Want to ride Tram 28 without the crowds? Then this blog post is for you! I share my 5 tips to ride Tram 28 like a pro: discover the ideal routes, learn pro techniques for securing a coveted seat, and master the art of avoiding long queues.
To ride, or not to ride, that is the question!
Lisbon’s iconic trams serve as both as beautiful backdrop and an essential mode of transportation in Lisbon. Their distinctive squeaks and rattles echo through the narrow streets of the city while the famous yellow trams have become emblems of the city. But Beyond their tourist allure, Lisbon’s trams are a lifeline for locals, offering convenient connections across the city’s sprawling terrain, including its notorious hills.
Riding Tram 28 in Lisbon is one of the most iconic things to do in the City, but it can also be a flop if not done right.
Keep Reading // 11 Amazing Things to do in Lisbon
But fear not, I have uncovered the secrets to enjoying this classic adventure to the fullest. Drawing from my own experiences, I share some tips and tricks to beat the crowds and savor every moment aboard these nostalgic trams.
So, is Tram 28 really worth the hype? The answer yes, but you need to do it right!
HERE ARE 5 TIPS TO RIDE TRAM 28 LIKE A PRO
… BUT FIRST, SOME HISTORY
The Lisbon tram system entered service on 17 November 1873 as a horsecar line. At the time, the “trams” were only available in the flat parts of the city where horses were capable of hauling their passenger loads. However, if you know anything about Lisbon, you’ll know that it is nothing but flat…
Keep Reading // To learn why Lisbon as the nickname “City of Seven Hills” check out the blog post about 14 Things to Know Before Visiting Lisbon
To remediate this problem, the City Council proposed the use of funiculars : the first one came into service in 1884. This marked a significant milestones in the city’s transportation history.
In 1890, the first cable tram route was put into operation. This was a 1,7 kilometer route between Praça Camões to Largo da Estrela. This innovative technology offered an alternative to funiculars for navigating Lisbon’s longer and curved routes. A few years later, in 1901, Lisbon’s first electric tramway commenced operations. Within a year, all of the city’s routes had been converted to electric traction.
But what about route 28?
Trams 28 dates back to 1914 when horse drawn carriages were replaced by the now iconic yellow trams. If some lines use newer trams cars, Tram 28 looks very much the same as it at the beginning of the 20th century with wooden floors, timber window frames and yellow bodies.
But why is this route so popular? The 7km long route passes through the districts of Graça, Alfama, Baxia, Chiado, Santa Catarina and Estrela : basically all the popular districts of Lisbon. It takes about 50 minutes to travel the entire route between Largo do Martim Moniz and Campo Ourique.
TIP 1: DON’T WAIT TO GET ON THE TRAM TO BUY YOUR TICKET
To save both time and money, and to avoid feeling like everyone is annoyed with you, I highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. Of course it is possible to buy your ticket on the tram itself for a fee of €3 in cash. But imagine if all the passengers did that… what a hassle.
Instead, consider buying a Viva Viagem card from any metro station, allowing you to preload your tram journeys beforehand. For maximum convenience and value, adding a 24-hour unlimited pass to your card for just €6.60 provides unlimited access to all public transport for a full day, including the picturesque Elevador de Santa Justa and Elevador da Glória funiculars.
Alternatively, if you anticipate using public transport less frequently, you can opt for the “zapping” option, loading a cash balance onto your card at €1.65 per tram ride. All you need to do is tap your card when you get in the tram.
If you have the Lisbon Card public transportation is free, including Tram 28.
TIP 2 : DON’T GO AT THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE ELSE
It’s 10am on a Saturday, should I ride tram 28? Absolutely not!
Fun Fact // Did you know that it is estimated that Tram 28 transports around 4,5 million passenger every year? But get this… each tram can sit 20 people and about another 25 standing. If you do the math, that means very cramped cars.
Knowing when to ride Tram 28 is a bit complicated because peak time is anytime between 9am and 7pm. And conductors often skip stops when there is no more space for additional passengers…
During peak time, particularly at Praça Martin Moniz, it can take an hour or more to get in, particularly in the busy summer season.
