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The best independent guide to Lisbon
LisbonLisboaPortugal.com
The best independent guide to Lisbon
Cacilhas ferry, metro and bus station
Cacilhas is a major transport hub on the southern side of the River Tejo. This bustling interchange serves as the gateway to Lisbon's South Bank, connecting ferry services across the river with onward bus and metro travel. The complex was designed as a key connection point for thousands of daily commuters who bypass the traffic-clogged Ponte 25 de Abril bridge, but for visitors, it opens up a different side of the Lisbon experience.
This guide provides an overview of the services departing from Cacilhas and highlights connections useful for visitors, including bus services to the Costa da Caparica beaches and the Cristo Rei statue.
While at Cacilhas ferry terminal, don't miss visiting the beautifully restored Dom Fernando II e Glória, Portugal's last sail-powered ship.
Related article: Guide to
Cacilhas
The ferry to Cacilhas from Lisbon
Finding Your Way Around Cacilhas
Unlike a traditional enclosed station, Cacilhas consists of three distinct transport services spread across an open plaza without a central building.
The ferry terminal is where most visitors begin their journey, arriving from Lisbon's Cais do Sodré. Inside, you'll find ticket machines and staffed counters for the transport network. Once you pass through the exit barriers, you emerge onto Largo Alfredo Dinis, a large open square that serves as the heart of the interchange.
Immediately to your left as you exit the ferry terminal, you'll find the bus station. Rather than a building, it's a series of well-organised covered stands, each clearly marked with route numbers and detailed timetables.
Adjacent to the ferry and bus areas sits the Cacilhas station of the Metro Sul do Tejo (MTS), the light rail network serving the Almada region. Though most tourists will find the buses more useful for reaching popular destinations.
Cacilhas Ferry
The most important service from Cacilhas is the commuter ferry to Lisbon, operated by Transtejo Soflusa. While the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge provides a stunning backdrop to the city, it's also a serious traffic bottleneck that can turn a simple crossing into an hour-long ordeal. This congestion makes the express ferry services invaluable for locals and visitors alike.
The ferry connects Cacilhas directly to Cais do Sodré in Lisbon, which serves as both a major train station for services to Cascais and Estoril and the final stop on the green metro line. For visitors, the 10 to 15-minute ferry ride offers much more than simple transportation. The journey provides spectacular views of Lisbon's shoreline from water level and passes close enough to the suspension bridge to appreciate its massive scale. At €1.55 for a single journey loaded onto your navegante card, it's one of the city's best-value sightseeing experiences.
Ferries depart approximately every 20 minutes throughout the working day, with services continuing late into the night. The last ferry leaves Cacilhas at 1:20am and returns from Lisbon at 1:40am, making it viable for evening entertainment in the capital. For the best experience and a better chance at a window seat, try to avoid the extended rush hours between 7-9am and 5-7pm when commuters pack the boats.
Transtejo Soflusa website: https://ttsl.pt/
Cacilhas bus station
Cacilhas acts as the main bus station of the Almada region with most services departing from here. All bus services from Cacilhas are now operated by Carris Metropolitana, and their website is:
carrismetropolitana.pt/
The bus station is well organised with route numbers clearly displayed above the bus stands and detailed bus timetables attached to the stands. The key bus services for visitors are buses to the Christ Statue and Costa da Caparica but there are also buses to Setubal and Sesimbra.
Bus to Cristo Rei
The Cristo Rei statue, with its arms outstretched above the south bank, draws many visitors across to Cacilhas. Route 3001 provides dedicated service from the bus station directly to the monument's base. This tourist-focused route operates with seasonal frequency - during summer months it runs once per hour, while in other seasons it operates every 30 minutes. The service runs daily from approximately 7:40am to 8:30pm. The latest timetable can be seen on the Carris Metropolitana website at:
carrismetropolitana.pt/lines/3001
The 20-minute journey winds through Almada's residential streets before climbing to the statue. Tickets must be purchased with cash directly from the driver, as this is the only payment method accepted on board. A single journey costs €1.25, though you can also use a prepaid Navegante card loaded with credit for €0.85 per journey if purchased beforehand.
