River Cruise & Ferry Ride on the Rio Tejo

A ferry ride or tourist river cruise is a leisurely way to view the historic water front of Lisbon. Lisbon has a long history associated with the exploration of the oceans and the city's golden era was financed by the trade that flowed through the docks and Praca do Comercio.

A ferry ride or river cruise is the best method to experience the city as once the sailors did. There are two options to view lisbon from the Rio Tejo (Tagus River), either as part of a tourist river cruise or a ferry crossing on one of the commuter ferries. A ferry ride ferries heading south/north is surprising cheap but both methods provide beautiful views over Lisbon which was designed to be viewed from the water.

The Commuter Ferries

The commuter ferries are very cheap as are designed for daily use by Lisbon's commuting population who wish to avoid the traffic of the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge. There are two ferry terminals; one located at Cais do Sodré (last stop on the green metro line) or Terreiro do Praca (on the blue metro line and to the south west corner of Praca do Comercio). Due to the close proximity to the tourist district of Baixa Terreiro do Praca is an easier option but Cais do Sodré is closer to both the suspension bridge and the statue of christ on the south bank.

The distance and crossing times for each of the available routes varies but no return ticket is more than €5. The commuter ferries run constantly during the day and unlike the specialist tourist boats do not require the day to be planned around the trip. There are 2 styles of ferries which cross the River Tejo either large barges which force their way through the water by means of enormous engines or modern catamarans which in comparison glide through the water. All of the ferries have an open air viewing decks. As the ferries are primarily commuter routes remember to avoid the extended evening rush hour between 17:00-18:30.

Tourist Cruise Boats

These boats and cruise routes have been specially been designed for tourists to show the beauty of Lisbon from the water but this comes with a major disadvantage, the price. There are three cruise routes for tourists:

• The first is a shorter loop starting at Cais do Sodré passing under the suspension bridge and the sights of Belem and returning to Terreiro do Praca. The tour takes approximately 1 hour, departs at 4:30 and the adult price is €15.
• The second route starts and finishes at Terreiro do Praca and includes the eastern side of the Tejo Estuary and Expo Park along with the sights viewed on the shorter route. The tour takes approximately 2.5 hour, departs at 3:00 and the adult price is €20.
• The third route goes from Belem to Expo Park (or Expo to Belem) the single direction route cost €15 for an adult ticket and there are more services during the day.

All of the tourist cruises have onboard commentary which briefly describe the sights along the route. On board the amenities are much cleaner than the commuter ferries and drinks and light refreshments are available. All of the tourist cruises routes only operate during the medium and high tourist season which is generally April to October.

Visitor Conclusion

It is highly recommended that all visitors to lisbon view the capital from the water. Lisbon has had a long history associated with the exploration of the oceans and the trade which flowed into the city financed the great monument of the city. As with all decisions during a holiday the ultimately decision on which option is the most suitable is very heavily dependant on the available funds for the holiday. The tourist ferries provide the most views over Lisbon but the commuter ferries are a fraction of the price. the option of the commuter ferries also provide the travelers on a much more stringent budget the chance to experience the same as the expensive planed tourist routes.