare rates are then calculated on the number of kilometres travelled. There’s a surcharge of 1.60 Euros for baggage. There’s also a bus – the number 91 called the Aerobus CARRIS – which makes the run between the airport and the city centre every twenty minutes. The 3.10 Euro-ticket allows you all-day travel and can be bought from the driver on boarding. For more details on transportation and other airport services, go to www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA
Train
It’s quite possible to travel to Lisbon by train from another European capital such as London or Paris. From London, the journey would be through the Channel Tunnel on Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) to Paris, a high-speed French train to Irun on the Spanish frontier and then the famous ‘Sud Express’ overnight to Lisbon. This adventure would take you about 24 hours. The main station in Lisbon is Santa Apolónia in the Alfama district, which is about a 15-minute walk from the main square, Praça do Comércio. Located near Parque Das Nacoes and open since 1998, the Gare do Oriente serves as an alternative international terminus.
Road
The A1 Auto-estrada do Norte extends from Porto to Lisbon and the A8 arrives from destinations to the north and west of the city. The A9 by-passes Lisbon, connecting the A1 and A8, as well as the A5, which links Lisbon with Cascais and the beaches. The A2 Auto-estrada do Sul arrives from Faro and the Algarve via Almada and the Ponte 25 de Abril. The A2 also links to the A6, which continues on for connections to Madrid. The A12 crosses the Ponte Vasco da Gama, offering a less congested route into the city. However, if you’re thinking of driving in Lisbon, a couple of words of advice from a seasoned traveller: forget it. Driving conditions are said to be a nightmare, finding a parking space is difficult and there’s the danger of theft. Stay car-free and use the excellent Metros, trams and buses.