So when should you get on? Try early in the morning, before 9am or at the end of the night around 9pm.
TIP 3: GO THE OPPOSITE WAY AS EVERYONE ELSE
To maximize your chances of securing a seat on the often crowded trams in Lisbon, consider boarding at one of the start or end stops of the line, such as Campo de Ourique in the west or Martim Moniz in the Alfama district. Riding the full route without hopping on and off in the middle allows you to experience all the sights.
However, as I’ve mentioned above, Praça Martin Moniz can get extremely busy since it’s right in the middle of the city center. That is particularly true in peak tourist season where the wait time can be more than an hour.
For that reason, I highly recommend riding in the opposite direction. Rather than waiting in endless lines at Martim Moniz, start your journey at the other end, in Campo de Ourique. By starting in Campo de Ourique, a square in a less touristy neighborhood of Lisbon, you’ll be able to get a seat next to the window and enjoy the entirety of the Tram 28. Get there by taxi, on the #25 tram, or enjoy the 45-minute walk from Chiado.
Warning // Tram 28 is renowned for being a hotspot for pickpockets. Make sure you hold on to your belonging, especially if you are doing the ride standing.
TIP 4 : KNOW WHERE TO SIT
When boarding the tram, choose your seat strategically to optimize your sightseeing experience. If you’re starting your journey at the Martim Moniz stop in Alfama, opt for the left-hand side of the tram to enjoy panoramic views of the oceanfront and key tourist attractions as you travel downtown.
On the other hand, if your journey begins at the Campo Ourique stop in the west, select the right side for the best sightseeing opportunities. Keep in mind that the seats on the right side of the tram are typically singles rather than benches. If you’re traveling with friends or family, sitting on the right may mean sacrificing sitting together as a group.
TIP 5: WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, TRY ANOTHER ROUTE
If all of the tips above have not worked, consider opting for tram 12 instead of the iconic tram 28. Both trams use charming historic trams carts, but the number 24 typically has shorter queues and more available seats, allowing for a more relaxed journey.
Tram 12 follows a similar route to tram 28, but does not cover as much ground. Instead of the 7km route of Tram 28, Tram 12 covers only 4km and the entire route takes around 20 minutes.
Still, tram 12 offers a delightful journey along some of the same tracks in Alfama as the famed tram 28, making stops at iconic landmarks such as São Jorge Castle, Miradouro de Santa Luzia, the Se Cathedral, and more.
READ THESE POSTS BEFORE VISITING LISBON!
LISBON GUIDES | 11 Amazing Things to do In Lisbon; 14 Things to Know Before Visiting Lisbon; How to make the best of your visit to Belém; 1 day, 3 castles: How to make the best of your day in Sintra; Where to Stay in Lisbon?
LISBON PHOTOS | 30 amazing photos of Lisbon
THE REST OF PORTUGAL | 11 amazing things to do in Porto; 9 amazing things to do in Lagos
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I almost made a very different version of this reel.
Last time I posted about Smiths Falls, the comments surprised me and a lot of them seemed to come from people who actually live there. There’s nothing to do here. It’s boring. My first instinct was to make a whole clap-back video, screenshots and all.
But honestly? I get it. Nobody is a tourist in their own town. The canal is just the thing you cross on your way to work. The museum is where you went once on a school trip in grade four. When you see a place every single day, it goes invisible.
I grew up near the Bay of Fundy - home of the highest tides on the planet - and as a kid I thought it was the most boring place on earth. It took moving away to realize people cross oceans to see what was in my backyard.
So this reel is me being a tourist in your town for you. The 1912 bridge you’d paddle under if you hadn’t stopped noticing it. The museum where you can climb into the trains, and even sleep in one. The thrift trail. The mural. All of it.
To everyone who’s never been: this is your sign for an easy day trip from Ottawa or Kingston.
And to Smiths Falls locals: I dare you to do one thing from this list this weekend. Report back. 😌
What’s the thing in YOUR town that you’ve stopped noticing? I want to hear it.
