In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Ships dock at the Lisbon Cruise Terminal and Santa Apolónia terminal, beside Santa Apolónia station, or at Rocha Conde de Óbidos in the west. From the Lisbon terminal the centre is a 10-minute walk, the Metro Blue Line is 5 to 10 minutes away on foot, and buses 206, 210, 728, 735, 759 and 794 stop outside. From Rocha Conde de Óbidos, Santos station on the Cascais Line has the trains. Belém is closed on Mondays and on 13 June, and the Jerónimos Monastery often sells out, so book it before you sail. Or book a tour: the Best of Lisbon walking tourad (from £18.79, GetYourGuide, 1 October 2026) leaves from Rossio and takes 3 hours.
Which terminal your ship uses
The port authority lists three cruise terminals: the Lisbon Cruise Terminal and the Santa Apolónia Cruise Terminal, side by side in the east, and the Gare Marítima da Rocha Conde de Óbidos in the west (portodelisboa.pt, 1 October 2026). Your boarding card names the one your ship uses.
| Terminal | Where | Rail and Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon Cruise Terminal and Santa Apolónia Cruise Terminal | East of Alfama, on the river by Santa Apolónia station; Doca Jardim do Tabaco | Santa Apolónia station, with the Northern Line trains and the Metro Blue Line |
| Gare Marítima da Rocha Conde de Óbidos | West of the centre, below Lapa and Santos; 483 m of quay | Santos station on the Cascais Line |
The Santa Apolónia Cruise Terminal is a walk from the main terminal, across the avenue from the station (lisboncruiseport.pt, 1 October 2026).
A ship at the Lisbon cruise terminal, seen over Alfama from the Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Photo: Simon Burchell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the Lisbon terminal
A 10-minute walk to the centre · Metro Blue Line at Santa Apolónia · buses outside
The terminal’s operator, Lisbon Cruise Ports, puts the centre 500 m away, a 10-minute walk (lisboncruiseport.pt, 1 October 2026). The ways in:
- Walk: Alfama and the São Jorge Castle are the nearest sights. The operator calls Alfama a short walk away.
- Metro: Santa Apolónia, the end of the Blue Line, is a 5 to 10 minute walk. The next stops are Terreiro do Paço, Baixa-Chiado and Restauradores. A Carris/Metro single is €1.90 on a Navegante occasional card (€0.50, bought once), or €1.92 tapping a contactless bank card in and out at the gate; see Lisbon public transport.
- Bus: routes 206, 210, 728, 735, 759 and 794 stop outside the terminal. Carris’s page for bus 728 shows it running from Santa Apolónia to Cais do Sodré and Belém, with a stop named Alfândega (Terminal Cruzeiros) (carris.pt, 1 October 2026). A ticket on board is €2.30, or €1.90 with the card.
- Taxi and Uber: taxis and Uber have pick-up points at the terminal, and the main terminal has Taxi Link kiosks. The operator gives €10 to €15 on average to the airport, 15 to 20 minutes, varying with traffic, luggage and the hour.
- Tram 28: it starts at Martim Moniz, not at the terminal; the tram and funicular guide has the route and what is shut.
The port’s Guest Information Centre, inside the terminal, books hop-on hop-off buses, tuk-tuks and shuttle boats to Belém. A Metro strike has shut the whole network for a day before, on 11 December 2025 and 3 June 2026, so on a day with a strike keep a taxi or the buses as the backup.
The Queen Elizabeth alongside the Lisbon cruise terminal, with Alfama behind. Photo: Ein Dahmer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
From Rocha Conde de Óbidos
Santos station, Cascais Line · trams 15E and 25E
The port authority puts the terminal 12 km from the airport and connects it to Santos station on the Cascais Line (portodelisboa.pt, 1 October 2026). Trains run from Santos to Cais do Sodré, to Belém and to Cascais. Trams 15E and 25E stop at Santos, and the 15E runs on through Belém; bus 728 passes Santos too (carris.pt, 1 October 2026). From this terminal, Belém comes first: see the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower guides for the slots.
