Skip Tram 28 in Lisbon.
Left to right: The author waiting for Tram 28 and riding it. Christina Montford/Insider
Any travel blog that you read about going to Lisbon will tell you that you need to ride Tram 28. Tram 28 is an old-school streetcar that passes through the popular areas of the city like Alfama, Baixa, Estrela, and Graca.
Before Lisbon became a really popular destination, people used to advise that tourists use the tram as a hop-on, hop-off tour to view popular sites. Any site that still advises this is setting you up for failure.
If you get on the tram at the start of the line, Martim Moniz, you might have a chance to get a seat, but in order to get the coveted spot, you’ll have to wait in the line to end all lines.
We waited for over two hours before one of the drivers told us we could skip the line if we were OK with taking one of the standing-room spots. Eager to get out of the Portuguese sun, we took him up on the offer. This was our first mistake.
The windows on the tram are pretty low, so unless you’re 5’2″ and under, you’re going to have a really hard time seeing out of the tram while standing. There are big windows at the back of the tram, but if you stand there, you can only see the sites after you’ve passed them.
We did manage to eventually snag seats, but even then, the ride didn’t get much better. The tram is not technically a tourist bus, so the driver doesn’t announce when you’ve reached any of the attractions. So, overall, it just felt like a really crowded bus ride.
If you want to ride in one of the historic streetcars, I would recommend taking Tram 12 instead. It also departs from Martim Moniz and will take you through the popular Alfama and Baixa districts, and there is rarely a line.
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