Buses to Costa da Caparica
The Costa da Caparica has some of the finest beaches of the Lisbon region and are easily accessible from Cacilhas. There are two routes that connect Cacilhas to Costa da Caparica:
Route 3011 operates as the express service, reaching Costa da Caparica in approximately 35-40 minutes by following major roads. While faster, it runs less frequently with roughly hourly departures.
Route 3022 provides the standard service with departures every 20-30 minutes, though the journey takes around 43-50 minutes as it serves more local stops.
Both services cost €2.60 when using Navegante Zapping ticket. Many visitors prefer the Cacilhas route to Costa da Caparica as it avoids the confusion of finding the correct bus stop at Areeiro and the traffic when returning back to Lisbon.
Other bus routes
For a quieter beach experience, route 3012 continues to Fonte da Telha, a smaller village roughly halfway down the Costa da Caparica coastline. This hourly service takes about 50 minutes and costs the same €2.60, delivering you to a more relaxed stretch of sand favoured by locals.
Those planning longer excursions might consider route 3536 to Sesimbra, a charming fishing town with excellent seafood restaurants. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, with hourly departures throughout the day.
Cacilhas Metro (MTS)
The Metro Sul do Tejo light rail system, often called a tram by locals, serves primarily residential areas of Almada. From Cacilhas station, you can access two lines: Line 1 (Blue) heading south to Corroios and Line 3 (Green) running west to Universidade. While these routes mainly serve local communities, they do provide one useful connection for visitors.
If you need to reach Pragal train station for regional services to Setúbal, the metro offers the connection, though it requires a change. Take Line 1 from Cacilhas to Corroios station, then transfer to Line 2 (Yellow) which continues to Pragal. From there, you can catch Fertagus commuter trains back to Lisbon or regional services heading south.
A single journey costs just €0.85 when using navegante Zapping, making it very affordable. Services run frequently with up to eight departures per hour, often timed to coincide with ferry arrivals from Lisbon. The metro continues operating until 1:00am, ensuring good connections with late ferry services.
MTS website: www.mts.pt/
Cacilhas metro
The Dom Fernando II e Glória
If you find yourself with time between connections, the Dom Fernando II e Glória frigate makes for a fascinating diversion. Moored just south of the bus station, this black-hulled beauty was the last sail-powered ship constructed by the Portuguese Navy. Launched in 1843, she now serves as a floating museum, fully restored and open for exploration.
The ship opens Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with an entrance fee of €4.00. You can explore multiple decks, peer into the officers' quarters, and imagine life aboard during Portugal's final years of sail.
The mighty Dom Fernando II e Glóiria ship
The Navegante public transport card
Before you can use any service from Cacilhas, you'll need to engage with Lisbon's integrated ticketing system. The Navegante occasional card is your key to cost-effective travel across the entire network. This rechargeable smart card costs just €0.50 and remains valid for one year, during which you can reload it as many times as needed. It's crucial to remember that each person in your group must have their own card, sharing isn't permitted.
At Cacilhas, you have several options for purchasing your card. The ticket vending machines inside the ferry terminal are the most common choice, offering multilingual interfaces that guide you through the process. For a faster option, look for the modern Ponto Navegante self-service kiosks, which accept bank cards and issue cards instantly without the queues often found at traditional machines. If you prefer personal assistance or have questions about fares, the Espaço Navegante Almada office provides staffed service.
When it comes to loading your card, you have two main options that suit different travel patterns. Zapping, the pay-as-you-go option, lets you load credit starting from a €3 minimum, with the fare for each journey deducted from your balance. This flexibility makes it ideal for visitors making occasional journeys over several days. Alternatively, the 24-hour pass at €10.00 offers unlimited travel on the ferry, Lisbon buses and metro, making it excellent value for intensive sightseeing days.
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If you've found our content valuable, we'd welcome your support.
The digital publishing landscape has evolved significantly. As a small independent publisher, we face growing challenges. Search engines increasingly favour paid content over organic results, while AI-generated content often reproduces original work without attribution.
To support our work, please consider bookmarking this page (press Ctrl + D) for quick access. If you find an article helpful, we'd be grateful if you'd share it with friends on social media.
For specific questions, please see our Reddit community at r/LisbonPortugalTravel.
Should you notice any outdated or incorrect information, please contact us at [email protected]
Thank you for helping us continue to provide valuable content in an increasingly challenging digital environment.