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#SmithsFalls #RideauCanal #OntarioDayTrip #ExploreOntario #smalltownontario
I have a confession: half my road trips are reverse-engineered.
I don’t pick a destination and find a coffee shop nearby. I pick the coffee shop, then build a whole day around justifying the drive. A hike here, a beach there, some antiquing, all very respectable cover stories for the fact that I drove two hours for an iced latte.
Because here’s what I’ve figured out after years of crisscrossing Ontario: the best coffee shops are never just coffee shops. They’re the unofficial welcome centre of every small town. The barista knows which trail is muddy this week. The regulars will tell you where to park for free. The bulletin board has better local intel than any travel blog, mine included.
So this list isn’t really about coffee. It’s about the 12 places I use as an excuse to keep exploring this province. Swipe through, every single one comes with what to pair it with so you can build your own cover story.
From Thunder Bay to the County, consider this your permission slip to drive unreasonably far for caffeine.
Which one’s closest to you? And more importantly, what’s YOUR coffee shop worth driving for? I’m always taking notes. ☕
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#OntarioCoffeeShops #OntarioRoadTrip #DiscoverOntario #OntarioTravel #SmallTownOntario
For over a hundred years, the men who lived in this house woke up, looked at the lake, and went to work captaining the Wolfe Island ferry. Three generations of them. Same water, same crossing, every day.
I thought about that a lot during my stay at @themullinhouse_ (mainly from the bathtub, because the tub faces the lake and once you’re in it there’s no reason to be anywhere else.)
The Mullin House just opened as a stay, and those who brought it back to life did it in the best way that possible. Keeping the soul of the place.Places with an actual story make my job as a photographer easy. I just have to pay attention.
And if you want to stay here too: It’s a free 20-minute ferry from Kingston, 5 bedrooms, sleeps 10. So this is your sign to plan the group trip you keep talking about.
Save this for when you book it, and be honest, would you make it out of that bathtub by checkout?
Thank you to @themullinhouse_ for having me!
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#wolfeisland #kingstonontario #thousandislands #exploreontario #ontariotravel
I grew up an hour from the Bay of Fundy. And every few years, my school would pile us onto a bus and take us to Hopewell Rocks or Fundy National Park. And every single time, as a kid, I thought : ‘okay, cool. Rocks. Trees. Can we go home now?’
I had absolutely no idea what I was standing next to.
It took me leaving New Brunswick, travelling across the country before I came back to the Bay of Fundy as an adult and genuinely had my breath taken away. I grew up next to one of the most extraordinary places on the planet and completely took it for granted. And I think a lot of Maritimers probably feel the same way.
This carousel is my attempt to fix that, for myself, and for anyone who’s never made the trip. Scroll through and I’ll show you exactly how I’d plan a road trip along the New Brunswick side, from the tidal flats to the coastal cliffs to the little fishing towns that feel completely frozen in time.
And if you have extra days to spare, Saint John is absolutely worth a stop, underrated city, great food scene, and it sits right on the bay.
I’m also heading back this summer to try a stay I’ve had my eye on for a while, I genuinely cannot wait to tell you all about it. 👀
Save this for your New Brunswick road trip. 🙌
👇 Have you ever been to the Bay of Fundy? Were you as underwhelmed as I was at 10 years old? 😄
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#BayOfFundy #NewBrunswick #ExploreCanada #CanadaTravel #FundyNationalPark
I’ll be honest, when I pulled up to @whispering_springs I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen the photos, I’d read the website, but nothing really prepares you for the moment you walk into your safari tent and realize this might actually be nicer than your apartment.
We’re talking a king bed, more space than I expected, and an actual bathtub, in a tent. I took a bath. In the woods. And I would do it again without hesitation.
Oh and the s’mores bar? Someone thought really hard about what would make people unreasonably happy at the end of a summer night and they nailed it.
Save this for your summer planning because at 90 minutes from Toronto there is really no reason to wait.
Now tell me have you ever gone glamping? If not, what are you waiting for!
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#OntarioGetaway #GlampingOntario #OntarioTravel #WeekendGetawayOntario
ExploreOntario
