Getting around Lisbon with kids
Most family sights sit on a metro line or a short bus ride from one. The old centre is the exception: it is steep, and the historic trams and lifts that serve it are small and crowded. Facts below come from the Metro and Carris official pages.
Step-free metro
Metro de Lisboa said in July 2026 that 47 of its 56 stations are fully accessible, with lifts from street to platform. Lifts do break down, and the Metro homepage shows the current lift status. Check it before a trip with a stroller.
Strollers on board
In the metro, the wide gate is reserved for strollers, large bags and anyone with a child under 4. On Carris buses a stroller can stay open if the child is in it, placed on the central platform facing backwards, one open stroller per vehicle. An empty stroller has to be folded.
Child fares
Children up to 3 years old travel free on both the Metro and Carris when accompanied by an adult. From age 4 every child needs a full ticket, as there is no reduced child fare for visitors. Each person needs their own navegante occasional card, which costs €0.50.
Tickets and prices
A Carris/Metro ticket costs €1.90 and covers unlimited rides on both networks for 60 minutes. The 24-hour Carris/Metro ticket is €7.25. Paying on board costs more: €2.30 on a bus and €3.30 on a tram.
Airport to the centre
The airport has its own metro station on the Red line. The same line stops at Oriente, for the Oceanário, and at São Sebastião, where you can change to the Blue line. We found no official operator page setting out car seat rules for taxis, so if you need a seat, bring one or book a transfer that confirms it in writing.
Hills, trams and lifts
All Carris buses have a lowered floor and more than 80% have a ramp, so a bus is usually easier than a historic tram with small children. Carris notes its old trams and lifts were built over 100 years ago and gives no accessibility details for them. The street lifts cost €4.30 on board for up to two trips, and the Santa Justa lift €6.20.
Checked against the operators' official pages: Oct 4, 2026