Lisbon Tram 28: The Complete Guide to Riding the Iconic Yellow Tram

Tram 28 is Lisbon's most photographed object and, arguably, the city's best slow-travel experience. The ancient yellow rattleboxes — some dating to the 1930s, all operating on electromechanical systems that predate most living passengers — grind up and down Lisbon's steepest hills in a route that connects Martim Moniz in the east with Prazeres in the west, threading through Alfama, Graça, Mouraria, Baixa, Chiado, and Estrela along the way.

The full route takes approximately 40 minutes end to end and costs a flat fare (€3 if you buy onboard; cheaper with a Viva Viagem card). It's genuinely useful as transport as well as a scenic experience — the tram stops at or near most of Lisbon's key points of interest. The gradient sections in Alfama are extraordinary: the tram moves at walking pace up cobblestone inclines so steep that the physics seem wrong, passengers bracing themselves against the wooden interior.

Crowds are the main consideration. By 10am on any day with good weather, every tram is packed to the railings with tourists, which means the experience shifts from charming to stressful. The fix is simple: take the first departures of the day (from Martim Moniz around 7am weekdays), or take the route in reverse (from Prazeres, board at the Cemetery stop) heading east, which tends to have fewer people. Standing on the exterior running boards on the hill sections is technically possible and technically not recommended — but spectacularly atmospheric.

Several stops are worth a deliberate exit: Miradouro da Graça for the best morning views over the city, São Vicente de Fora for the Baroque church and rooftop, and Largo do Carmo at the Chiado end for the ruined Gothic convent.