A day in port
Book before you sail, and check the closed days.
- Belém: the Jerónimos Monastery (€18) and Belém Tower (€15) are closed on Mondays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December. The operator says tickets often sell out and cannot be bought on the day (mosteirojeronimos.torrebelem.gov.pt, 1 October 2026).
- São Jorge Castle: €17, open 9:00 to 21:00 from 1 March to 31 October and 9:00 to 18:00 from 1 November, closed on 1 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December (castelodesaojorge.pt, 1 October 2026).
- Sintra: the day tours take about 9 hours, so check your ship’s departure time first; the Sintra tour with ticketsad is from £58.08, and the Sintra day trip guide has the train. Day trips from Lisbon compares the others by journey time, for a long port day.
- Plans: Lisbon in one day has a plan for each terminal, and 3 days in Lisbon for a longer call.
With a guide, the Belém and Jerónimos Monastery tourad is from £58.94 (4.9 stars from 1,276 reviews, 3 hours), the Tram 28, Alfama and custard tart walkad from £29.04 (4.8 stars from 167 reviews, 2½ hours) and the 7 Hills e-bike tourad from £20.76 (4.9 stars from 1,737 reviews, 3 hours), which takes the hills for you while the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa Lift are shut.
Embarking, and the airport
- From the airport to the terminal: the Red Line to São Sebastião, the Blue Line to Santa Apolónia, then a 5 to 10 minute walk: 30 to 40 minutes, says the operator. Lisbon airport to the city centre has the fares and the taxi voucher. A private transfer, the airport transferad, is from £20.50 (4.6 stars from 1,947 reviews, 30 minutes).
- At the terminal: the port advises arriving at least one to two hours before boarding, and says baggage is in most cases accepted from 9:00, tagged for your ship. Lockers are available at the Lisbon terminal, and non-EU residents can claim a tax refund if Lisbon is their last EU port.
- A night before or after: where to stay in Lisbon compares the areas, and Alfama and Baixa are the nearest to the terminal.
For the weather in port, see best time to visit Lisbon; the Santos Populares street parties in June are in Alfama, a short walk from the Lisbon terminal. For what to book before you go, see what to book before you go in Lisbon.
Common questions
How do I get from the Lisbon cruise terminal to the city centre?
The Lisbon Cruise Terminal is about 500 m from the centre; its operator calls it a 10-minute walk. The Metro Blue Line station, Santa Apolónia, is a 5 to 10 minute walk away, and runs to Terreiro do Paço, Baixa-Chiado and Restauradores. Buses 206, 210, 728, 735, 759 and 794 stop outside the terminal, and taxis and Uber have pick-up points there.
Where do ships dock in Lisbon?
At the Lisbon Cruise Terminal and the Santa Apolónia Cruise Terminal, beside Santa Apolónia station east of Alfama, or at the Gare Marítima da Rocha Conde de Óbidos in the west, below Lapa and Santos. Your boarding card names the terminal.
How far is Lisbon cruise port from the airport?
About 8 km; the port operator puts a taxi or Uber at 15 to 20 minutes and €10 to €15 on average. By Metro it takes 30 to 40 minutes: the Red Line from the airport to São Sebastião, then the Blue Line to Santa Apolónia, then a 5 to 10 minute walk.
How do I get from the Rocha Conde de Óbidos terminal to the centre?
Santos station, on the Cascais Line, is the rail link, with trains to Cais do Sodré, Belém and Cascais. Trams 15E and 25E stop at Santos, and bus 728 passes it.
Can I visit Belém from a cruise ship?
Yes, but Belém's two monuments are closed on Mondays and on 13 June, and the Jerónimos Monastery often sells out and cannot be bought on the day, so book it before you sail. From the Lisbon terminal, bus 728 runs to Belém; from Rocha Conde de Óbidos, take the train from Santos.
